By Steve M. Cohen bio In the news recently was a discussion about a hospital that established a policy that it would not hire anyone who applied for a job whose Body Mass Index was greater than 30. While that sounds simple, it hides a whole range of issues. As most medical professionals know, a BMI score above 30 means you are considered obese. Although I'm all for … [Read more...] about Discrimination against the obese in the medical workplace
Termination
Terminating entry-level employees may cost you the most
By Steve M. Cohen bio I recently spoke with two different clients who were planning to terminate entry-level, relatively "inexpensive" people. I asked them what they meant, and each client indicated that the employee's annual salary was around $40,000. When I asked if they wanted my help structuring the exit of these two, they both considered that my services were … [Read more...] about Terminating entry-level employees may cost you the most
Think twice before going to court
By Steve M. Cohen bio One of the most difficult challenges I face can be helping office managers and owners resist an urge to "fight it out" in court. There are times when it is necessary to take legal action or aggressively defend action against your organization. But in most cases, it should be your last resort. First, going to court is a roll of the dice. You may feel … [Read more...] about Think twice before going to court
If you have to terminate, do it right
By Steve M. Cohen bio Terminating an employee is not easy, but with a few missteps or bad luck, it can become a disaster. Workplace disruptions, lawsuits, and even violence can be byproducts of poorly executed terminations. Most business owners and managers move to dismiss employees for good reason, but the process is so full of potential for bad results that it deserves … [Read more...] about If you have to terminate, do it right
Three layers of protection: a handbook, candid reviews, and progressive discipline
To avoid the risks of employment law claims, an office needs three layers of protection, advises employment law attorney Peter T. Mavrick of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. One is a handbook, one is a procedure for progressive discipline, and the third is candid reviews. With those three elements in place, the office is safe from just about any type of EEOC claims. Here’s what each … [Read more...] about Three layers of protection: a handbook, candid reviews, and progressive discipline
Maintaining an HPO: employees make the difference
By Steve M. Cohen bio Among the goals of any organization is to become an HPO — a high performance organization. That means you have created a lean, mean running machine that operates at top efficiency, and your employees are engaged. Some organizations don't believe this really applies to them. But look at it this way: Research by the Gallagher Organization has suggested … [Read more...] about Maintaining an HPO: employees make the difference
Avoid these 5 common but costly wage and hour violations
What is the most significant – and also uninsured – risk every employer lives with? Wage and hour litigation. That's the one employment law area that EPLI, employment practices liability insurance, will not cover, says attorney Joseph M. Sokolowski, who heads the wage and hour practice group of Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. Most EPLI policies specifically exclude … [Read more...] about Avoid these 5 common but costly wage and hour violations
Can you and should you use Facebook to screen job applicants?
"We don't think employers should be asking prospective employees to provide their Facebook passwords (for pre-hiring background checking) because we don't think it's the right thing to do." -- Facebook (statement on company's website) Facebook's statement has set off a firestorm of controversy and misinformation. The popular consensus seems to be that the employer's practice … [Read more...] about Can you and should you use Facebook to screen job applicants?
Avoid these 3 deadly employment law traps when hiring or firing
Three errors that cause wrongful terminations Though every employer knows - or should know - the rules for safe firing, mistakes still happen when it comes to showing an employee the door, says Peter Golden, a business and employment law attorney with The Golden Law Firm in Atlanta. In his own practice, he finds that in all types of businesses, manages most often fall down on … [Read more...] about Avoid these 3 deadly employment law traps when hiring or firing
Editor watches staggering changes in medical office management
By Susan Crawford Founding Editor Dear Readers: Medical Office Manager’s first issue came out in November 1987. And now after 26 years as your editor, I have retired. This is a good time to look at the issues and conundrums you as manager have faced during all that time and to congratulate you on a job well done. The changes have been staggering. You have kept up with them … [Read more...] about Editor watches staggering changes in medical office management