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HR Hot Topics - October 2024: Navigating Workplace Civility During Election Season

In this October edition of HR Hot Topics, host Jodi Schafer addresses the challenges of maintaining professionalism and civility in the workplace during the election season.

HR Hot Topics - September 2024: Understanding Michigan's New Earned Sick Time Act

Join host Jodi Schafer in the September edition of HR Hot Topics as we delve into Michigan’s newly affirmed Earned Sick Time Act.

HR Hot Topics - August 2024: Understanding Pay Transparency: Navigating New Challenges

In this month’s edition of HR Hot Topics, join host Jodi Schafer as we delve into the increasingly relevant issue of pay transparency in the workplace.

HR Hot Topics - July 2024: Navigating Time Off and Benefits for Small Employers

Welcome to the July edition of HR Hot Topics! I’m Jodi Schafer, and in this episode, we delve into the crucial aspects of employee benefits, focusing on time off policies.

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  • All
  • Compensation and Benefits
  • Compliance
  • Employee Relations
  • Leadership and Culture
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Recruiting and Retention

Constructive Criticism Isn’t ‘Constructive’ at All

QUESTION:  When I interview a potential candidate, I ask them how well they take criticism.  I have never had anyone say that they do not take it well. Yet in reality, I find that when I criticize a staff member, they often get upset and some actually cry. They make the changes I suggest, but they often seem resentful.  This ...
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Employee Rights Under the Whistleblower’s Protection Act

QUESTION:  I recently implemented a 401(k) plan for my staff.  I used an inexperienced agent and found out later that the plan was missing some important components required by law. Before I could have it corrected, one of my staff contacted the Department of Labor and filed a complaint. I was extremely angry at her. She essentially ruined it for ...
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Extending Paid Leave Without Setting an Unsustainable Precedent

QUESTION:  We are a large company with multiple locations and over 50 employees total. We comply with the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and have had a staff member who has recently experienced a significant loss. Her husband passed away suddenly last week – he was only 40. She was off last year on FMLA for the birth of their first child and ...
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Dealing with a PTO Spender (Abuser)

QUESTION:  I have a long-time staff member who is really good at her job…when she’s here. It doesn’t matter how much paid time off (PTO) she’s granted each year; she burns through it by the 3rd quarter of the year and then has no cushion left for unplanned absences (which she ends up taking without pay). We’ve had several talks with ...
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Paying Employees for Unexpected Office Closures

QUESTION:  I had to shut down my company for a total of five (5) days due to extreme weather. No one came into work during that time. Since I was unable to generate any revenue during those days, I did not pay anyone for the time I closed. I have had a lot of complaints about not paying them; telling ...
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One Snarky Comment Too Many

QUESTION:  I messed up.  Last month in a moment of anger, I fired an assistant. She had been getting on my nerves. She had a snarky attitude and had made one sarcastic comment too many. I have had several discussions with her about the comments that I felt undermined me, but she did not change her ways.  During a morning ...
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