How do we handle leave paperwork when the employee needing leave is incapacitated or unable to be reached directly?

by | Jul 17, 2022 | Human Resources

Answer from Margaret, PHR, SHRM-CP: In the event you’re made aware that an employee needs medical leave, but the employee is not available for direct contact due to inpatient care in a facility or incapacitation, send the applicable leave paperwork to the employee’s...

Can we do reference checks for only certain roles?

by | Jul 10, 2022 | Business Tips, Employment Law, Human Resources

Answer from Daniel, SHRM-CP: Yes, as long as you’re not discriminating based on protected classes or characteristics, you can conduct reference checks for certain roles but not others. For example, you may decide that supervisory roles or positions with access to...

Four Ways to Make Terminations Less Stressful

by | Jun 26, 2022 | Business Tips, Employment Law, Human Resources

In the 2009 movie Up in the Air, George Clooney and Anna Kendrick play corporate downsizers—HR consultants that companies across the country hire to terminate employees for them. The practice wasn’t exactly common at the time, and fortunately never took off, but it...

Is there anything special we should know before terminating a remote employee?

by | May 9, 2022 | Employment Law, Human Resources

Answer from Kim, SPHR, SHRM-SCP: Terminations involving remote employees function much the same as those in a physical worksite, but there are some things to keep in mind: If the employee works in a different state, you’ll need to follow that state’s laws regarding...

One of our employees informed us that she’s menopausal and experiencing symptoms in the workplace. What can we do to support her and others in her situation?

by | Apr 14, 2022 | Human Resources

Answer from Lisa, PHR: Menopause (the time that marks the end of the menstrual cycle) and perimenopause (the time just before) can come with a host of symptoms. Anxiety, brain fog, burnout, menstrual changes, cognitive changes, depression, hot flashes, sleep issues,...

Should we have a COVID section in our employee handbook?

by | Apr 14, 2022 | covid-19, Human Resources

While COVID will continue to affect our workplaces for some time, we generally recommend not adding COVID policies directly to your handbook. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to evolve, and federal and state laws related to...