How do I determine whether a requested accommodation would be an undue hardship?

Answer from Kyle, PHR: The basic definition of an undue hardship is an action that creates a significant difficulty or expense. There are no hard and fast rules governing what significant means, but the bar is intentionally set high in order to encourage employers to...

How to Help Employees Communicate More Effectively

In an ideal world, communication would be easy. We’d immediately know exactly what to say or write. Emails, Slack messages, and reply threads would practically write themselves. And there’d be no confusion about what anyone meant, ever. Of course, communication never...

What are some typical examples of employee discipline? Are there any you recommend?

Answer from Monica, SPHR, SHRM-CP: Discipline should reflect the severity of the behavior, attempt to correct it, and be applied consistently. You’ll want to consider how you addressed certain behaviors in the past and the precedent you want to set for the future. For...

Is there a downside to screening the social media accounts of job candidates?

Question:  Is there a downside to screening the social media accounts of job candidates? Answer from Kyle, PHR: There can be downsides, yes. First, screening social media accounts creates extra risk. You could be exposed to information about a candidate’s protected...

How should we handle returning personal belongings to a terminated employee? Can we pack them up for the employee?

Question: How should we handle returning personal belongings to a terminated employee? Can we pack them up for the employee? Answer from Monica, SPHR, SHRM-CP: You may pack personal belonging for the employee or ask that they come in and collect their items. My...

Compliance Requirements for a Remote Workforce

According to Gallup, the number of days employees are working remotely has doubled during the pandemic. Some companies are even considering making a remote work arrangement permanent. While there are no laws that exclusively apply to remote workplaces, remote work...