03-10-2016 - Managing Human Resources - Shelton, CT

The Purpose and Importance of Human Resources

• Why HR is vital to every person in the organization
• Understanding and aligning HR with the organization’s essential goals
• HR Analytics: a critical thinking framework
• Values and ethics in HR
• HR’s role in making the company a great place to work

Recruiting, Interviewing, and Hiring

• Fair, legal hiring practices and the importance of strategic staffing
• Creating and administering job applications — both hard-copy and online
• What you need to know about preemployment testing
• Using social media for employee recruiting
• Types of employment interviews
• Interview questions that can NEVER be asked
• Best-practice recruiting tactics
• The pros and cons of noncompete agreements
• Don’t get hit with a big fat lawsuit! Know the rules of using contract labor
• The dos and don’ts of reference checking

Employee Benefits Administration & Communication

• Strategic benefits administration — you must have a plan!
• Your new health insurance obligations under the law
• What benefits do other organizations offer? A comparison of what’s out there
• A strategic approach to compensation management
• Managing incentive plans the fair and legal way
• Communicating your organization’s benefits and clarifying who is responsible for what to staff
• The IRS and cafeteria benefit plans — what’s changed
• Administering COBRA — what are the rules and what happens when a former employee breaks them?
• Top policies and procedures that you must have in place
• The Employee Handbook Audit Checklist

Federal Laws, Discrimination, and Compliance

• Know the laws and what they cover: FMLA, HIPAA, ADA, ADEA, COBRA, EPA, ERISA, FLSA, PDA, Title VII, and more!
• Super-hot FLSA issues for employees who use technology to work off-site
• Don’t blunder here! Understand medical certification and the FMLA
• What constitutes age discrimination, and could your company’s managers be crossing the line?
• How does the ADA define reasonable accommodation?
• Top mistakes made in areas such as discrimination, wrongful termination, reverse discrimination, exempt vs. nonexempt classification, workplace bullying, domestic partner qualification, and more
• Legal land mines in OSHA and workplace safety — know your rights and obligations
• Mental illness and the ADA — what you MUST know!
• Would your employees have a case for a hostile work environment claim?
• How to investigate and handle sexual harassment claims, employee discrimination claims, and other employee-sensitive complaints
• What you need to know about the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act

Employee Performance Management

• Creating a legal and effective employee appraisal process
• Termination 101 — keep it legal, keep it safe
• The unbreakable rules of criticism and discipline
• Discipline and termination documentation: your best defense in court is thorough documentation

Handling Special Issues and Situations

• What you need to do when employees are called to military service and active duty
• The ins and outs of handling garnishments
• Why and how to conduct effective diversity training for every employee
• Keys to avoiding costly mistakes when handling employee accidents and injuries on the job
• Protecting your organization from retaliation lawsuits
• Social media use policies — what you can and can’t do
• Can you replace an older worker with a younger one? What you need to know
• What’s legal when it comes to drug, alcohol, and genetic testing?
• Workplace violence: keep your employees safe and protect your company from liability
• The role of HR in times of change and turbulence
• Contingency planning for emergencies

Working With Your Organization’s Managers and Staff

• HR’s role in supporting organizational managers and supervisors
• Educating your organization’s leaders on expectations regarding:
  • Proper recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and other staffing procedures
  • Writing and maintaining current, precise job descriptions
  • Employee discipline and termination
  • Maintaining a discrimination-free and harassment-free work environment
  • Onboarding new hires
  • Performance appraisals
  • Employee training
  • Employee dress codes
  • And more!
• Understanding the high cost of turnover and how to work with managers to minimize it
• Do you really need to have an employee handbook? Yes, and we’ll explain why!

Records Retention, Management, and Destruction

• What records do you need to keep and for how long?
• Managing electronic documents and paper records
• Records management tips that’ll make your life easier
• What’s the safe way to retain records that need to be kept?
• Creating a document destruction process

Managing Vendors and Suppliers

• What should you outsource?
• How to make vendors your strategic partners
• Getting the best prices and best terms
• Secrets of negotiating win-win deals
• Holding vendors responsible for their commitments ... and what to do when they’re letting you down
• How to protect your organization from suppliers who harass employees

Career Management: HR and the C-Suite

• Proving HR’s contribution to the bottom line
• Positioning yourself as a key member of the top management team
• Important HR metrics that tell the tale of how good you really are
• Prepping yourself for your career climb
• Where do you go from here? Career growth strategies for HR pros