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Brand New! Coaching and Mentoring Employees: What You Need to Know
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Pay Cuts: What You Need to Know About How—and Whether—To Cut Employees' Wages
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Electronic Privacy in California: Managing Employee Expectations and Monitoring Their Communications
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Sexual Harassment: Pitfalls to Avoid with Sexual Harassment Complaints & Investigations
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Paid Time Off: How to Establish and Maintain a Successful PTO Program
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Employee Handbooks in California: Why You Need One, What Goes In, and What Stays Out
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Severance Agreements in California: How to Reduce Your Legal Risks When Terminating Employees in a Tough Economy
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Sexual Harassment: Real-Life Strategies To Reduce the Risk of Lawsuits and Defend Yourself If Necessary Webinar Originally presented on June 29, 2010 Unfortunately, there's no way to ensure that your organization won't be sued for sexual harassment someday. But there are ways to both reduce the risk of this happening and minimize the potential damage if it does. . . . more HR 101 for Supervisors: The Legal Basics They Need To Know To Keep Your Organization Out of Court Virtual Boot Camp Originally presented on June 17, 2010 Rigorous, Intensive Webinar Training From the Comfort of Your Office As an experienced HR professional, you know and understand the employment laws that apply to your workplace. You know why it's a bad idea from a legal standpoint to terminate an employee without warning, to move an employee who's complained about harassment to a different department or shift, to neglect performance evaluations. But do your supervisors? . . . more Training Your New Supervisors: 11 Practical Lessons for Turning Brand-New Managers Into Effective Leaders Webinar Originally presented on June 16, 2010 Transforming rank-and-file workers or new hires into effective frontline supervisors is a huge challenge. For many reasons, great employees don't always make great managers: . . . more Medical Certification Under FMLA/CFRA: How To Master This Complex Process and Stay Compliant Webinar Originally presented on June 15, 2010 2009's sweeping changes to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) contain several provisions relating to requests for medical certifications. For instance, the regulations increase the amount of time an employer has to request certification from 2 days to 5 days after receiving notice of a worker's need for leave. . . . more Age Discrimination in California: How To Legally Manage Your Aging Workforce Webinar Originally presented on June 10, 2010 Baby boomers are working longer these days. That could be one reason for the spike in the number of age discrimination claims filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in recent years. Regardless of the reason for the surge in claims, one thing is clear: Combating age bias has become a top priority for the EEOC . . . more Dress Codes in California: Dos and Don'ts for Regulating Employees With Tattoos, Piercings, Revealing Clothing, and Other Tricky Hot Spots Webinar Originally presented on June 3, 2010 Maintaining a professional-looking workforce is a growing headache for many California employers. Today's super-casual employees present many unique challenges with what they wear on the job -- from eyebrow piercings to Goth makeup, tube tops to flip flops, micro skirts to arm-length tattoos . . . more Social Media: Protect Yourself From Employees (and Former Employees) with a Laptop and a Grudge Webinar Originally presented on June 2, 2010 Technology is changing the face of the American workplace in a variety of ways. Many of those changes are spurred by the challenges and opportunities presented by the Internet. The Internet can be a great resource for employees and employers alike, but it can also lead to a whole new world of negative exposure and risk. This is never truer than when you have an employee (or former employee) who has a grudge along with a platform -- like a blog or a Facebook page -- that allows it to be broadcast to the world. . . . more Reducing Overtime Costs in California: What You Legally Can - and Can't - Do to Keep Workers at Their Straight-Time Rates Webinar Originally presented on May 27, 2010 In 2009, the top 10 U.S. wage-and-hour lawsuits against private employers were settled for a staggering $363 million, according to a recently released workplace litigation report. Couple that with the fact that both state and federal agencies are hot on the heels of employers who owe for unpaid overtime, and it's clear that overtime-related enforcement and litigation is becoming a major headache for employers. . . . more Diabetes in the Workplace: Your Legal Responsibilities and Practical Management Tips Webinar Originally presented on May 25, 2010 Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that approximately one million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year. Already, nearly 24 million Americans age 20 or older have the disease. These figures also show that approximately 57 million people in the United States have pre-diabetes; accordingly, you're likely to see more employees with diabetes in the years to come. . . . more Executive Presentation Skills for HR How to Deliver Compelling, Effective Presentations in the Workplace Webinar Originally presented