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Apr 10, 2020
SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., is answering HR questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. This week, he answers questions on how a first-time manager can prepare and how to help a CEO who may be in mental decline.
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Apr 10, 2020
?The coronavirus pandemic is drastically changing how and where businesses are operating. Despite the upheaval, one thing hasn't changed: an employer's duty to protect employees' privacy should they become infected. Be prepared to communicate with your staff and help employees connect with resources they may not know about.
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Apr 10, 2020
?Reversing course on employee quarantines, federal health officials now say that essential workers who've been exposed to the coronavirus can stay on the job while monitoring their symptoms.
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Apr 09, 2020
Mountain Creek ski resort, which has shut down its entire operation during COVID-19, is reaching out a helping hand to its employees and lending its expertise to small area businesses.
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Apr 09, 2020
CDC Official Provides Coronavirus Update to HR Professionals Public health officials are still learning critical information about how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic—and HR professionals need to check in frequently to learn about the latest recommendations. Here are some developments that will impact the workplace.
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Apr 09, 2020
CDC Official Provides Coronavirus Update to HR Professionals Public health officials are still learning critical information about how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic—and HR professionals need to check in frequently to learn about the latest recommendations. Here are some developments that will impact the workplace.
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Apr 09, 2020
Employers have suddenly gone from frantically trying to find scarce talent to pumping the brakes on hiring.
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Apr 09, 2020
Following the firing of a worker who protested conditions at an Amazon warehouse, union leaders called on the company to reinstate the employee and do more to protect workers from COVID-19. Other organizations are facing demands for more personal protective equipment.
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Apr 09, 2020
Reuters was writing in 2017 about the dependence of the financial sector, major corporations and parts of the federal government on COBOL, an archaic computer system, and noting "if something goes wrong, few people know how to fix it." The current situation points to the importance of HR professionals taking the long view of their organization's skill needs.
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Apr 09, 2020
Some employees are refusing to take the temperatures of colleagues at worksites during the coronavirus pandemic. What can employers do?
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Apr 09, 2020
Another 6.6 million U.S. workers filed for new unemployment benefits during the week ending April 4, bringing the three-week total since March 15 to an unprecedented nearly 17 million workers. Economists suspect that still millions more will be filing for unemployment in the weeks ahead due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Layoffs, furloughs and hiring freezes are ongoing, especially in the transportation, restaurant, hospitality and retail sectors, as the coronavirus spreads across the country and nonessential businesses have been ordered to close. The weekly jobless claims report is the most-timely economic indicator for measuring the impact of the virus on the U.S. economy.
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Apr 09, 2020
When dealing with a critical situation such as the coronavirus pandemic, it's important for employers to overcommunicate, says columnist Jathan Janove. Don't hunker down with your own anxieties. Continue routine employee communications, plus communications related to the crisis.
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Apr 09, 2020
?Boston bartenders Susana Gutierrez and Jessica Martinez were among the 10 million workers who applied for unemployment insurance in the last two weeks of March due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus. Although they are both industry professionals with more than 12 years in the business, the two experienced their sudden unemployment very differently because of the role HR played at work.
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Apr 09, 2020
?As coronavirus-related claims for unemployment insurance reach historic levels, state systems are overwhelmed, laid-off workers are frustrated, and anxiety is mounting. Employers can't solve all these problems, but they can provide support to make the employees' transition as smooth as possible.
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Apr 09, 2020
Workers around the world are facing a kind of stress we've never seen before. Is it time to start meditating? One review of meditation studies found that there is a direct link between the practice and positive workplace outcomes. Getting started with a new meditation benefit in the middle of a pandemic might seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be.
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Apr 08, 2020
In many states, only essential businesses can stay open to the public and only critical staff can remain at the worksite during the coronavirus pandemic. So what happens when employers ignore the rules? In some jurisdictions, employers can face civil or criminal penalties.
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Apr 08, 2020
Multinational employers needing to post staff overseas can struggle to structure an expatriate assignment to meet business needs and legal mandates. A "secondment" is one option.
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Apr 08, 2020
Help American workers—now and in the future—by improving their financial literacy. April is National Financial Literacy Month. To observe this during the current pandemic and thousands of layoffs may seem absurd or insensitive, but it is an opportune time to focus on the importance of employee financial education.
