How to Compensate Employee Travel?

See another question from a reader with my response below. Do you agree? Disagree? Have a thought to add? Please respond in “comments.”

Question:
“We’re trying to formulate a policy to address…

Lazy Posting

I can’t write a real post today. Why? Because I found Not Always Right and I must sit here and read every single entry. It’s like some sort of strange compulsion.

One other interesting thing I found yesterday was this listing of HR bloggers and their start dates by Michael Fox over at Jottings of an Employer’s Lawyer.

And I just got an e-mail from Kris and the new HR Carnival is up!

Now I’ve given you lots of things to read.

Embarrassed To Be In HR

I got the following comment on my post on networking:

Stop naming it networking, call it nepotism. Hiring people based on who they know is unprofessional. I work in HR and someone’s recommendation means squat, I have enough of a brain to evaluate skills and not relationships. If you had to have life saving surgery would you pick the most qualified doctor or one that is funny at parties? Oh and the recruiter that says we remember names of people who turn down offers, why do you feel your time is more important than the candidates? typical HR workers that make me embarrassed to tell people my profession.

First of all, the usual use of the word “nepotism” is favoritism to family members. There are some who define it as favoritism to close friends, but a better word for what you are trying to describe is cronyism. It’s all about word choice and I’m not saying the anonymous commenter’s choice was technically incorrect, it was just not what I would have used.

I’m rather embarrassed that an HR person would presume to have more knowledge about the skills necessary to do the job then someone who actually does the job. Yes, yes, I can read a resume with the best of them. I can even ask interview questions. But, I would rather get an opinion from somebody who does the actual job.

Would I hire my brain surgeon based on his ability to tell jokes? No. But, if I needed brain surgery, I would start looking for one by asking for referrals for a neurologist from my current physician. Then I would ask the neurologist about neurosurgeons. Theoretically, all those years of medical school, residency and practice means they know a bit more about medicine then I do. Sure, I’d want to check the recommended person’s resume and ask questions like, “how many of these types of surgeries have you performed?” But, would a physician’s recommendation hold more weight than my hairdresser’s recommendation? Absolutely. Why wouldn’t I ask someone with knowledge and experience in the field before making my decision?

You know who else I would want to ask? The nurses that work in neurosurgery. They would know all the doctors, their success rates and their personalities. And in the case of brain surgery, I really would prefer a pompous jerk who knows how to fix my brain rather than a good joke teller. If I’m just basing my opinion on an interview, rather than someone who has worked with the surgeon before, I’m more likely to be swayed by the good conversationalist. And the reality is, conversation is nice, but what I need is a good surgeon.

I do agree that the recruiter who said they would hold it against someone who turned down a job offer is a jerk. If you are a good recruiter, you should be able to pull in quality candidates. Quality candidates frequently have other job offers because they are, you know, high quality. Just because this current position doesn’t meet their current needs/goals doesn’t mean they won’t need a job in the future.

This reminds me of a little story. Once upon a time, my beloved husband went on a job interview that was 7 hours away from our home. He drove and paid his own expenses on the promise that he would be reimbursed. He submitted his expenses and the head hunter sent a check. The company made him an offer. The offer was a rather lousy one and he, at this point, had 4 or 5 offers that were better. So he turned it down.

And they stopped payment on the check.

My husband, being nicer than me, said, “Just let it go. It’s only $300.” (Clearly this was back in the days of reasonable gas prices.) I said, “It’s $300 and dang it, I want the money.” So, he said I could call. Generally having spouses call is a big no-no by the way, but we didn’t have anything to lose. So I called and asked, innocently why they stopped payment on the check.

“Because he didn’t accept the job,” recruiter said.

“That wasn’t part of the deal. You were to reimburse him for expenses related to the interview.”

“But, he didn’t accept the job! We’ve never had anyone get an offer and not accept it before!” she said.

“I want to talk to your boss,” I said. Boss got on the phone.

“Do you even work?” he snarled, “or are you just a housewife with nothing better to do?”

So, now my blood is boiling, but I managed to reply, rather sweetly, if I do say so myself, “Your comment is insulting on many levels, but in fact, I do work. I’m in Human Resouces and I happen to know that paying travel expenses is part of the cost of recruiting.”

“But, we’ve never had anyone turn down an offer before!” he said.

“In that case,” I replied, “you must not be used to working with highly qualified candidates because people like that frequently have more than one offer.”

“You’ll have your check,” he said.

And we did. And he was an idiot. And he was in HR. But, fortunately, most of us are not like that. And most of us recognize networking for what it is–an invaluable tool.

Drug Screening

We pre-employment drug screen all applicants. Manager started someone, against my better judgment, before we got drug screen results. Of course, came back positive for Marijuana. Manager told applicant to stay home today, but this manager is in love with this applicant and wants to make exception to policy to keep them on board. Our policy says that the applicant can have other half of their specimen tested at their own expense and if it comes back negative we reimburse them and they can start working for us. Applicant says they don’t smoke, but their husband does and that is why she probably tested positive. Manager wants to allow her to continue working and test her again in 30 days with her continued employment contingent on the results of that test.

Let me start by saying that I have never taken an illegal drug in my past and I don’t view it very highly. I try not to judge folks, but my history does affect my judgment so I am seeking outside advice. Also, to me Marijuana, while pretty widely accepted, is still Illegal. My thoughts are to follow policy and terminate them immediately and be along our merry little way. However, what are the pluses and minuses of making the exception. Of course, our Regional Manager brings it to my attention that we have made this exception in the past, but it was before my time here. Another point I gave the manager was that this person, while they may not be smoking it themselves, is living with someone that does. If the cops break down the door and bust them, chances are they may both be going to jail and now we have a whole other situation. My gut says follow procedure and do not make exception and set a precedent.

