Dear HR: I have an employee that is late all the time. If they are late again tomorrow, may I send them home and suspend for a day? Or will I have to pay ‘show-up’ pay? Please help! HR Answer: Poor performers and the chronically late employee are inevitable. Try not to let issues build up to the point where you are forced into a hasty decision such as an immediate on-the-spot suspension. The […]
OR-OSHA ALERT! Shorter Fall – Steep Penalties For a number of years the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OR-OSHA) has had a rule in place that if a worker could fall 10 feet or more to the next lower level then fall protection had to be put into place to protect that worker. Of course there are exceptions—such as steel tower builders who must have had an excellent lobby because their workers do not […]
Dear HR: I have two employees that just can’t seem to get along. They are always complaining about each other. Other employees have mentioned that both of them are difficult to work with due to this issue and that they are constantly complaining about each other to co-workers. Is this harassment? HR Answer: It does not appear these statements and behaviors meet the legal definition of ‘harassment.’ Harassment is behavior directed to another because […]
Dear HR: I own a small retail shop with a warehouse full of product. My employees have to load and unload heavy boxes. I know that I can’t ask applicant’s if they have any health problems or back injuries that would prevent them from doing the heavy lifting, but I really don’t want to hire someone who’s not physically able to do the work. How am I supposed to find out if the people I […]
