There can be no doubt that job satisfaction is linked to whether or not employees believe they are compensated appropriately.  Employee morale can be negatively affected when pay is below industry standards or where there is a disparity in pay between employees in similar positions.  This can result...

Non-compete agreements are contracts between employers and employees in which employees agree not to compete with their employers following termination. While such agreements can offer employers significant protection, they must be drafted carefully to ensure enforceability:

·       Non-compete...

A fundamental principle in human resources administration is “if you don’t write it down, it didn’t happen.”  Documentation is critical, in terms of evaluating employee performance as well as defending against allegations of unfair or discriminatory treatment.  It may take a few minutes to document...

According to a recent WorldatWork survey, employers plan a 2.5 percent average increase in salary budgets next year, with average raises of up to 0.7 percent projected for low performers, 2.4 percent for middle performers, and 3.7 percent for top performers.  Employee compensation is a critical...

Most employers have numerous policies and rules of conduct for their employees. However, many either enforce them inconsistently or not at all.  This can become a problem when an employer decides a particular employee is not performing up to expectations or demonstrates inappropriate conduct. If...

Small business owners have a significant monetary and personal investment in their businesses. This can be a tremendous motivation to succeed. However, if owners take issues involving employee conduct personally, problems can arise.  For example, if an employee complains that the owner doesn’t care...

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit offers a federal tax break to employers that hire workers from targeted disadvantaged groups on or before Aug. 31, 2011. 

• The credit is worth up to 40 percent of the first $6,000 of qualifying wages paid to a WOTC-certified worker employed at least 400 hours.
• For...

Employee lawsuits are expensive. Juries tend to sympathize with employees and award damages in the millions. Clearly, this can be devastating to the employer. 

In most cases, the underlying reason for employee lawsuits is that a manager or supervisor either caused the problem or could have prevented...

For the first three months of 2010, employee absence rates averaged 0.8 percent of scheduled worker days. While this may not 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 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...

In a recent BLR poll, employers agreed that the worst mistake a candidate can make is arriving late. The next two worst interview mistakes a candidate can make are being poorly dressed/groomed and knowing nothing about the company/organization. If applicants make a mistake in an interview, it may...

From time to time, employers must face the issue of employee resignations. Just as the reasons for resignations vary, the choices an employer has in dealing with resignations vary. The employer may decide to let the employee work through any notice period given. On the other hand, it may be best to...

Although the economy may be showing signs of improvement, employers remain focused on increasing efficiency and holding down costs.  This may include downsizing, eliminating pay raises, and even cutting pay for employees.  While these actions can be justified, employers must be careful.  Top...

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...

Employers with 15 or more employees are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition to prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities, the “reasonable accommodation” provision in the ADA may dictate that employers provide unpaid leaves in certain situations....

Every company whose employees have E-mail access should include E-mail use in its human resources policies. This policy should include the employer’s right to monitor E-mails, be signed by the employee, and retained in individual employee records. Additional tips employers should consider...

With few job openings available in today's down economy, resume fraud is on the increase. According to one research group, the percentage of applicants misrepresenting their educational background has risen from 13.6 in 1995 to 16.07 in the second half of 2009. A recent university study showed that...