How to Fire a Troublesome Worker without Getting Burned
Susan is the supervisor for “Tony the Trouble-Maker.”  Although Tony used to be the top producer in the division, lately he has been rude to Susan, fights with his coworkers, and refuses to take responsibility when something goes wrong under his watch.  Susan is struggling to keep [...]

DON’T KILL AT WILL EMPLOYMENT

Maximize Ability to Manage by
Written At Will Employment Agreements
“At will” means either employer or employee can terminate or quit the relationship at any time, with or without notice and with or without a reason.  That’s usually a good thing for an employer since it maximizes the company’s ability to make [...]

Many employers find it prudent for various reasons to conduct appropriate background checks in the employee pre-screening process. Here is a simple overview.

Why Written Policy is Good Policy

Reduce the Chances of Workplace Lawsuit Disaster by Proper Forms, Policy Handbook
Scenario, Not so Uncommon:   You are the newly hired head of Human Resources.  One afternoon, employee Karen reports that manager Joshua verbally insulted her with a sexual remark and then physically blocked her exit from the lunch area [...]

Love Contracts in the Workplace

How Employers Can Regulate Office Romance

In just about every supermarket tabloid on the shelves, there’s at least one splashy article about actors or actresses falling in love on a movie set.  In a 2009 survey by CareerBuilder.com on relationships at work, 37% of U.S. employees surveyed stated they had [...]

Cal/OSHA Injury and Illness Summary
Must Be Posted February 1, 2010
Employers must provide a safe work environment for their employees.  The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 requires some employers to prepare and maintain logs of work-related injuries and illnesses.  The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is tasked with overseeing these [...]

New 2010 IRS Mileage Rate
On December 3, 2009, the IRS announced its 2010 standard deduction mileage rates (online at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=216048,00.html).  As of January 1, 2010, the IRS is decreasing the IRS standard employee mileage deduction for business use of a motor vehicle to 50 cents per mile.  (In 2009 the IRS mileage standard deduction was [...]

New Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9
All U.S. employers must complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual hired for employment in the U.S., including citizens and noncitizens.  Revised August 7, 2009, the new Form I-9 includes an updated list of acceptable documents that employees must present upon hiring.  The new form includes a note [...]

Overview of California sick leave.

How to address and resolve workplace bullying