Depression at Work
The suicide of actor Robin Williams, who reportedly was suffering from severe depression, is a harsh reminder of how devastating the illness can be. While Williams was certainly a unique individual, his battle with depression was not unique. Indeed, each year about 25 million U.S. adults experience major depressive disorder, according to the National Institute […]
Fashion Rules at Work
“It’s a new era in fashion – there are no rules,” fashion experts have proclaimed. Want to wear white before Memorial Day? Go for it. Want to wear gold and silver jewelry at the same time? You can do that, too. Today it’s all about the individual and his or her personal style. While that’s […]
HR Issues in Entertainment News
If you’re a fan of entertainment news, but don’t want to get caught reading People Magazine, here’s the latest along with some related HR information (because I see HR issues in everything). After appearing on the PBS show, “Finding Your Roots,” Ben Affleck asked the show to omit information that revealed that one of his […]
Breaking up is not so hard to do
Long before the days of cell phones, I had a boyfriend who avoided my announcement that I was breaking up with him by staying away from his house – “can’t break up with me if you can’t find me!” he reasoned. Evidently, teacher Michael Sullivan had a similar thought, and a recent court decision proved […]
Alcoholism and the ADA in Employment
After the firing of USC coach Steve Sarkisian in October, there was some discussion about whether his termination was lawful because he apparently has a drinking problem. Even if you’re not a football fan, the situation provides an excellent opportunity for employers to learn about alcoholism in the workplace.For those of you who are unfamiliar […]
Should you Require Hourly Employees to Punch the Clock?
In the article “Pros & Cons of a Time Clock in the Workplace” on https://smallbusiness.chron.com, the author states, “Employees who are required to punch a time clock are likely to believe that their employers do not trust them to accurately report their hours, and consequently they may feel that they are not sufficiently valued.” Maybe so; […]
Facebook Photo Prompts Firing
The latest Facebook post that got an employee fired was a picture of the employee holding a cat with an arrow through its head along with these words: “My first bow kill lol. The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through it’s (sic) head! Vet of the year award…gladly accepted.” Vet of […]
Carefully Word At-Will Disclaimer
Choose your words wisely, lest they come back to bite you. That’s the message the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seems to be sending with two recent rulings its representatives made on the wording of at-will disclaimers in employee handbooks. The NLRB is an independent federal agency responsible for safeguarding employees’ rights to organize and […]
Flexibility a Desired Trait in Employers
Perhaps. However, numerous studies indicate that money is not the be-all and end-all for even cash-strapped employees these days. According to a report from the Workplace Flexibility 2010 group at Georgetown Law, “Today, making ends meet is not just about money. It’s also about time.” In her article, What Employees Want More Than a Raise […]
Employers Must Allow Some Religious Expression at Work
I’m not a football fan, but recent events in the NFL have grabbed even my attention. The latest event took place during the September 29 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. Chiefs’ safety Husain Abdullah intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. When he dropped to his knees and […]