on May 21, 2010 As an HR professional, you need to be able to communicate effectively with all levels of your organization: from rank-and-file employees, to frontline managers, all the way up to the C-suite. But this is a skill that even the most experienced HR people too often lack -- sometimes the issue is a lack of confidence. Other times, it's a failure to communicate ideas clearly through words and visuals. If you're not able to communicate well, you're just not as effective in your job as you could be. . . . more Exemption Audits: Prepare Now for Stepped-Up Enforcement -- Who's Entitled to Overtime and Who's Not? Webinar Originally presented on May 20, 2010 Are you sure you've properly determined who is -- and isn't - entitled to overtime at your organization? If you haven't recently conducted an internal exemptions audit, there's no time like the present. New stepped-up enforcement efforts are striking terror in the hearts of employers all over California, and with good reason. According to a recent workplace litigation report, the 10 largest private wage and hour settlements in 2009 totaled more than $363 million, with half of the settlements stemming from lawsuits filed in California federal or state courts. . . . more High-Profile Problem Employees: How to Coach, Discipline, and Terminate These "Untouchable" Workers Webinar Originally presented on May 18, 2010 Many employers follow a consistent, time-tested formula when dealing with rule-breakers or underperformers: Coach them to improve their skills, apply progressive discipline and issue warnings, and ultimately terminate them if necessary. . . . more Bulletproof HR Documentation: How to Reduce Your Legal Risks by Creating Consistent, Defensible HR Records Webinar Originally presented on May 17, 2010 "Document, document, document." That's the mantra drilled into the heads of HR professionals and employers: Create a paper trail that shows how (and why and when) workers are being trained, counseled, and disciplined. Much easier said than done. In many workplaces, frontline supervisors don't know what to say or how to say it when recording their interactions with employees. They don't follow consistent procedures, or they claim they're too busy to keep current records. And, worst of all, their sloppy, inaccurate, or derogatory documentation can lead to enormous legal liabilities for your entire organization. . . . more HR Recordkeeping in California: Your Obligations Regarding Retention, Storage, and Destruction Webinar Originally presented on May 14, 2010 As an HR professional, you know that recordkeeping isn't just about knowing which employment records you need to hang onto (though this information is certainly important). To truly master the art of recordkeeping, you must also be able to anticipate thorny issues that could arise concerning your retention, storage, and destruction practices so you can fix any problems before they cause you legal grief. . . . more FMLA/CFRA: In-the-Trenches Strategies for Tackling the Trickiest Leave-Related Issues Virtual Boot Camp Virtual Boot Camp Originally presented on May 7, 2010 Rigorous, Intensive Webinar Training From the Comfort of Your Office As an HR professional, you've got your work cut out for you. From calculating who's eligible for leave to handling tracking and scheduling issues, you walk a delicate and time-sensitive legal tightrope. One wrong move, and you could find yourself accused of wrongdoing not just under the family leave laws, but also under related laws like the state Fair Employment and Housing Act and the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. . . . more The Termination Process: Exit Interviews, Termination Pay, and Post-Termination Steps to Keep You Out of Court Webinar Originally presented on May 6, 2010 Now more than ever, employers find themselves making personnel changes for a number of reasons. Because times are still tough, former employees and their lawyers are scrutinizing all termination decisions -- even perfectly legitimate ones -- with a fine-toothed comb, looking for possible legal claims. Even if you're extremely careful and proceed with the best of intentions, California's termination requirements are highly technical and possess many traps for the unwary. . . . more Project Management for HR: Design and Deliver a Successful Result Every Time Webinar Originally presented on April 29, 2010 To be successful in strategic planning (and the HR field generally), you must have an excellent grasp on project management. Knowing how to effectively design, develop, and implement a project from start to finish is critical for on-time and on-budget completion. Strategy is about doing the right things, and implementation is about doing things right - both halves of the equation are essential. Most of us could use a brush-up on at least some aspect of our project management skills, and it's an area where even small gains can mean measurable improvements. . . . more Employee Theft: Best Practices for Preventing - and Addressing - Stealing in the Workplace Webinar Originally presented on April 22, 2010 It's no surprise that, given the tough economy, employee theft is on the rise. It's also a surprisingly common crime: Studies show three in four workers will steal on the job at least once - and half of those employees will do it again. In fact, an employee is 15 times more likely than a customer or a stranger to steal from you, and experts say 75 percent of these thefts will go largely unnoticed. . . . more Onboarding: Innovative Strategies for Energizing New Hires Right Out of the Gate Webinar Originally presented on April 15, 2010 Onboarding