Hot Topics In HR

Paige

I'm getting ready to present to our officers at our annual corporate meetings. What, in your opinion, is the "hottest" HR issue we're dealing with today? The presentation is only going to be about 15 minutes.

Thanks

Lori B

I think litigation over misclassified ees (exempt vs. nonexempt) is the hot button today. It seems like employers are getting nailed with this more than discrimination or harassment claims now. The consequences are also far greater since it usually affects a class of people. These cases are getting a lot of press and ees are starting to question whether they, too, should be rec'g OT. Good luck.

Gillian

I agree with Lori that exempt/non-exempt classification misclassification is probably the top legal issue. For a non-legal topic, health care/premium increases is one which will continue to create all sorts of difficulties and has the potential to change how we deal with health care in the US. Depending on the audience and how they might perceive the topic, work/life stress and how to deal with it, is another.

Don D

The rapidly growing number of consultants and companies trying to convince companies to outsource everything or to buy into a multitude of costly HR related services and publication formats and seminars and thousand dollar 'how to' books. But, we've done this to ourselves through the creation of State Departments of Labor and liberal employee-friendly laws and regulations.

Paul in Cannon Beach

I just returned from a legal briefing. Here are a couple topics you could consider:

1) Workplace privacy - medical records and electronic privacy after 9/11 and the Patriot Act.
2) Downsizing - how to do it without destroying morale or sending ex-employees to the EEOC or their lawyers
3) Interaction between FMLA, ADA, WC
4) Neil Diamond - that was a pretty hot topic on the forum anyways.

Good luck!

Paul

Gillian

The laws and the agencies that enforce them exist because there needs to be a balance between the interests of business and the interests of society. If the laws didn't exist, and the agencies to enforce them, our kids would still be working in the mines at eleven years of age, or whatever todays equivalent would be.

Theresa Gegen TX

Retailation claim are very hot. More and more juries are finding "no" on discrimination, but "yes" on retaliation.

Don D

Is this a suggestion for a topic or a commentary on the wisdom of California's burdensome, anti-employer climate? x:-)

sonny

I vote for A)exempt/non exempt, because here, at least, people either don't get it, or chose not to get it
Neil Diamond (I liked Paul's answer)

Whatever

Have to go with medical costs. On our last contract, medical givebacks (higher deductibles etc.) exceeded any pay increase. I think it is only going to get worse.

valentine

I agree with medical costs. Our company just got hit with a whopping increase in the health rates. We may have to pass on a possible 20% increase to our employees after holding the line for the past 4 years. They're not going to be too happy. We're looking at alternatives like higher deductibles, etc. but they're still going to get a sizeable hit.

Crout

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 10-31-02 AT 11:34AM (CST)[/font][p]Hey, Don, watch what you say about California regulations! For myself, I LOVE California's regulatory environment because it sends manufacturing jobs back east. Getting back to the issue, discrimination in the workplace in regard to race and sex are STILL the number one and two charges (35.8% and 31.1% respectively) for the EEOC.

Gillian

Its a myth, just like the laid back Californians that are supposedly all over the place. I have not met one, but I keep looking because everyone thinks that they are here. When I find one, I will suggest that there is an employer in Pennsylvania (Crout) and one in Mississippi (Don) that would just love to hire him or her. I suppose that you will have indoor parking for the surfboard? I wish that I had the latest ranking that I read of the best and worst states in which to do business. We weren't even in the top ten worst, but somewhere in the middle.

Don D

Yes, I saw it....the scientific poll commissioned by one Grey Davis, Governor of California and sponsored by the national chamber of commerce with more affiliates in CA than any other state. Interesting poll.

Crout

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 10-31-02 AT 03:08PM (CST)[/font][p][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 10-31-02 AT 03:08 PM (CST)[/font]

Wait just a minute!!! I lived in southern California back in the 70's and ran into puhllllenty of laid back surfer dudes. It was hard not to trip over 'em. I don't think Philly would be their cup of tea. I'm also surprised that no one has mentioned violence in the workplace as a topic.

Don D

E V E R Y B O D Y in CA is laid back. They just define it differently. They check two things at the border. (1) plant inspection (2) laid back certification.

Gillian

I thought that it was my genes that will account for my long life. Now I know that it is because I am laid back and didn't even know it.

San Francisco

Interesting! I always thought we were high-stressed, got to be wherever we're going 5 minutes ago. And to get there, you must drive your own car. Californians loooooooove their cars, or more specially their SUVs. Why else would we fiercely defend our right to individually sit in our own car for up to 45 minutes in commute traffic to get through the tollgate to the Bay Bridge when we could breeze through in the commuter lane? And because we love our cars, we have to have a cell phone to connect with the outside world and not loose one precious minute that could be used to conduct business. Californians looooooove their cell phones.

We actually thought it was the Southerners who were laid back.

cebudragonlady

Hmmm...here I am near San Diego, and I do NOT drive a SUV ( can't afford it, the gas-guzzling thing ! )..neither do I have a cell phone...YET I am stuck in the same nightmarish traffic..must mean that I am not a "California native" !
And those INS checkpoints inland sure do back up traffic - no where near the border...

San Francisco

I don't have one either. It just seems like everyone else does when I'm traveling the highways and byways. I do have a cell phone for business reasons,but do not talk on it while driving, in stores or restraunts. But, again, when driving, every other driver does seem to be on their phone and it appears very hard for them to talk and drive.

Lucky you! San Diego is beautiful. It is actually one of my districts, but I haven't been there for awhile.

Gillian

That explains it! I moved here in the early 80's. They must have all left in the 70's.

Don D

Gillian: I know full well that you are a laid back dude with shades and a Hawaiin shirt. I also know you left the other 'G' out of your name just to throw us off. If you had included the other 'G', it would have announced you as laid back for sure.......Gilli(g)an.

Gillian

No, I'll stick with Gillian. See ya' later. I'm taking a day off tomorrow.

Don D

Hang ten, Dude. xB-)

Rockie

Well...Crout...that was the 70's. All these "dudes" pulled up and moved to Boulder, Colorado along with their 60's counterparts. They hang out in the downtown area (Pearl Street) where they actually blocked off a street and made it into a mall. Really unique area.

California is still pretty laid back compared to some of the other states I've visited. The people are interesting and there's always something on the cutting edge going on out there. Still don't like the massive bureaucracy they have created in employment law, but, hey, that's them.

South Carolina has some pretty weird characters floating around too. The good ole boy network is still alive and well here. Got a 100 year old senator that has to be propped up on either side by aides before he can make an appearance and he actually resides at Walter Reed Hospital. (Talk about your perks!).

Don D

If that's Strom Thurmond you're talking about, he must have more going for him than that! Doesn't he have a child about 9 or 10 years old?

Rockie

Oh, so you are familiar with Ole Strom! He had 4 "doorstep" children right after he married his second wife (40 years younger than him). He is also rumoured to have a couple of kids "on the side". If he has one that is 9 or 10 years old, that would make him able to father one at the age of 90, which was probably pretty doable for him.

ritaanz

Why not present "a day in the life of HR". Then all the topics would be covered and then some. What an eye opener for some! x:o