To meet that one special guy or gal. . . it's the stuff dreams are made of. But when that love connection takes place within a workplace, it can be an employer's worst nightmare. Couples who live happily ever after are manageable. But when a workplace romance ends in breakup, it usually creates big problems at work. This has not changed in the era of remote work. Surveys have … [Read more...] about 4 immediate steps to take when an office romance blossoms
Managing staff
What, if anything, does OSHA require you to do to protect telecommuters?
While telecommuting is nothing new, the imperative for using it has never been greater. In addition to all the cost-saving, work-life balance, recruiting and hiring advantages, letting employees work from home during a pandemic has become a vital infection control measure. But it also poses significant compliance challenges, particularly in the realm of OSHA. After all, how are … [Read more...] about What, if anything, does OSHA require you to do to protect telecommuters?
What you write can come back and bite
By Lynne Curry Your recorded words—they’re direct evidence. Direct evidence is evidence that proves the existence of a fact. Direct evidence includes someone else’s direct observations as in “I saw…,” “I heard….” Here’s a case where a staffing firm torpedoed itself and their client. The firm’s recruiter emailed 66,000 recipients. They emailed 66,000 individuals seeking … [Read more...] about What you write can come back and bite
To avoid a messy workplace theft investigation, can we just fire our prime suspect?
By Lynne Curry Question: Several years ago, when one of our employees was stealing from other employees’ purses and lockers, we called the police. The process — calling the police, alerting our insurance carrier and interviewing multiple employees to show fairness so we wouldn’t get sued for wrongful termination when we fired the one employee — tore apart our … [Read more...] about To avoid a messy workplace theft investigation, can we just fire our prime suspect?
Touchy situation: Our CEO has memory issues
By Lynne Curry Question: Our company’s owner and his wife have semi-retired and leave for their vacation home every October. They hired a general manager in September after a long search for the right candidate. Our owner was so excited to find this candidate, given his industry experience and track record, that he paid the man and his family’s expenses to move to our … [Read more...] about Touchy situation: Our CEO has memory issues
Five essentials to support employee mental health and well-being
Events of the last four years have changed the nature of work for many and the relationship that some workers have with their jobs. The Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace outlines the foundational role that workplaces should play in promoting the health and well-being of workers and communities. With more than 160 million … [Read more...] about Five essentials to support employee mental health and well-being
What does FMLA require of a medical office employer?
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is one of the employment laws that protect your staff. It is a federal law that requires certain employers to provide their employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain qualified medical and family reasons. For a medical office employer, the FMLA requires that they provide eligible employees with … [Read more...] about What does FMLA require of a medical office employer?
What does the Americans with Disabilities Act require of your medical office?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires medical offices to make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices, and procedures to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would create an undue burden or fundamentally alter the nature of the services provided. This includes ensuring that the facility is physically accessible to … [Read more...] about What does the Americans with Disabilities Act require of your medical office?
7 tips for a safe winter commute
In the best of winters, driving to and from the office can be challenging. This winter is becoming downright dreadful in many parts of the country. Snow, ice, and cold weather can all create hazardous conditions on the road, and it is important to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of yourself and others. Here are tips for winter driving safety for you and your … [Read more...] about 7 tips for a safe winter commute
What’s it going to take for me to rise to this challenge?
By Lynne Curry Question: I’m an easygoing, accommodating supervisor. Not only does it take a lot to upset me, but I hate conflict. As a result, some employees take advantage. This can create messy situations as the employees with strong work ethic have to pick up the slack. Soon after I hired “Sam,” he scheduled a private meeting with me and let me know Bekah was … [Read more...] about What’s it going to take for me to rise to this challenge?