is the first major piece of the retention puzzle. With most new hires taking a full two months to fully commit to their new employers, effective orientation strategies can mean all the difference between them second-guessing their decision to come work for you and their motivation to become productive (and loyal) team players right out of the gate. . . . more Employee Benefits: How to Explain Your Offerings to Employees and Convey a Strong Sense of Value Webinar Originally presented on April 13, 2010 Employees' understanding of the benefits they're being offered is key to enrollment success, a recent survey by Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company and Employee Benefits News revealed. Given the changing healthcare landscape, plus the shifting perceptions of the value of benefits, an effective employee benefit communications strategy is now more important than ever. . . . more Solving PTO Problems in California: How to Reduce Unscheduled Absences Without Alienating Employees or Violating the Law Webinar Originally presented on April 9, 2010 Why do so many California employers struggle these days with unscheduled, unexpected absences by their workers? Here's the #1 reason: Two out of three employees who fail to show up for work aren't staying home because they're sick. Recent surveys say that 21 percent miss work to handle "family issues," another 18 percent are dealing with "personal needs," and the rest claim they're stressed or simply need a day off. . . . more Intermittent Leave: Legal Headaches to Avoid when Designating, Administering, and Denying Periodic FMLA/CFRA Leave Webinar Originally presented on April 6, 2010 Tracking and administering intermittent leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) is extremely tricky. It's no wonder why: You have to make sure employees have met the requisite cumulative 12 months of service and 1,250 hours worked in the year prior to the leave, and that's just for starters. Then you need to determine when leave entitlement arises: When you learn of the request for leave, or when the first absence relating to a medical condition occurs? . . . more The 9 Deadly Sins of Hiring and Recruiting in California: How to Avoid These Common - and Costly - Mistakes Webinar Originally presented on April 1, 2010 What's the most critical step in preventing many workplace problems? Finding and hiring the best employees in the first place. That's easier said than done, even in a recession. Recruiting and hiring the most qualified workers who are the best fit for your organization can be extremely challenging -- from sorting through online applications and vetting resumes to asking legally permitted interview questions. . . . more "So Where's My Raise?": How to Handle Tough Post-Recession Pay Conversations With Employees Webinar Originally presented on March 31, 2010 The "Great Recession" of 2008 and 2009 is winding down, according to a growing number of economists and media outlets. National surveys now predict that pay raises for U.S. workers will rebound this year, after a rough patch last year in which one in four employers across America gave no raises at all. . . . more Complaint Investigations in California: The Legal Dos and Don'ts of Finding the Truth Without Breaking the Law Webinar Originally presented on March 25, 2010 Dealing with workplace complaints -- from racial bias to sexual harassment to threats of violence - is a huge part of your job as an HR professional. It's probably not one of your favorite tasks, either. You're dealing with a double-edged sword: You have a clear legal duty to investigate complaints promptly and resolve them fairly -- but if you make any mistakes along the way, you could wind up in even more hot water than when you started. . . . more Can't We All Just Get Along? Strategies for Defusing Difficult Workplace Behaviors and People Webinar Originally presented on March 23, 2010 Some workers backstab to get a leg up over their colleagues. Others can't seem to keep their mouths shut at the water cooler, spilling secrets about coworkers, managers, or your organization as a whole to anyone who will listen. Some refuse to work with others on achieving common operational goals. And some are star performers who rack up great numbers but make everyone around them miserable. . . . more Telecommuters in California: Smart Management and Pay Practices To Reduce Your Legal Risks Webinar Originally presented on March 22, 2010 Telecommuting's appeal shows no signs of slowing down -- and why would it? Workers enjoy the flexibility and freedom, while employers appreciate the reduced overhead. More and more workers of all stripes are hopping aboard the telecommuting bandwagon -- and that's where the trouble can start. . . . more Electronic Recordkeeping in California: What To Keep, What To Toss, What To Scan, and Where To Store It Webinar Originally presented on March 19, 2010 In today's workplaces, emailing, texting, blogging, tweeting, and the Internet are a way of life. So are electronic records. You may have had your old HR recordkeeping system down flat, but it's a whole new world when you get rid of the paper and move to digital. How do you ensure security of your electronic files? Can you toss the original of a document once you've scanned it into your system? Are there any records you must keep the paper originals of? What sort of system should you have in place for gathering all of these new e-records? . . . more Healthcare Compliance Update: What California Employers Need to Know Now About Recently Enacted and Pending Legislation Webinar Originally presented on March 18, 2010 The news on healthcare