Term
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Definition
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Term
| "Non-Traditional" versus "Traditional" Employee Benefits |
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Definition
| Traditional benefits include life, retirement, health, and disability benefits. Non-traditional benefits include various types of life management benefits such as EAPs, child and elder care counseling and referral, etc. (see life management benefits). According to the US Chamber of Commerce, health insurance is the most expensive single benefit cost, accounting for about 20% of total benefits, or about $2,666 per employee on average. (as per a 1999 study.) |
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Term
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Definition
| An appraisal process whereby an individual is rated on his or her performance by people who know something about the individual’s work. This can include direct reports, peers, managers, customers or clients; in fact, anybody who is credible to the individual and is familiar with his or her work can be included in the feedback process. The individual usually completes a self-assessment exercise on his or her performance, which is also used in the process. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employer-sponsored retirement plan that has become an expected benefit and is therefore important in attracting and retaining employees. A 401(k) plan allows employees to defer taxes as they save for retirement by placing before-tax dollars directly into an investment account. Employers also contribute to the plan tax-free, for instance by matching contributions. Some plans enable employees to direct their own investments. These plans can be expensive and complex to manage. It is common for companies to outsource all or part of their plan. |
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Term
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Definition
| A tax-advantaged retirement savings plan available for public education organizations, some non-profit employers (only Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) organizations), cooperative hospital service organizations, and self-employed ministers in the United States. It has tax treatment similar to a 401(k) plan, especially after the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001. Simply put, employee salary deferrals into a 403(b) plan are made before income tax is paid and allowed to grow tax-deferred until the money is taxed as income when withdrawn from the plan. Beginning in 2006, 403(b) and 401(k) plans may also include designated Roth contributions, i.e., after-tax contributions, which, if certain requirements are met, will allow tax-free withdrawals. Primarily, the designated Roth contributions have to be in the plan for at least five taxable years. |
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Term
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Definition
| A type of non-qualified tax advantaged deferred-compensation retirement plan that is available for governmental and certain non-governmental employers in the United States. The employer provides the plan and the employee defers compensation into it on a pre-tax basis. For the most part the plan operates similarly to a 401(k) or 403(b) plan most people are familiar with in the US. The key difference is unlike a 401(k) plan, there is no 10% penalty for withdrawal before the age of 59½ (although the withdrawal is subject to ordinary income taxation). Also 457 plans (both governmental and non governmental) can allow independent contractors to participate in the plan where 401(k) and 403(b) plans cannot. |
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Term
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Definition
| A contract clause that provides the grantor with the option of withdrawing from an investment prior to the completion of contractual obligations contract termination date. |
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Term
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Definition
| Aptitude or competence, the skill or proficiency needed to perform certain tasks. |
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Term
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Definition
| An assessment instrument used to measure an individual’s abilities, mental or physical skills level (i.e. problem solving, manual dexterity, etc.). |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to time lost when employees do not come to work as scheduled. |
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Term
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Definition
| A policy about attendance requirements, scheduled and unscheduled time off, and measures for dealing with workplace absenteeism. Repeated absenteeism can lead to termination. |
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Term
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Definition
| A rating method where the rater assigns a specific value on a fixed scale to the behavior or performance of an individual instead of assigning ratings based on comparisons between other individuals. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of perceiving issues and reaching conclusions through the use of symbols or generalizations rather than concrete factual information. |
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Term
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Definition
| An educator who is a faculty member at a college or university. Also referred to as Academician. |
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Term
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Definition
| The extent to which a contractor's or employer's facility is readily approachable and does not inhibit the mobility of individuals with disabilities, particularly such areas as the personnel office, worksite and public areas. |
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Term
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Definition
| Materials that are designed in alternate formats such as Braille, audiotape, oral presentation or electronically for individuals with visual impairments. |
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Term
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Definition
| An undesired event that results in physical harm to a person or damage to property. |
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Term
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Definition
| The responsibility placed on an individual or group for their own or others’ actions, conduct, performance, projects, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| The money an organization owes its vendors and suppliers. |
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Term
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Definition
| The money an organization’s customers owe to the organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| A process of external quality review and certification by a recognized body that evaluates individuals, colleges, universities and educational programs to assure they are performing the functions that they claim to be performing in a competent manner. |
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Term
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Definition
| When some employees are transferred to another employing entity whose employees are already represented by a union, the FLRA will often find that those employees have "accredit" to (i.e., become part of) the existing unit of the new employer, with the result that the transferred employees have a new exclusive representative along with a new employer. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of adapting to a new culture. |
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Term
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Definition
| A standardized testing instrument used to measure how much an individual has learned or what skills he or she has attained as a result of education, training or past experience. |
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Term
| Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) |
|
Definition
| A bloodborne pathogen transmitted through intimate contact. Caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which kills or damages cells of the body's immune system by progressively destroying the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may get life-threatening diseases called opportunistic infections, which are caused by microbes such as viruses or bacteria that usually do not make healthy people sick. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of acquiring control of another corporation by purchase or stock exchange. |
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Term
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Definition
