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There are any number of employment issues that can stir up trouble or bring a halt to your business, not just because employees may seek retribution but because of the many laws that protect them. The smart employer educates himself about potential employee problems and initiates actions to help prevent actions that could cause business disruptions. The articles below discuss several issues and provide tips on avoiding many problems.

While often overlooked, the human resource part of business recovery is a vital link between the employees that produce the recovery and the plan that guides it. (Item #1) If your company does not have a sexual harassment/discrimination policy, get one fast! (Item #2) Do you know the telltale signs of potential substance abuse problems? (Item #3)

Don't assume your boundary protection systems are keeping porn out of the office. (Item #4) How can employers become aware of what their employees are doing on company time and on the company dime? (Item #5) Maintaining accurate and appropriate documentation is critical in employee litigation cases. (Item #6)

As always, we look forward to hearing about your concerns with regards to business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like to see covered, please email me at [email protected]

Best Regards,

Bob Mellinger
President
Attainium Corp

Quote of the Week

"People are the key to the success of any business,
and the way you manage and communicate with your staff is of paramount importance."
- Anonymous -

Articles

1. Organizing Human Resource Issues for Business Continuity
Part of the dilemma in planning for business continuity is the myriad of human issues to be dealt with - the human resource policies and procedures that impact employees involved in the response to disaster.
http://www.drj.com/drworld/content/w3_021.htm

2. Steps Employers Can Take to Avoid Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
Currently at least 40% of all women report being sexually harassed at some point in their career, and men currently account for 11.6% of all sexual harassment cases filed with the EEOC. So, the chances of your company needing to respond to a sexual harassment concern is great.
http://www.employer-employee.com/sexhar1.htm

3. You're not the Employee I Hired: How to Handle the Substance-Abusing Employee
The authors take a look at the signs and symptoms of substance abuse at work and how an employer can proactively address the substance-abusing employee in his or her office.
http://www.vault.com/nr/newsmain.jsp?nr_page=3&ch_id=402&article_id=14524510&cat_id=2091

4. Porn Found On One in Four Corporate PCs
Think there aren't any pornographic images on your users' desktops or laptops? Think again. A new study shows that they're being downloaded and sent via e-mail through the office.
http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199100333&subSection=Desktop

5. How to catch employees stealing
It's no secret that employees routinely steal from their employers. Whether it's the office supplies taken home for the kids, the extra break while still on the clock, or stealing customer payments, they all constitute theft. Possibly even worse may be the instances of employee disloyalty, such as badmouthing the boss or encouraging good employees to leave the company.
http://www.wislawjournal.com/archive/2006/0712/coenen-071206.html

6. A Quick Guide for Employers on Employee Litigation
Successfully defending a lawsuit relies on knowing - and being able to demonstrate - what happened. Employee lawsuits can be brought years after the fact, when memories have faded. The author offers advice on how to defend yourself.
http://www.detroitchamber.com/detroiter/articles.asp?cid=7&detcid=609