The proposed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) was a major concern for employers with workforces that were considering or might consider unionizing because it could bring in a so-called card-check system. EFCA failed to become law, but a recent decision by a regulatory agency could still lead to card check.

Some bosses really are jerks. But if you think that your boss is a jerk, the first question you should ask yourself is this: Is it really the boss or is it you? Have you been allowing yourself to be under-managed by this boss? Or have you been engaging in a regular one-on-one dialogue about your work?

Companies that allow managers to rush through the evaluation process or fail to follow proper protocol expose themselves to legal problems. They also miss the opportunity to offer feedback and help workers set goals, identify areas that need improvement, and determine whether employees deserve raises or promotions.

In organizations across all industries, there is a shocking epidemic of “undermanagement” - the opposite of micromanagement. The vast majority of supervisory relationships between employees and their bosses lack the day-to-day engagement necessary to consistently maintain the very basics of management.

Former employees occasionally seek unemployment benefits they don’t deserve, either because they are desperate, confused, or trying to cheat the system. Employers, ultimately bearing the cost of unemployment payments, must evaluate whether to challenge those unemployment claims. That question has recently become more difficult.

Thousands of commercial and industrial buildings each year are damaged by unforeseen disaster. When damage occurs, it is essential to take immediate action to stabilize the loss and mitigate damage. Doing so will maximize recovery of all contents, minimize replacement costs, preserve good IAQ, and control mold risks.

It’s the bane of many managers’ jobs - the preventable accident. In order to instill a sense of responsibility in employees, employers may consider charging workers a deductible after they have had a preventable accident. However, before instituting a policy about charging deductibles, there are many things to consider.

What do Lehman Brothers, AIG, Merrill Lynch, Washington Mutual Savings, Arthur Andersen, Starbucks, and Toyota all have in common? All went gunning for business growth but instead ended up with self-inflicted wounds. Each of these companies pursued the wrong kind of growth for the wrong reasons.

For employers with operations in the 14 states that have legalized marijuana for medical purposes, it is a difficult task to juggle the need for a drug-free workplace environment and the rights of employees who have prescriptions to legally use marijuana. How does legalized use of marijuana impact drug testing policies?

You can help your employees improve, even on the most intangible performance issues, if you start focusing intensely in your regular management conversations on spelling out concrete solutions. For example, if an employee is failing to meet quality standards, give her a checklist of what she needs to get right.