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Apr 08, 2020
?The editors of SHRM Certification Update are pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 SHRM HR Haiku Contest, celebrating National Poetry Month. During the current crisis, when people are in need of beauty, humor, hope and diversion, poetry is more important than ever.
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Apr 08, 2020
We spend too much time talking about culture and not enough time doing something to change the culture in our own organizations. How an organization's culture evolves is our profession's performance review.
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Apr 08, 2020
?The COVID-19 crisis, during which HR professionals are tackling unprecedented challenges on short notice, has prompted SHRM to change the time frame requirement for work projects that qualify for professional development credits (PDCs) toward recertification. The revised requirement now focuses only on the number of hours dedicated to a PDC-qualifying work project in the "Advance Your Organization" credit category and eliminates the stipulation of a minimum duration for the project.
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Apr 08, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended the use of nonmedical masks or cloth face coverings to help stem the spread of COVID-19, and some locations in California—such as Los Angeles and San Diego—are mandating their use in certain situations.
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Apr 08, 2020
How does a company bring essential employees to the workplace when a country is locked down? That's been the biggest challenge for CHROs of employers in India that provide essential services.
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Apr 08, 2020
How does a company bring essential employees to the workplace when a country is locked down? That's been the biggest challenge for CHROs of employers in India that provide essential services.
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Apr 08, 2020
On April 3, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order prohibiting employers from discharging, disciplining or otherwise retaliating against an employee for staying home from work because the employee tests positive for COVID-19, displays principal symptoms of COVID-19, or has had close contact with an individual who has tested positive or has symptoms.
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Apr 07, 2020
As demand grows for technologies that allow workers to collaborate and communicate from home, technology providers have responded by adding new features and functions to their platforms to better accommodate both casual and power users.
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Apr 07, 2020
The deadly coronavirus crisis has upended employment and many employment laws, including rules that govern predictive scheduling. Here's what employers need to know.
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Apr 07, 2020
Congress is working out the details for the next coronavirus relief bill as banks struggle to meet the demand for payroll-protection loans and a record number of people apply for unemployment benefits.
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Apr 07, 2020
Employment background screening has been disrupted as employers adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. In some cases, screenings have been put on hold because courthouses and schools are closed, blocking access to records. In addition, uncertainty about deteriorating business conditions has caused some employers to pull back on hiring.
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Apr 07, 2020
An insurer did not violate the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act when it deducted an employee's veteran's disability benefits from an employer's long-term disability (LTD) plan benefits.
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Apr 07, 2020
A recent decision of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals highlights the importance of using clear, defined terms in benefits and compensation plans.
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Apr 07, 2020
?Along with scarcities of masks, beds and ventilators, U.S. hospitals also worry about having enough specialized nurses, doctors and other medical staff as they confront the coronavirus pandemic. The shortages may get worse as care providers get sick themselves or leave their jobs to deal with homebound children or sick family members.
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Apr 06, 2020
The COVID-19 outbreak is reshaping all aspects of work, including the time-honored tradition of the afterwork happy hour.
Employees working remotely—and sometimes their employers and professional resource groups—have gotten creative in adapting to the restrictions on gathering in bars and restaurants by moving happy hour meetups to a virtual format, using video-communication technology like Zoom and Google Hangouts.
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Apr 06, 2020
A federal employee claiming age discrimination has to show only that age was a factor—rather than the key reason—that the employer made an adverse employment decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled. But the available remedies may be limited.
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Apr 06, 2020
With the COVID-19 crisis, the emotional challenges employees are confronting have spiked. Anyone could experience crippling levels of stress and anxiety now, so it's important for HR professionals and people managers to be alert to signs that may indicate employees are struggling to cope.
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Apr 06, 2020
Self-funded health plans could see their claims costs jump 7 percent this year as a result of the pandemic. Both self-funded and fully insured employer plans may see higher premiums in 2021, analysts predict.
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Apr 06, 2020
Referral bonuses generally aren't included in the regular rate of pay and so aren't included in overtime calculations, according to a recent Department of Labor opinion letter. But some portions of a referral bonus could be included if the employee has a contractual right to the payment.
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Apr 06, 2020
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) lets employers apply one uniform standard across state lines for prescription drug benefit plans, the Society for Human Resource Management said in a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief.
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Apr 04, 2020
There are updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for cleaning and disinfecting a workplace after an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus. Among the new tips: If a contaminated area has been closed for seven days or more, there's no need for a special cleaning.
