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VENDOR MANAGEMENT

Develop the 3 business skills that CEOs want most

12/24/2008
 

More than ever, top execs are seeking HR professionals with business skills to help shape organizational strategy. Here are the top business skills that experts and surveys say executives want in HR professionals ...

HR technology: Shortcuts to find the best vendors, products

12/02/2008
 

Say your CEO tasks you with cutting HR department costs. You know technology can help slay that cost dragon, but you have no idea where to start. Instead of combing through hundreds of vendor web sites, use these nonbiased resources to search for the right HR tech products.

New law: Employers must review outside investigators' work

10/10/2008
 

In May 2008, Michigan enacted the Professional Investigator Licensure Act. The act has a significant impact on how employers can conduct background checks and investigations. A violation of the act is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than four years or a fine of not more than $5,000, or both ...

New law brings oversight to outsourced HR

10/07/2008
 

Gov. Bill Ritter recently signed into law the 2008 Professional Employer Organizations Modernization Act, which promises greater security for small businesses that rely on PEOs to provide outsourced HR management, employee benefits, payroll and workers’ compensation services ...

Severance: Say goodbye on good terms when forced to downsize

10/03/2008
 

If you’re contemplating a layoff, you’ve no doubt given some thought to which employees you want to let go—and which ones you absolutely must retain. But know this: Every time an organization lays off even a few employees, voluntary turnover jumps in response ...

Don't forget service when choosing workers' comp carrier

10/03/2008
 

HR pros should look at more than price when they’re shopping for a workers’ compensation insurance carrier. Here's a checklist to cover with your insurance broker before selecting a carrier ...

Help working parents—and their kids—with a homework hotline

08/01/2008
 

When their kids head back to school this month, parents who work for California-based SanDisk won’t have to spend much time figuring out middle-school math problems. The digital storage manufacturer offers its working parents access to a homework hotline run by WorkLife Innovations ...

HEART Act Adds Retirement, Pay Benefits for Reservist Employees

07/22/2008
 
The HEART Act is a new federal law that expands the retirement and pay benefits to which employees called to active military service are entitled. If you administer your organization's retirement plan or work with payroll, you need to know about the law's provisions. Our primer will get you started.

Shopping for Employment Practices Liability Insurance: 6 Questions to Ask

07/01/2008
  
The risk is real: Even if you draft airtight employment policies, an employee could sue you tomorrow ... and a jury may believe his story. That's why more companies are adding employment practices liability insurance (EPLI). Here's our primer on EPLI, including a list of questions the most important questions to ask when shopping for coverage.

10 tips to ease the pain when tightening the benefits belt

05/02/2008
 
A slowing economy and tight cash flow might make it tempting to trim benefits and bonuses. But drastic cuts could be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Here are 10 ways you can help soften the blow of reduced benefits and incentives ...

Lower health care costs with strategy to change behavior

05/02/2008
 
Colleges and universities with the lowest health care costs also have the most productive employees, says a new survey by HR consulting firm Sibson. Here are five lessons all businesses can learn from healthy campuses ...

Is your PEO ripping you off? A primer on the fine print

04/24/2008
 
Say you’ve decided to hire a professional employer organization (PEO) to handle some of your HR services—or you’re considering new PEO vendors to replace your current one. You have a choice of more than 700 PEOs to choose from. Prices and services offered by PEOs vary so much it's hard to spot the best deal ...

Background-Checking firms: How to Sort out the Best from the Rest

04/07/2008
 
Nearly 1,000 vendors are in the screening industry now, making it difficult to sort out the top tier from the fly-by-night firms. Good news: Starting this month, you’ll have a new yardstick on which to gauge their quality ...

9 questions to ask before you buy any HR software

04/01/2008
 
A simple Google search for “HR software” will return a mind-numbing half million results. Some systems live up to the hype, and some don’t. To select the right vendor and software for your organization, arm yourself with these nine questions to narrow your search ...

Alternative staffing models may save on employment costs

03/18/2008
 
During these difficult economic times, small and midsized businesses are looking for ways to reduce their employment costs—while maintaining employee benefits and gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Many employers are looking at alternative staffing models to meet those objectives ...