| A learner-driven, continuous learning process where learning revolves around the need to find solutions to real problems. |
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Term
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Definition
| The detailed steps a unit, department, or team will take in order to achieve short-term objectives. |
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Term
| Actions during emergencies |
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Definition
| Management’s right "to take whatever actions may be necessary to carry out the agency mission during emergencies". |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of learning new knowledge, skills and behaviors through taking specific actions or performing specific tasks. |
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Term
| Activities of daily living (ADL) |
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Definition
| The personal care activities which are essential to an individual’s everyday living, including eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility and toileting. |
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Term
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Definition
| A proceeding whereby the union and the employer jointly make their own arrangements for selecting arbitrators as well as designating rules, applicable laws, procedures and administrative support. |
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Term
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Definition
| Arbitrator who is selected on a case-by-case basis. |
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Term
| ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) |
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Definition
| Act that prohibits discrimination based on physical or mental disabilities; requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for the physical or mental disability unless there is undue hardship. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to a five-step instructional design process that governs the development of HRD programs. |
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Term
| ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act) |
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Definition
| Prohibits discrimination in employment for persons age 40 and over except where age is a BFOQ. |
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Term
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Definition
| A supplemental training tool that applies programming principles to existing instructional modules, materials, texts, manuals, etc., that are designed to direct the learner to specific areas within the module. |
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Term
| Administrative law judge (ALJ) |
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Definition
| An official who presides at administrative trial proceedings to hear facts and issue decisions regarding unfair labor practice cases; Judge who conducts the formal procedures for OSHA citations. |
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Term
| Administrative services only (ASO) |
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Definition
| The hiring of a firm (usually a health care vendor) to handle certain administrative tasks. The firm does not assume any risk but merely carries out the specialized functions that the employer cannot or does not want to do. For example, an employer funds its own dental insurance claim payments but pays the ASO firm to process the claims. |
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Term
| Administrative-services-only (ASO) health-care plan |
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Definition
| Type of health-care plan in which the employer assumes the risk of high costs and hires an insurance claims department to handle claims. |
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Term
| ADR (alternative dispute resolution) |
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Definition
| Umbrella term describing a number of problem-solving and grievance resolution approaches; generally refers to any means of settling disputes outside of the courtroom. |
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Term
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Definition
| Individuals who are beyond postsecondary education age, are employed on a full- or part-time basis and are enrolled in a formal or informal educational program. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any act by an employer that results in an individual or group of individuals being deprived of equal employment opportunities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Also known as disparate impact; when rules applied of selection in hiring, promotion, or other employment decision to all employees have a different and more inhibiting effect on women and minority groups than on the majority; occurs when the selection rate for a protected class is less than 80% of the rate for the class with highest selection rate. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employer’s selection practices or policies that result in discriminatory or unfavorable treatment toward an individual or individuals who are members of a protected group. |
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Term
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Definition
| A process similar to arbitration in which the parties jointly agree to submit a dispute to an arbitrator, with the understanding that the award is purely advisory. The parties are not required to follow it and each party is free to engage in an independent action, such as a lawsuit in a court of law. |
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Term
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Definition
| A group or panel of internal or external members with no decision- making authority, assembled to identify and discuss specific issues and make recommendations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Groups of employees, former employees or applicants who have experienced and/or continue to experience the who have experienced and/or continue to experience the discriminatory practices or policies of the employer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Program in which employers identify conspicuous imbalances in their workforce and take positive steps to correct underrepresentation of protected classes; in order to correct past discrimination and prevent current and future discrimination within the workplace. |
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Term
| Affirmative action clauses |
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Definition
| The clauses set forth in 41 C.F.R. §§ 60-250.4 and 60-741.4 that must be included in federal contracts and subcontracts of $10,000 and over. These two clauses outline the affirmative action requirements for special disabled veterans, Vietnam-era veterans (41 C.F.R. §60-250.4) and individuals with disabilities (41 C.F.R. §60-741.4). These clauses are a part of covered contracts regardless of whether they are physically incorporated into the contract and whether the contract is written. |
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Term
| Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) |
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Definition
| A written set of specific, results-oriented procedures to be followed by all federal contractors holding contracts of $50,000 or more and employing 50 or more people and intended to remedy the effects of past discrimination against or underutilization of women and minorities. The effectiveness of the plan is measured by the results it actually achieves rather than by the results intended and by the good faith efforts undertaken by the contractor to increase the pool of qualified women and minorities in all parts of the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used in litigation of employment discrimination disputes, after-acquired evidence is evidence that the employer discovers after it has already discharged an employee which proves that even if the discharge in question is found to be illegal, the employer would have dismissed the employee anyway in light of discovering the misconduct. |
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Term
Age Discrimination in
Employment Act (ADEA) of
1967 |
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Definition
| Prohibits discrimination in employment for persons age 40 and over except where age is a BFOQ; the ADEA protects workers age 40 and over by prohibiting discrimination against workers 40 and over in any employment or employment-related decision. The Act applies to most employers with 20 or more employees. One of the main provisions of the Act is that employers, with very few exceptions, can no longer force an employee to retire. |
