Newsletters
The Growth Company periodically publishes a newsletter for managers and Human Resource professionals providing timely advise and proven methods for keeping your employees happy and productive. Want to stay updated on HR news and training events? Subscribe today for our FREE monthly HR Newsletter!
Click on any of the following for a useful, enjoyable read.
Keeping on Top of Your Compensation (July 15, 2011)
Compensation is commonly the largest liability on any business and in the current regulatory environment, it is increasingly becoming a target for the DOL. As regulations become more complex, employers should be more vigilant in establishing effective policies and maintaining comprehensive compensation records. In fact, the current DOL agenda calls for employers to create and implement plans that “find and remedy violations of the law” and then implement that plan to prevent violations of the law. Full article >>
Social Media and Cell Phones in the Workplace (July 14, 2011)
Cell phones, PDA’s, and other electronic innovations have increased the employer’s access to their employees, making associates more available and connected to their work. They also generate the temptation to make personal calls or access the internet on a PDA, which is difficult to resist for even the most conscientious of employees. Full article >>
The Importance and Benefits of HR Audits (July 12, 2011)
The human resources department within a business is literally the core of the business. That is because human resources help keep all of the employees happy. They take care of employee concerns and may even take care of the hiring within the business. Full article >>
Leadership: What Makes a Good Leader (July 12, 2011)
It goes without saying that good leadership is crucial to any successful business. But, what makes a good leader and how can someone develop himself or herself into a good leader if they are not one to begin with? The answer is that there are many factors that contribute to good leadership. And, whether someone is naturally a good leader or not, anyone can become a good leader. Full article >>
Watch out for the Dodd-Frank Act (June 17, 2011)
Forty-seven federal laws protect the rights of corporate workers who report wrongdoing. In recent years the number of whistle-blower suits and related payouts has grown dramatically and may surge again with the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act (DFA). Full article >>
Exercise Restraint and Objectivity (June 17, 2011)
Retaliation claims are increasing at an alarming pace. Not only have these claims tripled in number within the last two decades, they now exceed race discrimination as the leading claim filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Full article >>
Six Employer Misconducts (June 17, 2011)
We’ve all heard horror stories about “monster” bosses or even dealt with them personally ourselves but being a horrible boss does not automatically mean employer misconduct. Your boss can be a cranky cheapstake but as long as he abides by federal and state labor laws, you can’t hold him liable for a “bad” personality. However, you can hold your boss liable in court or before federal agencies if he does any of the following illegal acts: Full article >>
Sexual Orientation Discrimination (May 17, 2011)
Although no Alaska law specifically covers sexual orientation discrimination, gay employees can bring and potentially win suits using federal precedents ruling against an employer's gender stereotyping of characteristics or traits associated with gender. Full article >>
No Excuses: FLSA Child-Labor Rules are Tough! (May 17, 2011)
If you plan to hire anyone under 18 years old for the summer, you should be thoroughly familiar with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act's child-labor limitations. The U.S. Labor Department enforces these rules strictly and aggressively. Don't count on good intentions and "close enough" to save the day if you get it wrong. Full article >>
New US DOL Smart Phone App for Employees (May 17, 2011)
On May 9, 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a free smartphone application designed to help employees independently track the hours they work and wages they are owed. The app allows users to enter their daily work hours manually or automatically using a timer, and to view and e-mail time reports. The DOL's press release makes it clear that the Department intends to use information employees record through this app in its enforcement efforts: Full article >>
Workplace Gossip: Policies Needed? (April 22, 2011)
Is workplace gossip, “a form of warfare that [brings] everyone down,” as suggested in a recent article in the New York Times? Or as local blogger Michelle Goodman responded, might such gossip also be a force for good that can show people in a good light, clue employees into office undercurrents, or tip everyone off to changes coming down the pike? Full article >>
9th Circuit Court Ruling Impacts AK Employers (April 22, 2011)
In an opinion issued March 17, 2011, the 9th Circuit’s U.S. Court of Appeals held that employers have the burden of proof to justify failure to reinstate an employee returning from FMLA leave Full article >>
Military Reservists Rights - Part 2 (March 16, 2011)
For this installment, I am lucky to have a brand new Supreme Court decision interpreting the United Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA). On March 1, 2011, the Court decided the case of Staub v. Proctor Hospital, 562 U.S. ____ (March 1, 2011). The key to this decision is the way the Court interpreted the agency relationship between the defendant and its employees in ruling for the Reservist and sustaining damages. Full article >>
The "Toxic" Employee: Definition & Strategies (March 16, 2011)
I am always surprised by the extent to which managers avoid dealing with toxic employees. This is true even when everyone identifies the employee as a problem and sees that his or her behaviors are hurting morale and productivity. What is a “toxic” employee? As Robert Bitting, Ph.D., states in a succinct and useful article, toxic employees generally share certain characteristics: Full article >>
Retaliation Against 3rd Parties (March 16, 2011)
In a decision that reminds us that retaliation claims are the riskiest ones for employers, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled on January 24, 2011 that Eric Thompson could sue his former employer, North American Steel (NAS), for retaliation. Mr. Thompson was fired in March of 2003 about three weeks after NAS learned that Miriam Regalado, Mr. Thompson’s fiancée, had filed a gender discrimination complaint with the EEOC. Full article >>
