Preface

SINCE THE PUBLICATION of the first edition of The HR Answer Book in 2004, it has been most gratifying for us to see the book on so many office and library bookshelves. It has been even more satisfying to meet and hear from our readers, telling us how the book made their lives as HR professionals and managers easier, or how they read our examples of HR practices that are “worth repeating” or “better forgotten” and smiled (or winced!) in recognition. We know from both firsthand experience and the feedback we receive that the combined voices of an attorney and human resources professional provide a unique and helpful perspective.

Because the fields of human resources and employment law are constantly changing, we knew even as the first edition of The HR Answer Book went to press that a second edition would be inevitable. It has been only seven years, but times have changed, and this new edition keeps you abreast of the latest changes in workforce laws and best practices. We tell you about the new laws and regulations that affect the employment environment, and we give you practical advice to minimize your legal liability. We bring you up to date on the changes in health care legislation. We have added or enhanced hot topics such as Web-based recruiting, wage and hour classifications, and the challenges that arise from the emergence of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. And because many companies have had the unfortunate need to downsize over the past several years—either due to the challenging economic climate or to redundancies created by mergers and acquisitions—we have included a new chapter on effective reductions in force that will guide you through the process. This new edition reflects the realities of the ever-evolving workplace while retaining the timeless, commonsense advice on sound management and communications practices that made the first edition so successful.

New readers will appreciate the organization by topical area in an easy-to-use question and answer format that allows you to quickly zero in on the subject of interest. From reference checks to severance packages to discussions of complex legal issues, you will find clear explanations in plain language that you don’t need to be a lawyer or a human resources expert to understand. Checklists, charts, and specific illustrations clarify the contents of each chapter, and our “worth repeating” and “better forgotten” sections provide real-life examples of the best and worst practices in human resources management. You will also find helpful sample forms and other documents in our Tools and Templates section, ready to be adapted for use by your organization.

This edition of The HR Answer Book has been written and revised to:

• Help business owners and executives interpret and understand ever-increasing amounts of information to make better-informed decisions and enable more effective business administration

• Be used as a timely, relevant guide for managers about everyday workplace issues

• Continue to be a trusted resource for human resources professionals, managers, and business owners in establishing, revising, and maintaining employee policies and procedures

• Provide a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of the human resources field, suitable for the growing number of management instructors who choose this volume as their course textbook

We are confident that this book will be a valuable tool to help you to solve problems, set direction, maintain legal compliance, and enable your organization to focus its energy on reaching business goals.

Shawn Smith

Rebecca Mazin