ARTICLES

Paid sick leave is a double-edged sword. Some employees consider it like vacation – extra paid days off. Paid days off are one of the most costly employee benefits offered by companies. The employee is paid but did not work. Therefore, no revenue...

Who is to blame when workers’ comp insurance premiums spiral out of control because of fraud? It’s a hotly contested issue. There are compelling arguments made by those who believe employees or claimants are solely responsible, while documented...

Smokers cost businesses significantly more than nonsmokers for healthcare and disabilities claims, according to the Action on Smoking and Health group in Washington, D.C. Smokers also have higher absenteeism and lower productivity – the average...

One area of business that the federal government has stayed out of is lunch and other breaks. Companies are left to make their own policies in this area – unless a state or municipal law applies. So it is critical that companies know the local laws...

If your company sends employees on extended assignments in other countries, there are several steps you can take to help improve the chances of success in a venture that can be extremely costly if it fails. Over the course of a typical three-year...

Many food producers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants seek out opportunities to donate excess or unsold food inventory to charity. If you could give inventory to charity and claim a deduction at fair market value, there would be a double...

The familiar banks of flickering fluorescent tubes lighting many warehouses and manufacturing plants will soon be switched off permanently. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 called for the gradual elimination of T-12 fluorescent bulbs and the ballast...

Do you ever feel like there must be a better way? That some of the things your company is doing are not as efficient as they could be? In today’s economy, when many companies are facing decreased demand for their products and services, it is...

A team is a group of people working together toward a common goal. The beauty of teams is that they can accomplish far more than the same number of people working independently. This is another way of saying that the whole is greater than the sum...

What should a manager do when two or more employees are squabbling with each other? Chronic conflict can hurt productivity, cause customers to leave and induce talented employees to look for a more agreeable place to work. But if managers jump in...

The old saying goes, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” But in the world of fraud, this may not be the case. In the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ 2010 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud & Abuse, 1,843 cases of...

How you grow your company can be as important as whether you grow your company. Business growth carries with it a certain amount of risk. To avoid potential pitfalls, consider the following tips for successful growth. 1. Find your key...