HR Compliance Information Specialists - LegalWorkplace.com
Sign In | Register | View Cart
 

Brought to you by the Alexander Hamilton InstituteBrought to you by the Alexander Hamilton Institute

 
  Speak with a customer care representative
by dialing toll-free (800) 879-2441
Speak with a customer care representative by dialing toll-free (800) 879-2441
Sign Up To Receive Our Free E-Mail Newsletters
Employment Law Today
Benefits Alert
HR Soapbox Blog
E-Mail:  Go
Research Topics
Benefits
Discipline/Performance Issues
Discrimination
Hiring
Leave
Payroll Management
Privacy Policy Guidelines
Record-Keeping Documents
Safety & Health
Termination
Training
Free Reports
Free HR Forms
Free Job Descriptions & Interview Questions
State DOL & Other HR Websites
Message Board
EL Today Masthead
February 2, 2010

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. Feature Story: How Small Employers Can Help Haiti


2. Special Analysis: Ready Or Not, The Payroll NRP Is Here


3. Free Report: Discrimination Training For Managers And Employees: Strategies For Success

4. HR Soapbox: Breaking Out Of A Workplace Rut

AHI's We Couldn't Make This Up

His search for space aliens apparently led an employee of an Arizona school district to misuse school computers.  The employee, who happened to be the director of information technology for the district, downloaded a free program that uses computers worldwide to analyze radio telescope data to locate extraterrestrial intelligence.  Instead of finding aliens, though, the software bogged down the district's system and interfered with classroom technology use.  According to the superintendent, it will cost more than $1 million to fix the problem, which includes removing the software.  The IT director has since resigned.

1. FEATURE STORY: HOW SMALL EMPLOYERS CAN HELP HAITI

 

It's been about three weeks since the devastating earthquake hit Haiti.  The images that continue to emerge from the country are haunting, and the pleas for help are as urgent as ever.  Cash-strapped small employers might be wondering what, if anything, they can do to help.  Here are two suggestions that don't cost a dime.

 

Adopt Policy Flexibility

Consider taking a lenient approach to applying time-off policies to employees with family in Haiti.  Individuals might need the extra time off to locate missing family or grieve for family who have, or are assumed to have, perished. 

 

Or relax start and finish times, if possible, so that employees can engage in community volunteer/fundraising efforts before or after work.

 

If your company has policies prohibiting employees from using company e-mail for personal reasons or making/accepting personal phone calls while on the clock, consider relaxing them, too, so employees can more easily communicate with family in Haiti.  

 

One policy that you should think twice about before relaxing is a non-solicitation policy.  Allowing an employee to use the company's network to send an e-mail asking staff to purchase raffle tickets to support a Haiti disaster relief fundraiser might seem harmless.  But, bending the rules in this instance could give rise to a claim that you should do so in other instances, too, such as when it comes to union solicitation.  If you don't relax the rules for union communications, you risk violating the National Labor Relations Act.

 

According to the National Labor Relations Board's Register Guard ruling, however, allowing charitable solicitations (e.g., Red Cross) but prohibiting non-charitable solicitations (e.g., union) is permissible in certain situations; namely, where the solicitation policy explicitly makes this distinction and is consistently enforced.

 

Important: Check that your military leave policies are in line with the covered active duty requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act, as well as the rights outlined in the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.  Thousands of service members have already been deployed to Haiti.     

 

Alert Employees About Scams

Chances are good that employees have made, and will continue to make, personal donations to the Haiti relief effort.  Help them to ensure that unscrupulous persons don't take advantage of their generosity. 

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) implored everyone to apply a critical eye to a request to donate money.  Specifically, the FBI warned:   

  • Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking on links contained within those messages.
  • Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as survivors or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
  • Verify the legitimacy of non-profit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group's existence and its non-profit status, rather than following a purported link to the site.
  • Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses.  Only open attachments from known senders.
  • Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.
  • Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions.  Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

Suggestion: Post information on avoiding Haiti relief scams on a centrally located bulletin board or on an intranet.  Distributing it personally to each employee could create the perception (no matter how erroneous) that you, or the organization, expect them to make a donation.

Have you reviewed your employee handbook lately? If not, the next person reviewing it might be a disgruntled employee's attorney.Employee Handbook Hazards 2010  s

 

We can help you prevent this from happening. AHI has teamed up with employment law attorney Terry W. Bonnette to present a 90-minute web conference:


Live Web Conference 

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK HAZARDS 2010:
Spotting Mistakes And Omissions That Your Employees
Could Use Against You

 

Tomorrow! Wednesday, February 3, 2010
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern Time

Register Today!

2. SPECIAL ANALYSIS: READY OR NOT, THE PAYROLL NRP IS HERE

 

The IRS's National Research Program (NRP) isn't as benign as it sounds. NRPs are intensive, line-by-line audits, which are intended to give the IRS baseline compliance data for future enforcement efforts....Continue the story.

3. FREE REPORT: THE IMPACT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER ON THE WORKPLACE

 

Read the new report, "Discrimination Training For Managers And Employees: Strategies For Success," which reviews the most important topics to train on, explores the many training formats available, and offers suggestions for ensuring the training is effective, overcoming resistance from executives and employees, and following up with trainees.  Plus, discover why training is one of the best discrimination-prevention measures any employer can take.

4. HR SOAPBOX: BREAKING OUT OF A WORKPLACE RUT

 

In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray finds himself reliving the same day over and over again.  Ever feel like that at work?...Continue the story.

Like What You're Reading?
Sign Up To Receive Our Free E-Mail Newsletters

Employment Law Today

Benefits Alert

HR Soapbox Blog

E-Mail:  Go

Copyright © 2010 by Alexander Hamilton Institute, Inc.
Employment Law Resource Center at www.legalworkplace.com
ahinewsletter@legalworkplace.com
(800) 879-2441 • 70 Hilltop Road • Ramsey, NJ 07446

Copyright © 2010 Alexander Hamilton Institute | Home | Privacy Policy | About AHI | Contact Us | Site Map