Have you seen our latest list of Training and Development Courses being offered in August and September? We invite you to learn more about all of our Training Courses led by Director, Heather Trotta.

Click HERE to learn more and to view our August Calendar or contact Heather directly at: 203-322-0538 or Training@OperationsInc.com

A recent survey reports that employers remain positive in their hiring expectations for the remainder of 2011 despite ongoing concerns over threats to economic growth. Nearly half of employers (47 percent) plan to hire new employees from July through December, up from 41 percent in 2010. The top three functional areas for which businesses plan to hire first are those on the front lines with customers and those driving innovation. More specifically:

• Customer Service - 23 percent
• Information Technology - 21 percent
• Sales - 20 percent

Having already passed the state House of Representatives and the Senate, a bill mandating certain employers to provide paid sick leave to their workers was signed by Gov. Dannel Malloy on July 1, making Connecticut the first state in the country with such a law. The Senate on May 25 voted 18-17 in favor of the bill, followed by the House's approval with a 76-65 vote on June 4. The Act is set to take effect on January 1, 2012. The legislation requires businesses in the service industry with 50 or more employees to allow their workers to earn one hour of sick time for every 40 hours worked. Manufacturers and nonprofits are exempt from the legislation.

Because we want to best serve our readers, we feature a segment of our Newsletter where you can submit questions directly to our OperationsInc professionals. Do you have a question related to the management of the Human Resources function? Email it along to enewsletter@operationsinc.com. The best ones will make it into a future newsletter, along with the answer... and those that don't get published will still receive a response.

This week's question:
-Do workers have the right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing?

--- HR Manager, Public Services

Answer:
In the case of a union environment this would be defined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In a non-union situation rarely if ever would a company allow "representation" to be present in such a meeting. Seek out a professional's advice before saying yes or no as extenuating circumstances may come into play.

"Define your business goals clearly so that others can see them as you do."

- George Burns

Information provided in The OperationsInc Navigator is researched and reviewed by the HR experts at OperationsInc. The information in every issue of The OperationsInc Navigator is in part gathered via information available in the public domain, as well as in part the original, copyrighted work of OperationsInc and is protected under U.S. copyright laws. As such, you may not reprint or publish in any format any article or portion of article The OperationsInc Navigator without the express permission of OperationsInc.

OperationsInc provides the information in this e- newsletter for general guidance only. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional human resources, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation.

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