Retail Price: $24.95 LS Price: $16.95 You Save: $8.00 (32%) Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours. Format: Hardcover, 272pp. ISBN: 9780814417171 Publisher: AMACOM Pub. Date: Second Edition June 30, 2011 Average Customer Review:

Order This Book!   Secure Order Guarantee Item No: 9780814417171

From recruiting strategies to payroll, retention to benefits administration, the job market to the very culture of business, workplaces continue to change at an unprecedented rate. And so do the laws and best practices that govern sound and effective human resources policies.

Featuring a powerful combination of proven strategies and breaking, must-know information, The HR Answer Book is an invaluable and practical reference for both human resources practitioners and any professionals involved in hiring and managing staff.

Organized by topic in an accessible question-and-answer format, the book has been fully updated to reflect changes to every facet of human resources and employee relations. Veteran employment attorney Smith and HR consultant Mazin offer clear, powerful, plain-English responses to all your most pressing questions on more than 200 targeted topics, including:

Compensation and Benefits. How can we make our benefits package attractive and cost-effective at the same time?

Employment Law. What are the recent changes—including wage and hour classifications—and how do they affect the company, and our employees?

Workplace Issues. How do I handle sensitive, difficult, or even dangerous situations in the workplace?

Terminations and Layoffs. Whether it’s for performance problems or economic realities, how do I make sure we do it legally, fairly, and as humanely as possible?

Restructuring. How do we minimize business disruptions even in the midst of substantial downsizing and reorganization?

New Technologies. How can I leverage the opportunities and meet the challenges of Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and other new realities of business culture?

Every chapter offers instructive (and often amusing) examples, including real-world instances dubbed either “Worth Repeating” or “Better Forgotten.” And the expanded Tools and Templates section offers an array of forms, checklists, and other ready-to-use documents such as:

• Questions to ask before scheduling an interview
• Job-applicant flow log
• Performance goals form
• Discipline, warning, and termination documents
• Exit interview questionnaire

. . . and many more that will help you establish, revise, and maintain workable and thorough policies that help create a positive work environment and bring out the best in your employees.

Your field, your job, and your company are constantly evolving. Make sure you keep pace. It’s easy with The HR Answer Book!

“The HR Answer Book provides practical advice to executives and business owners for creating a positive work environment and managing the complex employee issues that routinely arise.”

—Zachary T. Julius, Chief Executive Officer, Professional Disposables International, Inc.

“The HR Answer Book provides a comprehensive set of resources; easily understood legal advice; and the practical, down-to-earth guidance of a seasoned HR professional in one package. Whether it’s dealing with a day-to-day employment issue or navigating a significant change in policy, The HR Answer Book will answer the basic questions while providing guidance on how to evaluate and resolve the bigger HR issues every manager faces at some point in his or her career.”

—Vickie Littler, Associate Vice President Human Resources, ARAMARK

“The HR Answer Book . . . should be front and center on the desks of prudent mana­gers and human resources professionals looking to prevent HR issues from becom­ing costly problems.”

—David W. Garland, Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

“This comprehensive guide is a must-have for human resources professionals and all who work in a managerial capacity.”

—Lisa J. Stamatelos, SPHR—Director of Human Resources, KVL Audio Visual Services

Shawn Smith is an attorney, corporate executive, and frequent speaker on management issues. Her articles have appeared in numerous legal and business publications. Rebecca Mazin is cofounder of Recruit Right, an HR consulting firm; has held key positions at organizations including Hyatt Hotels, Owens Corning, and the National Labor Relations Board; and is the author of The Employee Benefits Answer Book.

	Preface	ix
1	Employee Selection: How Do I Find, Attract, and Select the Best?	1
2	HR Policies: Why Do We Need Them and What Should They Look Like?	35
3	Performance Management: How Do I Evaluate Performance and Conduct Meaningful Performance Reviews?	49
4	Employee Relations and Retention: How Do I Keep Good Employees and Maintain Working Relationships at All Levels?	71
5	Compensation: How Should Employees Be Paid?	97
6	Benefits: What Makes a Benefits Package Competitive?	121
7	Regulatory Issues: What Are the Major Employment Laws and How Do I Comply with Them?	153
8	When Bad Things Happen to Good Employers: How Do I Handle Volatile Workplace Issues?	185
9	Termination and Discharge: How Do I Fire an Employee Legally and Humanely?	213
10	Workforce Reorganizations: How Do I Manage Workforce Size in a Changing Business Climate?	231
	Tools and Templates	249
	Index	269

Book on Leadership