reform is changing daily. Now more than ever, you need to know the bottom line on how federal healthcare reform could affect your organization. You also need practical guidance on how to comply with recently enacted legislation that increases your burdens under several federal statutes, including COBRA, HIPAA, and ERISA. . . . more Family Leave: How To Avoid "Gotchas" in California; Sample Policies You Can Adapt To Your Workplace Webinar Originally presented on March 17, 2010 Dealing with family and medical leave requests can cause more headaches for employers than almost any other HR issue. It's doubly difficult in California, because you're forced to comply with both the federal FMLA and the state CFRA. And the two don't always agree: . . . more Training Your New Supervisors: 11 Practical Lessons for Turning Brand-New Managers Into Effective Leaders Webinar Originally presented on March 12, 2010 Many brand-new supervisors have never been trained on how to manage, and they've probably had at least a few poor role models over the years. Now, they need a firm hand to point them in the right direction. . . . more Job Descriptions in California: How to Tackle Tricky Drafting Hurdles To Maximize Compliance and Effectiveness Webinar Originally presented on March 9, 2010 Writing job descriptions that are compliant with federal statutes, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as their California counterparts, can get tricky. In an effort to word things clearly, you actually could be violating the very laws you're trying to comply with. . . . more Employee Orientation: Why a Strong Start Is So Crucial; How to Energize, Integrate, and Retain Your Newest Hires Webinar Originally presented on March 4, 2010 As the economy improves, you'll likely spend more time and money this year finding and hiring new employees. Unfortunately, many employers start new workers off on the wrong foot by offering ineffective (or even off-putting) orientation and onboarding programs. . . . more Advanced Overtime Strategies for California Employers: How To Avoid Common Mistakes and Avoid Getting Burned Webinar Originally presented on February 23, 2010 Wage-and-hour class actions brought under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) outnumber all other types of employment-related private class actions - and the penalties are steep. Just the top 10 wage-and-hour labor class-action settlements in 2008 totaled $252.7 million. Even experienced HR veterans are getting ensnared in the traps. Don't let it happen to you and your organization. . . . more California Wage & Hour Risks: Preventing the Most Common (and Costly) Wage & Hour Mistakes Virtual Boot Camp Virtual Boot Camp Originally presented on February 19, 2010 Rigorous, Intensive Webinar Training From the Comfort of Your Office Follow These Best Practices to Comply With California's Confusing Wage and Hour Rules - and Reduce Your Legal Risks in 2010 It's no secret that California imposes more legal and regulatory burdens on employers than any other state in the country. That's especially true in the wage and hour arena: The state's complex wage and hour rules can cause headaches for even the most experienced HR professionals - from convoluted meal break/rest period requirements to onerous overtime standards. . . . more Twitter: How to Tweet Your Way To Recruiting Top Talent Webinar Originally presented on February 17, 2010 Whistle while you work? Nah. Nowadays it's all about tweeting. More and more Americans and their employers are hopping on the Twitter bandwagon. A recent survey by Jobvite.com revealed that 80 percent of the organizations polled plan to use this social-networking tool to recruit talent, with 42 percent of recruiters saying they already tweet to attract and hire candidates. . . . more Trade Secrets in California: How To Keep Departing Workers From Running Off With Your Valuable Data Webinar Originally presented on February 16, 2010 Whether an employee quits or is fired, on good terms or on bad, you've got a laundry list of items to sort through in a relatively short period of time. Protecting your trade secrets should be near the top of this list. Have you disabled their passwords so they can't access sensitive data on your network? Have you recovered all company property? What can you do to protect yourself if they walk out the door with precious files - including client lists or trade secrets - via tiny, virtually undetectable, USB drives? . . . more Workers' Comp: What You Need to Know About the 2010 Premium Assessment Webinar Originally presented on February 15, 2010 Amid budgetary woes, the California Legislature has authorized a workers' compensation premium assessment (WCPA) to offset Department of Industrial Relations funding cuts. The temporary premium assessment seeks to stabilize funding for the Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC), the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, which enforces the legal requirement for employers to carry workers' comp insurance. . . . more Wage and Hour Litigation: Successful Defense Strategies for Combating the Rising Tide of Class Action Lawsuits Webinar Originally presented on February 12, 2010 Class action wage and hour lawsuits are on the rise. In 2008, the 10 largest class action settlements nationwide totaled more than $250 million. With the growing number of compensation-related claims, California-based labor and employment attorneys have a particularly difficult legal battle given the pro-employee nature of the California Labor Code. . . . more Employment Documentation in California: The Secrets to Shielding Your Organization from Liability