Month: October 2012

The human side of crisis management

What would your company do if it was faced with a crisis? It’s a question that’s getting harder and harder for businesses to ignore, especially in the face of crises such as Superstorm Sandy. Employees Aren’t Just ‘Human Resources,’ They’re Human Beings When many companies look at disaster planning, they focus on how to prevent […]

Finding Internal Fraud–How to Do Your Audit

“Oh, it wouldn’t happen here” is a naïve attitude to take toward internal fraud, says consultant Vicki M. Lambert CPP. It’s more common than you might expect, but fortunately it’s not that hard to detect and prevent. Lambert, who offers payroll training as “The Payroll Advisor,” says that if you are doing an audit, might […]

Boss to Workers—If You Vote for Obama, You Will Lose Your job

Maybe David Siegel, billionaire president of Westgate Resorts, needed to read BLR’s special report on political activity in the workplace, 2012 Election Issues for Employers. If he had, he probably wouldn’t have written the e-mail letter where he tells employees they will lose their jobs if Obama is reelected. No, the letter is not fake; Siegel […]

Birthday Luck

Move over horoscopes, birthdays have a new prophetic power. According to a recent study, “The relative-age effect and career success: Evidence from corporate CEOs,” the month you were born in has a “long-lasting influence on career success.” The study, highlighted on Inc.com, found that babies born in March or April are more likely to become […]

The Quesadilla Claim

A T.G.I. Friday’s® (TGIF) waiter, “Russell,” was encouraged, but not required, by his employer to sample new menu items, so that he could make recommendations to customers. During a food sampling, the waiter choked while eating a quesadilla. He was taken to an emergency room, where it was determined that he had a perforated esophagus […]

The 3 Key Criteria for Choosing Your Payroll Auditor

Yesterday’s Advisor featured tips for finding payroll fraud; today, consultant Vicki Lambert CPP’s tips on who should do your payroll audit, plus an introduction to BLR’s popular HR Department of One. Lambert, who offers payroll training as “The Payroll Advisor,” says that you can’t give payroll auditing over to just anyone who’s free.  There are […]

Is Safety Training Ever a Laughing Matter?

Laugh and the whole world laughs with you. TV comedian/pianist Victor Borge used to say that laughter is the shortest distance between two people. Laughing together brings people closer. That’s because laughter is a shared experience, and laughter truly is infectious. When you see someone laughing, it brings a smile to your face, and you […]

Pregnancy Discrimination—What to Expect When Your Employee Is Expecting

“All pregnant employees should stop work 30 days before their due dates.” “Pregnant women should stay out 6 weeks after the birth.” “I’m not hiring a pregnant applicant—she’ll just go on leave the day I get her trained.” “Pregnant women shouldn’t be working after the baby comes.” These ideas are out there, but they’re all […]

Wal-Mart Steers Workers to Selected Providers for Big-ticket Medical Procedures

Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer, is getting in on the concept of “Centers of excellence,” a method of steering referrals to providers who perform more efficiently in a bid to bend the health cost curve. With the generous coverage, the company creates good press and may counter its reputation as being skimpy on workers’ benefits. […]

Domestic Assault Victims Now Shielded by Antidiscrimination Laws

Workers who experience domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking may be protected from discrimination by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to new guidance from the federal government. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is responsible for enforcing both of those laws, made the announcement in […]