Flexible Workplace Arrangements (FWAs) are more and more attractive and much easier to manage with today’s technologies, says attorney David Fortney, but the laws that govern them were passed long before the technologies existed, and that can make management difficult. Fortney is a co-founder of...

In Behind the Executive Door: Unexpected Lessons for Managing Your Boss and Your Career , author and executive coach Dr. Karol Wasylyshyn advises managers how to deal with the three types of bosses—Remarkable, Toxic, and Perilous. Wasylyshyn, a licensed psychologist and executive advisor, is founder...

“I’ve been reading Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs,” notes business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald. “It’s an interesting read because Jobs was a fascinating character. Jobs was a polarizing figure, revered by many and hated by others. But regardless of...

With lawsuits against employers becoming increasingly common—and jury verdicts skyrocketing—your risk of getting sued has increased dramatically even if you’ve done all the right things. If you do get sued, doing the right things in a timely manner can greatly reduce the risks of a...

Yesterday , we looked at a recent California court case that highlighted the various factors you need to think about when you draft your arbitration agreements—as well as how you present them to employees. Today, some tips for success. [ click here for the facts of the case ] How To Get Proper...

With individual employee claims snowballing into mountainous class actions more and more frequently, it’s no surprise that employers are increasingly requiring mandatory arbitration of employment-related disputes. But even when an agreement is in place, it’s not uncommon for an employee to...

Traditionally, succession planning focused on an orderly transition at the top of the company. Today, the focus is on dealing with the coming “brain drain” most companies will experience as Baby Boomers begin to retire. We’re dealing with an aging workforce. For example, the Bureau...

California has a unique set of rules for background checks for employment that go beyond the other 49 states and the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you’re an employer in California, it’s important to follow the rules to the letter, since applicants can sue for up to $10,000...

Yesterday , we looked at Dan Oswald’s thoughts on control vs. collaboration. Today, more wisdom from Oswald. He suggests that managers shouldn't try to have all the answers; the real key to great management is asking the right questions. As I was heading to the airport today, a colleague handed...

“I think it’s a natural tendency for people to want to be in control,” says business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald. “In fact, I read the other day that the feeling of a lack of control contributes significantly to a person’s stress level. So, it makes sense that all...

In yesterday’s CED , we got the first four of Rick Lepsinger’s “tickets to slide”; today, the rest of the tickets—plus an invitation to a can’t-miss HR leadership summit next month. Lepsinger, president of OnPoint Consulting, is the author of Closing the Execution...

“Not my job,” “No one told me,” and other accountability excuses cause more damage than you might imagine, says consultant Rick Lepsinger. In today’s CED , his tips for avoiding these “tickets to slide.” “No one told me the project was due Friday!”...

Many workers now perform their tasks at worksites other than those owned or operated by their employers. In these situations, the employer remains primarily responsible for ensuring that employees have safe and healthy workplaces. In a recent BLR webinar, Adele L. Abrams, Esq., CMSP, of the Law Office...

Transforming rank-and-file workers or new hires into effective supervisors is a major challenge. Many brand-new supervisors have never been trained on how to manage, and they’ve probably had at least a few poor role models over the years. Now, they need a firm hand to point them in the right direction...

Keeping accurate personnel records for every employee can be a burdensome task; there are varying legal requirements in terms of what must be kept and also how long it must be kept. How do you keep it all straight? In general, the records must be kept in indelible, typewritten or digital form for all...

Below is a special report filed by Steve Bruce, a BLR editor attending the SHRM Employment Law and Legislative Conference in Washington, DC this week. HR managers want to “get invited to the table,” says attorney Jonathan Segal, a featured speaker at SHRM’s Employment Law and Legislative...

Yesterday’s CED summarized some of the legal risks involved in disciplining over social media use. Today, again courtesy of national employment law firm Jackson Lewis, LLP, we'll tackle the tricky issue of social media policies, and we'll take a look at a one-stop resource for all of your...

Nearly every company is struggling with how to best handle social media use at, and relating to, the workplace. A recent white paper from national employment law firm Jackson Lewis, LLP points out some of the legal dangers in confronting employees over their use of social media. When might you want to...

Utilizing electronic records can be a way to reduce paperwork in your office, but do you know how to stay in legal compliance while utilizing electronic employee records? How do you ensure your files are safe in case of an emergency? In a CER webinar titled "Electronic Recordkeeping in California...

The element of surprise in social media background searches is highly overrated, says attorney and social media expert Molly DiBianca. DiBianca, with the law firm of Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor LLP, made her remarks at a recent regional meeting of the Employers Counsel Network . She notes that...