with Ironclad Attendance, Performance, and Conduct-Related Documentation Webinar Originally presented on February 10, 2010 No one really enjoys sitting down and document employment issues. But talk to any labor and employment attorney, and they'll tell you that one of the keys to being able to defend litigation rests in sound documentation practices. Document, document, document—they all say it, but what does it really mean? . . . more Workers' Comp: How To Discipline or Terminate Claimants Without Triggering Lawsuits Webinar Originally presented on February 8, 2010 There are times when discipline or termination of a workers' comp claimant is warranted, just it would be for any other worker. But you're walking into a powder keg if you underestimate the legal risks involved. . . . more Medical Certification Under FMLA: How To Master This Complex Process and Stay Compliant Webinar Originally presented on February 2, 2010 2009's sweeping changes to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) contain several provisions relating to requests for medical certifications. For instance, the regulations increase the amount of time an employer has to request certification from 2 days to 5 days after receiving notice of a worker's need for leave. . . . more Meal & Rest Breaks in California: How to Manage Them Without Getting Sued Webinar Originally presented on January 27, 2010 Recently, the California Supreme Court ruled that a labor union couldn't sue on behalf of employees claiming they were entitled to more than $10 million in lost wages, and more than $2.5 million in civil penalties, for missed meal and rest periods. This is good news for employers because the ruling could result in fewer class-action wage and hour lawsuits. . . . more Workers' Comp: Horseplay, Intoxication, and Other Circumstances That Can Let You Off the Workers' Comp Hook Webinar Originally presented on January 26, 2010 In all 50 states, including California, employers are required to provide workers' comp benefits as prescribed by state law. Although the laws vary, each state penalizes and fines employers who fail to fulfill their obligations. But there are times you can legitimately, legally deny these claims - for example, if a worker is intoxicated on the job, or fooling around in a reckless manner that leads to injury. If you don't know about these affirmative defenses, you could be spending a lot more than you should on your workers' comp bills. . . . more ADA/FEHA Q&A: Bring Your Questions To Our Experts for Quick, Informative Answers Webinar Originally presented on January 25, 2010 The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) went into effect last January. Now, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued proposed regulations that, along with the ADAAA, represent the first major overhaul to the ADA since its enactment nearly 20 years ago. . . . more Electronic Recordkeeping in California: Creation, Storage, and Destruction Procedures for the Digital Age Webinar Originally presented on January 20, 2010 The ability to communicate electronically through email and emerging Web-2.0 technologies, such as blogs and other social networking tools, means increased collaboration and productivity in the workplace - but what happens to crucial electronic data you might need to pull up in the event of a lawsuit? . . . more HR Metrics: How to Measure - and Maximize - the Strategic Impact of Your Workforce on the Bottom Line Webinar Originally presented on January 14, 2010 Many HR professionals find themselves swamped with the day-to-day challenges of managing their workforces - from motivating and retaining workers to complying with federal and state employment laws and trying to dig out from mountains of paperwork that never seem to get any smaller. . . . more Coaching and Mentoring Employees: How to Unlock Potential, Enhance Loyalty, and Boost Productivity Webinar Originally presented on January 13, 2010 Between picking the very best new hires and terminating your worst performers, there's a huge playing field in which the rest of your employees struggle every day to meet your expectations. And their success depends in large part on how well your frontline supervisors coach and motivate them. . . . more Conflict Resolution: Effective Workplace Peacekeeping Techniques for Supervisors Webinar Originally presented on January 12, 2010 In an average week in the U.S., one employee is killed and at least 25 are seriously injured in violent assaults by current or former co-workers. Even when things don't turn violent, conflicts between employees can lead to poor productivity, an unpleasant working environment, and preventable turnover. . . . more What's New for 2010: The Pending State and Federal Legislation, Regs, and Court Cases You Need to Know About Webinar Originally presented on January 5, 2010 Chatter continues from Washington on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Employee Free Choice Act, and the Paycheck Fairness Act, and courts around the state have been hard at work handing down decisions that affect your obligations. Add to the mix the Obama Administration's resolve to hammer out a workable solution to the nation's healthcare crisis, as well as the continued uncertainty within California over workers' meal and rest breaks, and employers have the tall task of anticipating where they will need to focus their compliance efforts in 2010 and beyond. . . . more CD recordings of these past audio conferences are incredibly convenient ways to stay up to speed on compliance topics that are critical to California employers. Recordings come with printed copies of the conference handout.