Can We Reimburse Meals?
Question: Currently, we pay our technicians $35 per day per diem for meals when they travel to attend training out of town. We have found that they sometimes eat very cheaply to save the money and pocket the difference. Do we have the option to reimburse them for the actual cost of meals using receipts […]
What Are Your Worker’s Statuses? Quiz yourself!
The following situations usually arise when firms use contractors. More often than not, the firms don’t think twice about the arrangement until the IRS or other government agency challenges how they classified the workers. Test your knowledge of the worker’s status in these scenarios: A company purchases supplies for the contractor to use in his […]
Is The Light On Your Star Employees Going Dim? It’s Probably Your Fault
The headline may sound harsh but it is likely reality. There are many common mistakes made when you have that really good employee. Everyone likes them, they enjoy their job, and their work is above par. They go the extra mile and don’t complain. What is causing the change? Many times managers let their star […]
Bad Hiring Decisions Are Costly!
All companies have made the mistake of poor hiring decisions. In a rush to fill quota or just get some help, maybe you overlooked an important detail. Close to 80% of turnover can be attributed to bad hiring decisions, which can cost the company up to 150% of that person’s annual pay! Hiring the wrong […]
Retaliation? Not if you can prove you would have fired anyone else
Employees who threaten to file EEOC discrimination or harassment complaints ordinarily would have a retaliation claim if they were fired for doing so. Close timing between complaint and termination can certainly look suspicious. But don’t despair if you need to fire the worker for reasons unrelated to her EEOC complaint. If your documentation is thorough […]
Turn Your Desk Into An Ad For Yourself
Leaders, you have a precious tract of real estate right before you every day. Put it to work by adding components that people identify with success and credibility—and deleting some others. 1. THE BEST TECH THAT MONEY CAN BUY: We live in a digital world, and displaying a computer capable of dealing with anything that’s […]
Contracts Should Spell Out At-Will Employment
It’s unusual, but sometimes a written offer of employment for a specific time period can overcome the usual presumption of at-will employment. Note, however, that other documents may stipulate that employment is at-will—and they will stand up in court. Recent case: When Jane was recruited to join a medical practice, the parties discussed how employees […]
Can We Terminate An Employee Who Recently Filed For Bankruptcy?
Question: Our organization recently discovered that an employee who handles our company money has filed for bankruptcy. My concern is that if he was unable to handle his own finances, he may be untrustworthy with company finances. Can I discharge this employee? Answer: Under federal law, the fact that an individual has filed for bankruptcy is […]
Harassment Investigations
Allegations of any type of harassment need to be taken seriously. They are also one of the hardest things to investigate and settle. The best course of action is to ask questions of everyone involved. Complainant – start for asking for details, who, what , when, where, how. Follow that with additional questions of their […]