Who Owns Workplace Stress? (February 11, 2011)
What is an employer’s responsibility with regard to its employees’ stress? What exactly is stress, and what are the best ways for employers to handle the problem? Starting with the first question, the answer is: employers do need to take some responsibility for employee stress. Stress often leads to disability and workers comp claims. Even without potential legal liability, there are many other reasons why it’s important for employers need to step up to the plate. Stressed out workers are more likely to be unhealthy, uninspired, poorly motivated, unproductive, and less alert to safety issues. All of this affects an organization’s ability to do its job and succeed. Full article >>
Evidence Required in Federal Sector EEO Cases (February 11, 2011)
It is important to understand that a complainant bears the burden of showing that her claimed injuries were directly or proximately caused by the agency’s discrimination. See Rivera v. Department of the Navy, EEOC No. 01934157 (1994). When a complainant makes a claim for compensatory damages, she must produce objective proof of the damages incurred, as well as objective evidence linking those damages to the adverse action at issue. Full article >>
New Law Prohibits Genetic Discrimination (February 11, 2011)
In the 1920s, the so-called science of Eugenics encouraged discrimination based on a person's heredity. At the time, this was merely racism disguising itself as science. But thanks to modern genetic medicine, today we know that more than just physical appearance is passed from one generation to another-a propensity for developing certain diseases also appears to be hereditary. And, as with the Eugenics of yesteryear, discrimination based on heredity is once again a possibility. Full article >>
Advance Notice of DOL Regulations (February 11, 2011)
The contractors need to know that the Department of Labor (DOL) may issue a regulation requiring employers to perform a written analysis of the reasons for classifying a worker as a contractor prior to hiring the worker. Full article >>
Healthcare Reform's Big Impact on HR (February 11, 2011)
Few people have read all 3,000-plus pages of the recently enacted Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (Act) and the ensuing Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, but no one doubts the compliance headaches these contentious pieces of legislation will present for human resource personnel for years to come. This article discusses the broad brushstroke requirements under the health care legislation which will go into effect on various dates over the next several years. Full article >>
The Employee You Call a Contractor (December 27, 2010)
Characterizing a worker as an independent contractor instead of an employee exposes an employer to a host of employment claims and liability for back taxes, interest, penalties and workers’ compensation premiums. Additionally, Congress is currently considering new federal legislation, the Employee Misclassification Prevention Act (EMPA). Full article >>
Essential Laws for Equal Compensation (December 27, 2010)
Essential Laws for Equal Compensation for Men and Women: The battle of the sexes continues and an ongoing war on equal compensation continues in today’s workplace. To this day, American women are paid 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. This fact is troubling, considering that half of today’s workforce is made up of women who are just as educated and as qualified as their male colleagues. In fact, the wage gap between male and female employees is even greater if the woman is of color or disabled. Full article >>
Employees in the National Guard and Reserves (December 27, 2010)
This is the first of a three part series covering the employment and re-employment rights of members of the military reserves and National Guard. Part I Full article >>
Can People Change? (December 27, 2010)
An ever-interesting issue that comes up when managing employees is: can people really change? Employers, of course, generally assume that employees can change and therefore set expectations, create goals, evaluate, develop performance improvement plans, and the like. In many cases employees can and do change, so these tools are necessary and effective. Full article >>
Feds Promote Safer Workplace (December 27, 2010)
Feds Promote Safer Workplace and Lower Worker's Comp costs: Protecting Our Workers and Ensuring Reemployment (POWER) and new rules for the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act program (FECA) marked the administration’s efforts to improve federal workplace health and safety and reduce workers’ compensation costs in 2010. Full article >>
Cancer in Remission is Disability Under ADAAA (November 11, 2010)
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA), the ADA’s definition of disability will remain the same; however, the interpretation of the definition of disability will be read more broadly. Full article >>
Successfully working with introverts (November 11, 2010)
Have you ever noticed that some people pause a very long time before answering a question – maybe so long that you’re not sure they’re going to? Or noticed that some staff members rarely participate in meetings, but when they do have something to say it’s profound? These people are likely introverts. Full article >>
Supreme Court decision that affects us all (November 10, 2010)
What happens when a management decision-maker is persuaded by a subordinate supervisor to fire an employee, based on the subordinate supervisor’s discriminatory animus, i.e., when the subordinate supervisor discriminates on the basis of sex, race, disability or age? Full article >>
What managers need to know (November 2, 2010)
If you're wondering how to turn moral around in your organization, consider these recent survey results: 30% of U.S. employees report being "engaged" at work--interested, motivated, and committed. 54% of U.S. employees report being "disengaged," feeling trapped in dull jobs, working for organizations about which they do not care. The final 16% define themselves as actively disengaged, often becoming organizational terrorists who intentionally sabotage morale. Full article >>
New Federal Contract Procurement Program (November 2, 2010)
Women-owned businesses make up approximately 38.6 percent of self-employed persons in Alaska. If you’re a woman-owned business – or want to be – you’ll be glad to learn the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) plans to implement its women-owned small business (WOSB) federal contract procurement program. What does this mean exactly? Full article >>