Pursuant to Executive Order 13496 and its implementing regulations, 29 C.F.R. Part 471, Federal contractors and subcontractors, beginning on June 21, 2010, must notify employees about their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRA is the primary law governing relations between unions and employers in the private sector, and guarantees the right [...]

Can employers fire workers who test positive for marijuana, even if those employees are using it with a doctor’s prescription? Bee Tree’s recent review of a client’s employee handbook was the catalyst for this month’s article on Medical Marijuana. With the passage of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act some employers are confused about what they should do [...]

This month’s issue of the Sting deals with the thorny topic of employee behavior and how to handle what I refer to as the 3 D’s – Documentation, Discipline and Discharge. Do we discipline? How much do we discipline and when do we discharge? Of course these questions only set off an entirely new list [...]

U.S. firms are embracing a new workforce of more than 1.4 million contingency workers. The reason is clear. They have released the never-ending administrative, functional and seasonal responsibilities in order to focus on the primary purpose of their business. Is your company ready to embrace the wonderful world of outsourcing? Does it need the competitive [...]

The good news is that organizations are just starting to hire again and are being more cautious about whom they will interview and what they will ask. My money has always been on behaviorally related questions and sticking to the job description for my “qualified occupational” questions but I do veer off consistently with some [...]

Bivouac Of The Dead By Theodore O’Hara The muffled drum’s sad roll has beat The soldier’s last tattoo; No more on Life’s parade shall meet That brave and fallen few. On fame’s eternal camping ground Their silent tents to spread, And glory guards, with solemn round The bivouac of the dead. Yon marble minstrel’s voiceless [...]

Exempt Audits – The DOL is in Your Neighborhood New stepped-up enforcement efforts are underway from the Department of Labor and prompt Bee Tree to devote the April issue of The Sting to Wage and Hour issues. According to a recent workplace litigation report, the 10 largest wage and hour settlements in 2009 totaled more [...]

FROM THE EDITOR …for all your HR needs! www.beetree.com HR news for you. March 2010 The health care overhaul that President Barack Obama signed into law will mean big changes for many small businesses. The health care reform package does not require employers to provide insurance coverage, but does penalize employers that don’t offer coverage; [...]

FROM THE EDITOR The February issue of the Sting would not be complete without mentioning Valentine’s Day and our need as HR professionals to ensure the best possible environments for our workers. To this end we have included articles that we believe will best position organizations to meet the needs of workers by showing them [...]

FROM THE EDITOR The January issue of The Sting is intended to prepare HR professionals for some of the recent changes in laws and regulations for 2010 by offering snippets of these revisions. Readers are also encouraged to review the many web-based, community campus, MI Bankers Assoc. or SHRM affiliate training programs that Bee Tree [...]