HIM Chapter 14

Sexual harassment

Refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature made in return for job benefits, promotions, or continued employment.

Performance problems

Relate directly to and impact the employee's ability to carry out critical job duties and meet required job standards. Example: employee that submits reports that are inaccurate or incomplete or shows repeated discourtesy to customers.

Conduct problems

Relate to employee's ability to comply with organizational rules governing employee behavior. Examples include repeated tardiness, insubordination, theft of property, or drinking on the job.

Hostile work environment

Unwelcome sexual conduct must be sufficiently pervasive or severe enough to alter the terms or conditions of employment. Examples include; sharing sexually explicit photos, making sex-related or gender-demeaning jokes, or repeatedly requesting dates from a person who clearly is not interested.

Compensation

Wages, salaries, incentives, and supplemental benefits provided to staff.

Orientation

A program designed to help acclimate new employees to an organization and allow for a productive beginning on the job.

Position summary

Identifies the job's purpose, describes how it contributes to accomplishing the overall objectives of the organization, and distinguishes the job from others in the organization.

Incentives

Additional compensation an employee receives beyond the base salary or wage. Incentives often take the form of commissions, bonuses, or stock options.

Telework

Any arrangement in which an employee regularly performs officially assigned duties at home or other work sites geographically convenient to the residence of the employee.

Reasonable accommodation

Any change in the work environment or in the manner in which things are customarily done that enables a qualified person with a disability to have equal employment opportunities.

Serious health condition

Any injury, illness, impairment, or physical or mental condition requiring either inpatient care at a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a health care provider.

Workplace barrier

Any workplace obstacle, whether physical or procedural, tha prevents an employee from performing the duties of the job, whether those duties are considered essential or marginal.

Grievance

Complaint regarding the policies and procedures of an organization or a protest of treatment perceived to be unjust by an employee.

Diversity

Differences between and among people in a defined setting, including; race, gender, ethnic or cultural background, age, sexual orientation, religion, and physical or mental capability.

Full-time employee

Employees are generally classified as full-time if they work 30 hours per week of more.

Nonexempt employee

Employees who are paid wages, and are not salaried, and do not exercise discretion in performing their work; are not responsible for managing a business, department, or other employees; and do not possess the authority to hire and fire other employees

At-will employment

Employment arrangement that allows the employer to terminate the employee at any time and allows the employee to leave the employer at any time.

Telecenters

Facilities rented or leased by the employer that provide business-like settings that may include workstations, docking stations, conference rooms, and other amenities that enable employees to perform work away from the primary workplace.

Performance evaluation

Formal opportunity to review and evaluate an employee on a periodic basis.

Nonessential job functions

Functions and duties that are desirable but not required for a particular job.

Essential job functions

Functions and duties that are required for a particular job; the core functions and duties of the job. Often listed in order of importance.

Team

Group of people working together in a coordinated effort.

Employee

Individual hired by another, such as a business firm, to work for wages or a salary.

Independent contractor

Individual who agrees to perform certain work according to her own means, manner, and methods of performance. Business or organization's amount of control is limited.

Substantially equal

Laws that protect employees and are applied to jobs that are peformed under similar working conditions and require equal skill, effort, and responsibility [(3) laws Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Sex discrimination, unequal pay for equal work, wage inequities between genders].

Living wage laws

Laws that require employers to pay employees more than the federal minimum wage

Qualifications

Necessary skills, education, experience, and licensure required for the position. Many job descriptions describe the level of authority delegated to the position, the working relationships that are considered key to carrying out the functions described for the position and the job setting.

Statutory employee

One who is designated by specific laws as subject to the tax withholding requirements imposed upon employers but who might not otherwise be considered an employee (delivery drivers, insurance agents, and traveling salespeople selling business-to-business).

Employers

Persons, businesses, or organizations that provide the work, engage the services or labor, and pay for the work performed.

Disability

Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an employee; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment.

Functional limitation

Physical or mental limitation of a major life activity caused by a disability

Career development

Planned efforts and activities employed to align an individual's career needs with an organization's workforce requirements. In other words, it refers to creating opportunities for staff to advance and develop professionally within the organization.

Selection

Process an organization engages in to choose who it will employ. May involve all or some of the following components: reference check, personal interview, background check, and selection test. Also, during this process employers are required to verify the identity and employment authorization.

Team building

Process by which a selected group of people is organized and developed so that each team member's actions work interdependently toward a common objective.

Supervision

Process by which an individual directs others to perform work on time with available resources (money, materials, and manpower) and in a manner that meets or exceeds performance standards.

Staffing

Process of assigning workers to all positions in an organization. Including recruiting, selecting, training, orienting, and compensating members of an organization's workforce.

Coaching

Process of equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to develop themselves and become more effective. Focuses on learning process, assisting the employee with developing the knowledge and skills needed to perform the functions assigned to current position.

Recruitment

Process of finding employees for an organization

Employment

Process of providing work, engaging services or labor, and paying for the work performed.

Unemployment insurance

Program designed to provide regular income to those who have lost their jobs. Funding comes from employers who pay a tax to both state and federal entities who jointly run the program.

Workers' compensation

Program designed to replace income and provide medical expenses to employees who are injured, become ill, or die as a result of their jobs. Funding is financed by employer contributions.

Recognition programs

Provide formal acknowledgment and approval of an employee's efforts and accomplishments.

Reward programs

Provide formal compensation ($$) in return for an employee's service or merit

Leased employees

Referred to as temporary employees, are employed by a service firm and are assigned to work at a business or an organizaton. Receive paychecks and benefits from the service firm.

Salary

Refers to a rate of pay given on a weekly, monthly, or yearly schedule and is the basis used for white-collar workers. Salaried employees are paid the same amount each pay period regardless of the difference in working hours from week to week.

Wages

Refers to an hourly rate of pay and is the basis used for many blue-collar workers. Wage earning employees ordinarily are paid only for the hours they actually work or for the quantity of work produced.

Retention

Refers to the ability of an organization to retain employees.

Mentoring

Refers to the act of advising another through an established formal relationship. The person who is considered the advisor in the relationship is called the mentor.

Training

Refers to those experiences designed to further the learning of behaviors that contribute to the organization's goals.

Supplemental benefits

Services and programs offered to employees beyond the base salary or wage. Includes legally required benefits, such as social security and workers' compensation payments, and optional benefits, such as pensions and health insurance.

Quid pro quo

Sexual harassment is considered quid pro quo, or "this for that"

Exempt employee

Some employees are considered exempt from the minimum wage/maximum hour provisions of the FLSA. Includes positions such as; executive, administrative, or professional are considered exempt.

Regular employee

Sometimes referred to as a common law employee, is one who has a continuing relationship with the employer.

Undue hardship

Specific accommodation that creates significant difficulty or expense for the employer.

Human resource management

Strategic use of human beings within an organization to enhance an organization's efficiency and effectiveness. Activities cover a broad range, from ensuring effective recruitment and retention, to engaging in corrective/disciplinary action, employee's separation, and promoting employees.

Separation

The process of ending employment.

Part-time employee

Work less than 30 hours per week and are paid on an hourly basis

Job description

Written statement summarizing what an employee does, how it is done, and why it is done. It identifies the activities, skills, and performance requirements for a position.