The Proactive Employer

Social media is quickly evolving into a mainstream way of communication. As Sharlyn Lauby stated, "companies are realizing that people are talking about them whether they like it or not." Many are responding by cultivating their own social media presence. But having a social media presence leads to a host of questions - should we have a formal policy? Who should it cover? What should it say? It seems as though there are two schools of thought when it comes to social media policies. Some organizations feel more comfortable establishing a formal policy right from the beginning. Their social media presence essentially begins with the policy. Others argue for an evolutionary approach. They see a benefit in looking at the risks and opportunities by experimenting with social media before instituting a formal policy.

In this installment, we talk about social media and social media policies with Dena Calo. Ms. Calo is an attorney in the Newark, New Jersey office of Genova Burns & Giantomasi. She is the Director of the firm's Human Resource Practices Group, and provides employment law counseling and training to organizations.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [0:23:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

An employee handbook is the most important communication tool between an employer and its workforce. It’s a statement of the policies of the business and how the business is to be conducted. A well-written handbook sets forth the expectations for employees and describes what they can expect from the employer. An employee handbook should describe the company’s legal obligations as an employer, and the employees’ rights. It’s important that the handbook is clear and as unambiguous as possible. Misunderstandings or misstatements can create legal liabilities for the employer. In legal disputes, courts have considered an employee handbook to be a contractual obligation, so it’s important to word it carefully. Today, we’ll be talking about employee handbooks with John Bagyi. Mr. Bagyi is an attorney in the Albany, New York office of Bond, Schoeneck and King. He counsels and represents employers of all types and sizes in a variety of labor and employment related context, including workplace investigations, policy development and review, wage and hour and EEO compliance, union issues, proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, the Division of Human Rights and the EEOC, and employment litigation in federal and state courts. He also provides a broad range of employment law and human resource training to executives, managers, supervisors and employees. Mr. Bagyi has written extensively on labor and employment law and is a frequent speaker at national, state and local conferences, including the 2008 National SHRM Conference. Since 2005, he has served as General Counsel to the New York State Society for Human Resource Management.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [0:24:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Workplace violence is a growing concern for employers and employees nationwide. It can occur at the workplace or outside of the workplace. It can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide, one of the leading causes of job-related deaths. Approximately 2 million American workers are victims of workplace violence each year. Workplace violence can strike anywhere, and no one is immune. But there are some steps that employers can take to protect their employees. Our guest for today’s installment is Steve Foster. Mr. Foster’s 25 years of unique and diversified executive and operational leadership experience combines enterprise Governance, Risk & Compliance expertise, and expert knowledge regarding convergence of security and technology, as well as top level consulting and training in EEO/Internal Controls matters. Mr. Foster’s expertise is rooted in developing integrated SaaS technology solutions in the Governance, Risk and Compliance space. Mr. Foster frequently lectures across the country on the topics related to risk management, ethics and corporate compliance, conducting ethical workplace investigations, fraud, workplace violence, and the convergence of technology and security. He is a recognized Federal Court Expert Witness in the areas of Security Assessment, Analysis and Implementation.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

Our guest for this installment is Mark Dawson, President of JobsFreeForAll. We discuss the recruiting and hiring situation in Hawaii and challenges unique to the islands. We talk about the demographics of Hawaii and how this leads to different types of employment discrimination. We also discuss "English-Only" policies and how they are - and aren't - being used. Finally, we find out if Hawaii really is a recruiter's paradise.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [0:18:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

In this installment, we discuss compliance from an HR perspective with our guest, Steve Browne. Steve will be answering the tough questions on everyone's minds: Does compliance matter all the time? How can I better understand - and work within - the EEOC framework? What's the best way to have a conversation with the C-Suite about compliance? Why is consistency important, and how can I be more consistent in my hiring practices, promotion systems and other development efforts?

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [0:19:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

In this installment, we discuss family responsibility discrimination. We outline some examples of family responsibility discrimination, and I provide a five-point checklist that employers can use to minimize the potential of family responsibility discrimination in the workplace.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [0:11:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)

In this installment, we discuss three types of workplace complaints: legal violations, policy violations, and morale issues. Our guest for this installment is Mary Schaefer, President of Artemis Path; she specializes in "solving sticky employee situations". We talk about different types of workplace complaints using Mary's real-life examples. She gives some tips on how to avoid workplace complaints, and provides practical suggestions on investigation and follow-up.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [0:21:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)