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Apr 04, 2020
New legislation makes it easier for 401(k) participants to withdraw funds, but tapping retirement accounts to satisfy short-term needs can jeopardize future retirements.
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Apr 04, 2020
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act makes it easier for 401(k) plan participants affecting by the virus to withdraw funds from their plans. However, employers should caution employees about the risks of tapping their retirement plan accounts to satisfy a short-term cash flow problem.
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Apr 03, 2020
The U.S. Department of Labor has added to its list of questions and answers regarding the paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
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Apr 03, 2020
Although the current situation is a far cry from business as usual, California companies must nonetheless follow the state's labor laws, including those governing meal and rest breaks for hourly workers.
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Apr 03, 2020
An important component of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act significantly expands unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for U.S. workers impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
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Apr 03, 2020
U.S. employers reported cutting 701,000 jobs in March, while the nation's unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent from 3.5 percent in February. The worst employment report in a decade is the tip of the iceberg, however. Economists expect a much worse labor market in the months ahead. The Bureau of Labor Statistics survey was conducted in mid-March, before many states issued stay-at-home orders and 10 million people filed for unemployment benefits.
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Apr 03, 2020
?SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., is answering HR questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. This week, he answers questions on addressing same-sex harassment and using a co-worker's preferred pronouns.
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Apr 03, 2020
What are HR professionals around the country focused on during the pandemic? Is it minimizing employee claims or something else? Happily, it seems many if not most HR professionals aren't focused on claims risk. Rather, they are truly putting the human into human resources.
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Apr 02, 2020
Organizations are implementing remote-work arrangements for their employees due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak—many for the first time—and need to be able to outline expectations and guidelines for working outside the office.
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Apr 02, 2020
Hiring freezes are the top cost-containment strategy being employed by organizations as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the U.S. economy, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson.
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Apr 02, 2020
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day won't be observed in the office this April 23 as employees work remotely to stop the spread of COVID-19, but the employees of Alabama Ag Credit can practice a form of it now when they have to come into one of the organization's sparsely populated offices.
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Apr 02, 2020
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a final rule that will make it easier for unionized workers who are dissatisfied with their unions to vote them out.
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Apr 02, 2020
How are HR pros handling remote work alongside their children? The answers to this SHRM #NextChat question included projects, planning and lots of snacks. Here's a compliation of the responses.
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Apr 02, 2020
How are HR pros handling remote work alongside their children? The answers to this SHRM #NextChat question included projects, planning and lots of snacks. Here's a compliation of the responses.
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Apr 02, 2020
The United Kingdom government has provided further information in connection with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, commonly known as the Furlough Scheme.
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Apr 02, 2020
Employers requested new H-1B visas for nearly 275,000 workers this year, a 37 percent increase over the fiscal year 2020 filing season, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). With many employers in operational limbo due to the coronavirus outbreak, it's unclear how many of the companies that had registered for H-1B workers will ultimately submit full applications for them. USCIS said that if there aren't enough petitions filed, the agency will pick more unselected petitions held in reserve to meet the cap.
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Apr 02, 2020
Companies across the country are boosting pay for front-line workers, continuing to pay those who are unable to work because of COVID-19, and offering other assistance to employees who are impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Apr 01, 2020
6.6 million U.S. workers filed for new unemployment benefits during the week ending March 28, doubling the previous week's record total of 3.28 million. Millions more workers are expected to file for unemployment in the weeks ahead, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Layoffs, furloughs and hiring freezes have also begun to surge, especially in the transportation, restaurant, hospitality and retail sectors, as the coronavirus spreads across the country and nonessential businesses have been ordered to close. The weekly jobless claims are the most-timely economic indicator for measuring the impact of the virus on the U.S. economy.
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Apr 01, 2020
A Dallas ordinance requiring employers to provide workers with paid sick leave was blocked by a federal judge. The Texas order comes as the federal government and other states and cities mandate temporary paid-leave benefits to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
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Apr 01, 2020
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued regulations for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which confirmed that covered employers must obtain documentation of paid sick leave and emergency family and medical leave to get reimbursed.
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Mar 31, 2020
Despite the fact that an employer did not adhere to its internal discipline policy or initially provide a plaintiff with a reason for her termination, she could not establish that the reason the employer ultimately offered for her firing was false.
