Developing Employee Handbooks An employee handbook is a document that communicates organizational history, mission, values, policies, procedures, and benefits. It should contain information about all the “way we do things around here” and why we do them that way. The…
“A policy is a broad statement that reflects an organization’s philosophy, objectives, or standards concerning a particular set of management or employee activities. Policies reflect the employer’s employee relations strategy. They are general in nature and are expressed through more…
The following are the proficiency indicators that SHRM has identified as key concepts for mid-level HR Professionals: • Supports interactions with unions and other employee representatives • Supports the organization’s interests in union-management activities • Assists and supports the organization…
The FMLA’s anti-interference provision bars conduct that “`tends to chill’ an employee’s willingness to exercise” rights under the statute. See, Brown v. City of Tucson, 336 F.3d 1181 (9th Cir. 2003) (Holding that close temporal proximity between the protected activity…
Contract Negotiation Process Negotiating a contract requires identifying the subjects to be addressed by the agreement. Then, each party prepares its preferred position on each subject. Then the process of comparing those positions begins. Often, dollars are attached to contract…
Conflict-Resolution Techniques. Some amount of conflict will always be present in the workplace. The fact that it exists is not necessarily an unhealthy thing. When it is resolved quickly and effectively, it can lead to personal and professional growth. In…
Either management or union can initiate retaliatory action in the workplace as a response to the other party’s failure to agree at the bargaining table. Industrial actions are designed to get the attention of the opposite party. Unfair labor practices…
The progressive discipline model is one that has been used in American workplaces for more than a century. It is written into many, if not most, union contracts as a requirement to assure management treats its members appropriately when problems…
Investigations are appropriate in several circumstances within an employer’s organization. They can be helpful in a grievance-handling effort and are essential in determining the validity of discrimination complaints. Whenever there is a need to determine facts surrounding a complaint, an…
HR needs to develop a strategy that is aligned with the capabilities needed to implement the organization’s overall strategy. Becker, Huselid, and Beatty wrote in The Differentiated Workforce that HR must shift its focus from employees to one strategy, and…