| Employment & Labor Law |
| Discrimination |
| Rights: Americans Disabilities Act |
| Employment Contracts |
| Family & Medical Leave |
| Human Resources |
| OSHA |
| Sexual Harassment |
| Wage and Hour Law |
| Wrongful Termination |
Human Resources
The human resources (HR) function combines traditional personnel tasks with performance management, employee relations and resource planning. The human resources department forms a substantial and critical part of an organization. Major human resources functions include staffing and placement, salary administration, employee benefits administration, employee relations, and training and development. It is a complex function and often requires the advice and counsel of a lawyer.
Staffing and Placement
Since it is common among organizations that employees retire, transfer to another department, get promoted, or resign, they have to bring new employees to replace vacancies. And it is the HR department which is tasked to help hire new employees into a company. Although most of the ultimate hiring decision lies with the departments needing a staff, HR serves as a gateway to the respective departments.
Salary Administration
HR department is also tasked to administer employees' pay. Basic salaries, opportunities for wage increases, and deductions for different employee benefits are all handled by the HR department. If you have any complaint or you do not understand anything about your pay, you must ask your HR department to explain it to you.
Employee Benefits Administration
The HR department is charged with administering and monitoring various aspects of employee benefits programs. Group health insurance plans, vacation leaves, retirement programs, service awards and all other benefit features of the company are within the scope of HR functions.
Part of the employee benefits administration task is to ensure that employee retirement programs are responsive to employee needs and fit with the company’s overall philosophies and strategies, and to disseminate all information to participating employees.
Employee Relations
Employee relations issues are always cropping up in the sensitive environments of modern business. It is the responsibility of HR department to provide guidance and counsel to workers on discrimination matters and all other human relations challenges or opportunities.
Training and Development
The training and development task in human resources provides whatever training and orientation the new employees might need and the continuing education opportunities for employees. The training may be developed and delivered in-house by staff trainers, or it can be conducted by trainers outside the company.