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Mar 31, 2020
An HR professional could not revive his Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claim by arguing that he was not sleeping at work but instead lost consciousness due to diabetes, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled.
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Mar 31, 2020
Employers are cutting salary and hourly wages, at least temporarily, in response to their revenue losses during the pandemic. While they're waiting to get back to business, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, may provide some relief.
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Mar 31, 2020
The Los Angeles City Council just passed a COVID-19 supplemental paid-sick-leave law that will remain in effect until Dec. 31 unless the city council decides to extend it. Here are the basic provisions of the ordinance.
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Mar 31, 2020
The Los Angeles City Council just passed a COVID-19 supplemental paid-sick-leave law that will remain in effect until Dec. 31 unless the city council decides to extend it. Here are the basic provisions of the ordinance.
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Mar 31, 2020
"Advocacy" is the idea that you know your people well enough to make sure they are represented accurately and fairly within the company. It's a skill that often gets short shrift.
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Mar 30, 2020
Women will receive a disproportionate financial penalty when it comes to the current COVID-19 pandemic, new research suggests. As they're more likely to be family caregivers, women may stay out of work longer to care for children whose schools remain closed or for elderly parents and family members who remain at risk.
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Mar 30, 2020
The latest coronavirus relief fund established new loans to help some employers continue covering payroll costs and other employment-related expenses during the coronavirus crisis.
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Mar 30, 2020
The trial court erred in finding that a graduate student teaching assistant was not an employee of the university and dismissing his race discrimination in an employment lawsuit, a California appellate court ruled.
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Mar 30, 2020
An employer voluntarily consented to a safety inspection, even though the inspector was accompanied by several other state officials, some of whom were armed, and the permission to inspect was given by the owner's son, who was not an officer of the company, a California appellate court ruled.
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Mar 30, 2020
Workers at Instacart and Amazon went on strike on March 30 over the companies' response to the pandemic, with a "sick out" planned at Amazon for March 31.
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Mar 30, 2020
The Georgia Department of Labor passed emergency rules regarding partial unemployment claims and shifted Career Center registration from in-person to online. Here's what employers need to know.
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Mar 30, 2020
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is giving employers an extra 60 days to respond to requests for evidence (RFEs) or notices of intent to deny due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, the agency said.
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Mar 30, 2020
Employers can take certain actions to make the workplace safer in businesses deemed essential during the coronavirus pandemic and in regions where companies are staying open. Here are 10 ways to protect employees.
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Mar 30, 2020
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act alters employee benefit rules, particularly for health coverage, retirement savings and student loan assistance. While some of these provisions are temporary, others are permanent.
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Mar 30, 2020
With the workplace in turmoil amid the coronavirus pandemic, company leaders may feel the urge to over-manage telecommuting staffers. The message from management experts? Resist the urge to hover virtually.
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Mar 29, 2020
Recruiters and hiring managers have long relied on the timely verification of academic transcripts as a key factor in evaluating and hiring college graduates. Whether conducted by recruiting teams or by background screening providers, most often through a national clearinghouse, these assessments seek to confirm the truthfulness of information offered by graduates, such as school attended, degree received and date of completion.
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Mar 29, 2020
Nurses and their HR and information technology (IT) colleagues expect future-of-work initiatives to shake up the health care system over the next decade. Bigger investments in technology will be a key factor in enhancing team collaboration, improving performance, and boosting engagement and retention efforts, recent surveys found.
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Mar 29, 2020
As more people work from home, many are being asked to take on tasks and use technologies with which they have only a passing familiarity, such as leading team meetings and presenting online rather than in person.
SHRM Online spoke with experts about the different strategies required to succeed in those scenarios, as well as how to use the features embedded in videoconferencing and Web conferencing platforms.
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Mar 28, 2020
When one door closes, even temporarily, another often opens. As people practice social distancing to avoid contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, restaurants, bars and retailers across the U.S. are closing their doors and laying off tens of thousands of workers. But needs must be met, so online sellers and a host of other businesses are mass hiring to secure delivery, security, warehousing and distribution personnel.
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Mar 27, 2020
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) answered key questions about Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act leave in updated guidance issued about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). But other questions remain unanswered.
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Mar 27, 2020
?A former law enforcement officer can proceed with his suit against the California Highway Patrol alleging discrimination because of his sexual orientation, a California appeals court ruled.
