For the first three months of 2010,
employee absence rates averaged 0.8 percent of scheduled worker
days. While this may no
t
seem to be a lot, absenteeism is one of the human resource issues
that frustrates and concerns employers.
The HR Department at Management 2000, a PEO with offices...
The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has issued a new interpretation of compensable time for workers changing into or out of protective clothing. This changes the prior interpretation that time employees spend donning and doffing protective clothing was not compensable under the...
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The
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced a detailed
enforcement strategy entitled "Plan/Prevent/Protect."
This initiative will require various subunits of the DOL
(specifically OSHA, MSHA, OFCCP, and WHD) to propose regulations
requiring employers to develop plans for identifying and...
A
job safety analysis (jsa) is not always best left only to a safety
supervisor.Your workers experience in doing the job gives them
superb knowledge of what can go wrong from a safety and health
standpoint. While some hazards can be obvious to everyone, many
workers probably encounter situations...Read More »
During
the annual inventory,your plant may be getting"cleaned" in areas
normally overlooked. This can be a gold mine-or a landmine-for
safety. This is a great chance to uncover hazards that have been
lurking beneath the surface throughout the year., such as unlabeled
chemicals, worn or broken...Read More »
The U.S. Department of Labor recently said it plans to update recordkeeping rules on a number of issues, including worker classification. As part of this initiative, the Wage and Hour Division plans to propose new recordkeeping rules for employers this August. In addition, the Division is...
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Cell
phones continue to be a popular means of
communication. However, if employees use a cell phone while
driving and are involved in an accident, their employers could be
liable for significant legal damages. Courts have already imposed
huge judgments against drivers allegedly distracted by cell...
Using
temporary employees or independent contractors can give an employer
a flexible way to respond to changing work demands. Temporary
employees can be found through temporary staffing agencies or by
direct hire, while contractors are usually obtained directly by the
company. Whether help is...
Payroll errors can be
costly. Last month, a petroleum company in New Jersey entered
into a settlement agreement under which it will pay $4 million in
overtime pay, 
damages, interest, and penalties to more than 700 current and
former employees. According to the Department of Labor, the
company and...
More
and more employers are moving away from traditional vacation, sick
and personal leave policies. Paid Time Off (PTO) policies
provide a bank of time employees can use when they must miss
work, whatever the reason might be. Fifty-four percent (54%)
of employers recently surveyed offer this type...
While
alcohol and drug abuse rates tend to vary over time, surveys
consistently find at least 5 to 10 percent of workers admit to
illegal drug use; the actual percentage is probably even
higher. Employee substance abuse can have many harmful effects
on an organization, including:
• higher...
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There
are a number of habits we could work on to improve our safety
awareness and limit injuries. A good start is to educate one day to
making a conscious effort to look at you and your workers are doing
all of the time. Really look. You'll be surprised how often you
watch where you walk, for...Read More »
Employment
screening and hiring practices often include background screening
of applicants’ credit reports and criminal
histories. These background checks have recently come
under increased scrutiny from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Congress.
Acting EEOC...
Read More »
Shift
workers face a host of challenges, including physical and mental
fatigue,digestive problems, stress and and a feeling of isolation
from family and friends and their community. Research also suggests
that shift workers are at greater risk for injuries. Here are some
ways you can help:
Regular
attendance at work is an essential function of most
jobs. However, there are many legitimate reasons why employees
cannot be at work every day. In order to help control absenteeism,
employers should have a policy that addresses issues associated
with attendance. These issues include...
To
keep new workers safe, employers must be very clear on performance
expectations and adherence to safety requirements. For new,
inexperienced, returning or transferred workers, your orientation
should begin with HR support:Turnover
can be expensive, and have a significant impact on a company’s
profitability. Although many factors could be involved, poor
hiring decisions often result in high turnover. Unless each
candidate is properly evaluated, chances are that, if hired, he/she
will either become dissatisfied and...
Job
descriptions play a critical role in a company’s operations.
Not only do they let employees know what is expected of them in
their individual positions, they can be key factors in many
situations, such as determining pay, Worker’s
Compensation/disability issues and unemployment
claims. Many...
Employers often wonder what human
resource policies they should 
implement. The topics range from discipline, to employee
medical benefits, to how long they should retain employee
records. Developing these policies can be a time
consuming, difficult task, especially for small employers who are
busy...
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