I’m with you, 100%. You really have no way of knowing if the person is lying or not, but do you want to start down that road? The drug screen is what it is. She may well be telling the truth, but how can you really believe that? Sure, I wasn’t the one inhaling…

Now, I did watch a Mythbuster’s episode about poppy seeds and that was rather frightening. It made me believe that drug testing isn’t quite so straight forward as we’d like to think it is. (HR according to Mythbusters…hmmm.) But, the problem you run into is that if you make one exception, what’s going to be the rules around the exception policy? (Horrors–rules for exceptions? I’ve been in HR way too long.)

But, yes, rules for exceptions. Think about how the rule would have to be written to allow this: “If candidate says, ‘that test gave a false positive’ or ’someone put something in my drink’ or ‘it was just a poppyseed bagel’ then re-test in 30 days.” See, it sounds kind of silly.

Truth be told, I’m all in favor of meeting the needs of the individual–you want flex time, part time, telecommuting, I’m all there. You want to work with a positive drug screen? Hmmm, not so much.

The biggest problem in granting an exception is the appearance of favoritism, or discrimination. So, if this is a white woman who tested positive and you let her re-test in 30 days because the manager loves her, what happens if the next person to test positive is a so-so candidate that you made an offer to because you were desperate–and happens to be a black male? Oh joy. See you in court.

Now, as for drug testing in general–as I said, I watched Mythbusters and learned that a relatively small amount of poppy seeds can give you a false positive. Can walking through a smoky room where cigarettes aren’t the vice of choice lead to the same result? I don’t know. You might want to check with your vendor to ask what level of sensitivity you want to pick up. And make sure your vendor contacts the candidates for a list of the drugs they are taking legally. (Yes, I’ve had a candidate told he flunked the drug test only to find out that he was taking legally prescribed Ritalin. He’d tried to tell the vendor, they wouldn’t listen. So they just reported back to the company that he’d failed. HR had to call the vendor back, who then called the candidate’s physician and all was well–except he was unnecessarily embarrassed. I wasn’t in charge of the vendor contract, but if i had been, they would have been fired.)

But for now, I’d say, “I’m so sorry. Good luck with your job search.”

Vacation

I’m going on one. I am taking a vacation from the internet. So, I shall miss all of you.

I’ve sworn to my family that I won’t even check my e-mail. We’ll see if I last.

Outsourcing booming as the economy cools

As the island economy has begun to falter, outsourcing is one aspect of the business community that is gearing up for a boom.

Although outsourcing has been a trend among Hawaii’s businesses since pre 9/11, it’s beginning to pick up steam. As the challenges to making money mount in Hawaii’s current economy, a growing number of Hawaii companies and small businesses have decided to outsource human resource functions or any other service that is not core to their product delivery.

In today’s economy, the only people who will make money in the next four years are the business owners that know how to run their business efficiently and with growth in mind, said Milan Yeager, chief executive of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations. Read more
Courtesy:starbulletin.com

India’s Swelling Deficit Has Potential to Set Off Cascading Economic Troubles

India’s slowing economy is beginning to show another big crack: A growing government deficit that could hurt much-needed investment in India’s ramshackle infrastructure, boost inflation and undermine growth.

A hefty list of expenditures is at the root of India’s fiscal woes, especially a once-a-decade salary increase that Standard & Poor’s estimates could mean pay increases of as much as 40% for 2.9 million central government employees. Read more
Courtesy:online.wsj.com

With mixed feelings, Muslims warn state, union govt. of “India Shining” fate

In order to know what the common Muslim thinks of the current ruling dispensation in New Delhi and Patna, the United Progressive Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance governments respectively, TwoCircles.net talked to aam admi and tried to make the informal survey as much representative as possible.

I talked to some of the people who remain marginalized throughout their life, those who are poorest of the poor, and some who are part of the middle class, then a student, an unemployed youth and an educated Muslim woman.

First I found myself in a place called as Karbala Ilaqa near Dargah in the Sultan Ganj locality of Patna – the area which the officials of the state government usually avoid to visit. Read more
Courtesy:www.indianmuslims.info

Orange mayor to forgo salary

Facing criticism for appointing himself to a full-time job as Orange’s civilian fire director, Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr. said yesterday he will forgo the mayor’s part- time salary.

Hawkins, who took office July 1, said he would not accept the $25,000 a year salary he is entitled to as mayor. But Hawkins said he will take the $76,000 a year salary for the fire director’s position and the $3,700 he earns as the emer gency management coordinator. Read more
Courtesy:www.nj.com

Why your staff should walk to work

A healthy body means a healthy mind, right? New research shows that the exercise regime previously thought to be enough to maintain body weight and reasonable fitness is not even close to the real efforts involved. But fixing it isn’t difficult, with a little discipline.

All research has a couple of things that it has to be set against. In this case, the suggestion that previous research that half an hour’s exercise daily would result in sufficient activity to keep weight static and a reasonable level of fitness has now been brought into serious question by Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Centre at the University of Pittsburgh.

A study at the Centre tracked the exercise, diet and weight of almost 200 women who, at the start of the process, were clinically obese or overweight. The experiment took in a wide age-range, from 21 - 45, and lasted two years. Read more
Courtesy:chiefofficers.net