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Marathon HR News

Stay up-to-date on the latest Marathon HR news and developments via our newsletter and press releases. For details on the successful partnerships we build with clients, please read our case studies and testimonials.

Reasonable Accommodation—Maintain A Paper Trail, and Don’t Assume Anything

By Safety
One of the most complex issues for employers is the definition of reasonable accommodation. Per the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, reasonable accommodation is “any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that allows an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job functions, or enjoy equal access to benefits available to other individuals in the workplace.” Evaluating disabled job candidates equitably is difficult enough,…
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Make Technology Work for You

By HR
In our last article, we offered strategies for managing personal technology use at work. Employee use (or abuse) of technology in the workplace, while detrimental, is not the only concern for business leaders. Firms must also help workers better manage their time using technology for valid business purposes, both inside and outside the office. Here’s a bit more practical advice. Help Workers Help Themselves: Many office workers report that the volume of business email and…
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Why Don’t We Labor on Labor Day?

By HR
Our news usually deals with business topics, but today, we thought it would be interesting to look at the history and origination of our beloved "end of summer" holiday: Labor Day. This day might better be called "Workers' Day," because that is who it celebrates—the American worker and the trade and labor groups that support them. Encouraged by the labor movement, Labor Day's first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed in 1885 and 1886,…
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Family Leave Rules Are a Potential Landmine for Employers

By Benefits, Legal
Even with record numbers of employers winning Family Medical Leave Act lawsuits, family-leave related issues remain complex and treacherous for most firms to navigate. The fact that Georgia has no state equivalent of the federal FMLA, and that firms of fewer than 50 are not subject to its requirements, doesn’t make compliance any easier. From pregnancies to off-the-job injuries, situations that temporarily remove a worker from his place of employment must be treated with care.…
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The Trend Toward Workplace “Body Art” − What You Can Do

By HR, Legal, Recruiting
With Millennial workers (and many workers from other eras) increasingly adopting non-traditional body art (officially called body modifications), business owners are grappling with how to address this issue. Per a February 2016 Harris Poll, 47 percent of Millennials and 36 percent of Gen X respondents have at least one tattoo, and that percentage is only going to rise. Tattoos and piercings may be fine for businesses that want to be perceived as “edgy,” but what…
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Will a Higher Minimum Wage Result in Fewer Jobs—and Small Businesses?

By HR
Earlier this month, the governor of Missouri announced he was lowering the state’s minimum wage from $10 back to $7.70. The reason? He had heard from numerous small-business owners who said they couldn’t afford to pay the wage and stay in business. Although California and other states have committed to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour, small and midsized business (SMB) owners with limited resources appear to be struggling to meet higher wage requirements.…
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HR Professionals Who Step Over the Line: Are You Unwittingly “Practicing Law”?

By Legal
Marathon has always counseled its clients that the best way to handle legal issues relating to employment-related activities is to work with a labor attorney. When HR professionals make judgment calls about, or engage in activities relating to, the legal aspects of a personnel issue, they run the risk of taking inappropriate action that could potentially put themselves and their employers in jeopardy. Some of these activities can seem very rational. Consider, for example, the…
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Contractor or Employee? President Trump Reverses Guidance, but Employers Must Remain Vigilant

By Legal
In June of this year, President Trump withdrew two Department of Labor (DOL) “Guidance Letters,” one of which could potentially relax scrutiny as to whether a worker is an employee or a contractor. The guidance, issued during the Obama administration, took the general position that most workers are employees rather than independent contractors. Some national organizations hailed this move as “pro-employer,” but Marathon cautions its customers not to assume they can stop being cautious in…
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Can Meal Break Payments Cover Off-the-Clock Work?
The Supreme Court May Decide

By HR
Business owners face many situations where laws don’t appear crystal clear or do not cover particular circumstances. In these cases, lacking the advice of an attorney or HR specialist, they make judgment calls that may get them into trouble. That happened to a major corporation, whose personnel assumed paid meal breaks could offset unpaid pre-shift and post-shift work. Although their logic may have seemed reasonable, the approach was not covered by the Fair Labor Standards…
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As Drug Use Accelerates, Failed Drug Tests Hit 12-Year High

By Safety
Anyone who listens to or reads the news likely knows about the drug epidemic sweeping many states, including Georgia. In the workplace, prescription pain medication has been especially problematic. Close to 8 million pain medication prescriptions are issued in Georgia every year. Despite these events, many companies still do not drug test—or do not test effectively. Marathon believes that organizations simply cannot afford to underestimate the importance of drug testing, any longer. If you don’t…
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