3/01/2007

HR Problem Prevention Checklist

"Management concerned with employment law liability should be focused on prevention: preventing lawsuits, preventing employee morale problems, and preventing the day-to-day hassles personnel issues can create. The road to success in this area is not paved with good intentions, however. Employers must understand basic human resources principles to avoid the employment law pitfalls that await.

Ensure someone in the organization is familiar with human resources...
Communicate...
Implement legally sound employment documents...
Require employment candidates to pass a background check...
Provide discrimination, harassment, and retaliation prevention training to all employees...
Conduct a wage-hour audit...
Mmanage leave and accommodation issues...
Consider requiring employees to sign a mandatory arbitration agreement...
Ensure all employee benefit plans comply with ERISA...
Communicate. Yes, it bears repeating..."

Read more in this Shaw Valenza LLP article found via the Employment Law Information Network newsletter.