OSHA Reminds Texas Employers that Record High Temperatures Can Put Employees at Risk for Heat-Related Illnesses   Don't Let the Heat Beat Your Business As temperatures rise in the summer months, it's essential to keep employees whose roles ...

UPDATE: On May 18, 2016, the Department of Labor released its final rule on new overtime regulations, raising the salary threshold for exempt status to $47,476. Click here for more information.The Department of Labor is expected to publish final over...

What is an EEO-1 Report? An EEO-1 Report is a compliance survey mandated by federal regulations.  It is a representation of your employee population based on race/ethnicity, gender and job category.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)...

We all know how unforgiving the southern heat can sometimes be, but do we all know how to protect ourselves and employees?  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a warning on Friday to remind employers to protect their perso...

HR departments hold a vast amount of data ranging from home addresses, social security numbers and other personal information.  They are responsible for protecting this sensitive information that are transferred both internally and externally.Accordi...

We all know things happen. Maybe the kids are sick, you have a broken water pipe in your house, or the dog got out and is running wild through the neighborhood.  This always seem to happen five minutes before you have to leave for work.  Employee abs...

Employee morale plays a huge role in the overall success of a company and effects employees' tenure and company culture.  When employees are happy, they are more productive.  They want to do a good job which intern improves the company culture.  Ther...

As we enter the second month of the New Year, it’s the perfect time to focus on a healthy workforce. You don’t have to be in the C-suite to promote a culture of wellness at work. Anyone can implement these small, healthy changes and invite their coll...

Does your company have a blanket policy in place that prohibits employing any convicted felons?Does your company conduct pre-employment background checks that include a history of felony convictions?If you answered yes to either --- you could be putt...

Heard this morning on KTRH 740 AM radio:Making vacation plans for 2015 or are you planning on not take vacation time in 2015?42% of Americans didn’t take any vacation time last year, typical for any year. Skift, a travel intelligence site, asked 1500...

Although minimum wage in Texas has not changed since 2009 (it is $7.25, which is the Federal Minimum Wage or FMW), companies with operations in multiple states should carefully watch minimum wage developments in order to remain in compliance. Many st...

With lower oil prices comes layoffs, cutbacks and the ripple effects that hit the Houston area economy. Your management meetings are full of, “Should we adjust our targets, our budget, and our strategy?”Achilles Group builds close, engaged working re...

THE PROBLEM:  Employers commonly obtain consumer reports as part of a routine background check.  Plaintiff's attorneys have recently latched onto some lesser-known consumer report requirements within the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).  Possibly, c...

Yes! Several classes helped me become an HR professional (like Foundations of HR Development and Global Divisions in a Work Place).Just taking college classes taught me the value of time management, the importance of meeting deadlines, how to work in...

Yes -but only partially.Theory is learned in college where many of my management classes dealt with organizational behavior and laws.  Working, however, is where I get to put theory into practice which becomes experience.Each experience has allowed m...

Yes - but in a circuitous way.When a colleague asked me to write on this topic, I thought to myself, “Man that was a long time ago!"  I am so glad I do not have to wake up in a panic, stick my head in the shower and run to class every day!  Then I re...

I recently attended a webinar given by the Law Firm of Ogletree Deakins in regards to Ebola and what employers need to know. The presentation described how an employer's actions could have implications with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ...

Push Back.During an interview a few years ago, I benignly asked a candidate, “Have you ever had to push back against a difficult manager?”He responded,“Once my no-good boss yelled at me and got all up in my face. I’m a MAN and you don’t talk to me li...