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Mar 27, 2020
A California law that generally makes noncompete agreements unenforceable does not extend to an employee's promise not to compete against his current—as opposed to former—employer, a California appellate court ruled.
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Mar 27, 2020
Even the census is under the cloud of the coronavirus. The U.S. Census Bureau, however, is still trying to get everyone to participate in the once-a-decade population count as it makes numerous adjustments in response to the pandemic.
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Mar 27, 2020
Congress has passed the third and largest coronavirus relief package to help struggling businesses and displaced workers during the pandemic.
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Mar 27, 2020
President Donald Trump signed into law the third and largest coronavirus relief package, which is meant to help struggling businesses and displaced workers during the pandemic.
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Mar 27, 2020
After five years of no recognition and little opportunity for raises or promotions, is it time to leave? And what should employees do when a member of management is having an affair with an subordinate? SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, answers these questions in his weekly column.
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Mar 27, 2020
?At least 28 states and dozens of cities and counties have ordered nonessential businesses to close or curtail operations to fight the spread of the coronavirus, and the number is growing almost daily. Sometimes, it's not clear which businesses are or and are not "nonessential." Should businesses find a way to stay open to pay workers and maintain customers, or close for a less tangible public good—helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
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Mar 26, 2020
You've been called into a meeting in your boss's office where you're told that one of your own employees has gone over your head—with a complaint about you. This can be an opportunity to learn how to become a better manager.
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Mar 26, 2020
Taking their cue from Italians who serenaded each other from their balconies, socially distanced New Yorkers came together over The Beatles' songs, Bostonians belted out "Sweet Caroline" from their apartment windows, and Chicagoans gave their rendition of Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" from their high-rises. As they practice social distancing, workers look to their employers to provide ways for them to virtually—and informally—connect with colleagues.
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Mar 26, 2020
When President Trump declared COVID-19 to be a national emergency, it opened the door for employers to provide tax-favored financial assistance to employees affected by the pandemic. Employers doing so should inform employees of the reimbursement process and the procedures for collecting and reviewing requests for relief.
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Mar 26, 2020
?The spread of the coronavirus is challenging organizations to rethink their approach to training as governments mandate travel bans, telework and social distancing. But simply using turning a lecture into PowerPoint slides on Webex is ineffective.
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Mar 26, 2020
As India shuts down to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, companies are opening up to new ways of working.
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Mar 26, 2020
?Mentoring is a way for employers to foster employee and organizational growth by pairing less experienced workers with colleagues who have expertise in a specific area. SHRM Online spoke with a learning and cognitive science speicalist about setting up a mentoring program.
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Mar 26, 2020
?Many people are staying inside and practicing social distancing to avoid the spread of COVID-19. It's a stressful time, but being creative relieves stress and brings us closer in other ways. Join the SHRM Certification Team in observing National Poetry Month in April by submitting an original poem to our HR Haiku Contest.
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Mar 26, 2020
The development and launch of SHRM Certification signify a validation of competency-based credentialing, elevating the practice of HR and marking a new trajectory for the profession as a social force. It is an accomplishment that has yet to be eclipsed. Five years into the program, I've selected several milestones that serve as clear reminders of our shared journey to success.
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Mar 26, 2020
?Uncertainty is all around during the coronavirus pandemic. HR can play a stabilizing role in organizations by mitigating uncertainty as much as possible through sound and ongoing communication, decisive action and strategic leadership. This is no easy feat.
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Mar 26, 2020
?Have questions about recertifying your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP? In every issue, the SHRM Certification team will answer some of the frequently asked questions they receive from credential-holders. This week the team answers questions about the interchange of SHRM professional development credits with other types of continuing education.
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Mar 26, 2020
Over the next several months, columnist Phyllis Hartman will explore how to develop your knowledge of HR functions. She'll look at a functional area in the SHRM BoCK, identify the behavioral competencies that align with it and describe activities that will help you develop the knowledge.
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Mar 26, 2020
Relatives, friends and colleagues gathered recently at an Austin, Texas, office building to celebrate the life of Ben Cureton, the owner, president and CEO of Workman Commercial Construction Services Ltd.
Experts said the steps that Workman took to communicate clearly during Cureton's illness and ensure a smooth succession after his death could serve as a model to other businesses planning for the potential loss of a top executive.
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