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Term
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Definition
| A statutory requirement that negotiated agreements be reviewed for legal sufficiency by the head of the agency (or his/her designee). |
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Term
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Definition
| Contract clause that requires unit employees to pay dues and initiation fees to the union as a condition of employment, but not attaining full membership in the union. |
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Term
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Definition
| States that even if workers do not join the union, they must still pay the equivalent of dues to the union. |
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Term
| Agent-principal relationship |
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Definition
| Means that regulations on ULPs that apply to employers also apply to acts of individual managers and supervisors. |
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Term
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Definition
| A collective bargaining agreement between the employer and the exclusive representative. |
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Term
| AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) |
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Definition
| A bloodborne pathogen transmitted through intimate contact. |
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Term
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Definition
| 1975 court ruling that items used to validate employment requirements must be job-related. |
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Term
| ALJ (administrative law judge) |
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Definition
| Judge who conducts the formal procedures for OSHA citations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Doctrine that states that when a struck employer effectively uses the employees of an ally as strike breakers and when a union extends its primary picketing to this employer, no violation of the LMRA’s secondary boycott prohibitions exists. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employer who changes the name and outward appearance of a business but is in fact the same employer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Departure from the traditional workday or workweek to improve organizational productivity and employee morale by giving employees increased control over the hours they work. |
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Term
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Definition
| When an employer offers an employee a less strenuous job until they are fit to return to their regular job; also known as early-return-to-work program or modified-duty program. |
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Term
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Definition
| A rating method used in job evaluation and performance evaluation whereby the rater is asked to select the best and worst employees from a listing of all employees and then rank them accordingly. |
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Term
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Definition
| Nontraditional procedures and techniques used within the framework of instructional programs to evaluate a student’s educational achievement. |
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Term
Alternative dispute resolution
(ADR) |
|
Definition
| A voluntary procedure used to resolve disputes or conflicts between individuals, groups or labormanagement. This procedure utilizes the services of a neutral third party to facilitate discussion and assist the parties in reaching an agreement which is binding; describing a number of problem-solving and grievance resolution approaches; generally refers to any means of settling disputes outside of the courtroom. |
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Term
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Definition
| Uses recruiting sources and workers who are not regular employees; also known as flexible staffing. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any location other than the employer’s physical worksite where employees are allowed to perform their jobs. |
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Term
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Definition
| The modification of the Constitution or a law; may be either formal (written) or informal (unwritten). |
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Term
| Amendment of certification petition |
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Definition
| That portion of the FLRA’s multipurpose petition not involving a question concerning representation that may be filed at any time in which the petitioner asks the FLRA to amend the certification or recognition. |
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Term
| American Arbitration Association (AAA) |
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Definition
| A private enterprise that administers arbitration proceedings. The AAA also administers mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. |
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Term
| American Federation of Labor Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) |
|
Definition
| A voluntary federation of 55 national and international labor unions. The AFL-CIO was created in 1955 by the merger of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Since its founding, the AFL-CIO and its affiliate unions have been the single most effective force in America for enabling working people to build better lives and futures for our families. |
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Term
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) of 1990 |
|
Definition
| The ADA is a federal anti-discrimination law which prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. This law (covering employers with 15 or more employees) is designed to remove barriers that prevent qualified individuals with disabilities from enjoying the same employment opportunities that are available to persons without disabilities. When an individual's disability creates a barrier to employment opportunities, the ADA requires employers to consider whether a reasonable accommodation could remove the barrier. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A statistical method used to determine whether a relationship exists among two or more variables by formulating concurrent comparisons of the variables. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The ability to analyze facts, generate a comparison and draw correct inferences or conclusions from available information. |
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Term
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Definition
| The discipline that studies how adults learn. |
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Term
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Definition
| Information that is based on observations or indications of individual actions instead of any organized process. |
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Term
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Definition
| An annual target for the placement of underutilized groups of protected class members in job groups where underutilization exists. |
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Term
| Annual improvement factor |
|
Definition
| That portion of the FLRA’s multipurpose petition not involving a question concerning representation that may be filed at any time in which the petitioner asks the FLRA to amend the certification or recognition. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employer’s policy that restricts the employment of two or more family members at the same time. |
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Term
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Definition
| The appearance that an individual has the authority or power to act as an organization’s agent, even though the organization has bestowed no such authority or power to that individual. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A person who seeks work at a certain employers' facilities who meets certain prescribed standards, as defined by the employer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Application forms/resumes and other relevant items maintained by an employer and used during the selection process. |
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Term
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Definition
| Looks at differences in selection rates; records of hiring, promotion and other related employment actions used for the purpose of monitoring selection and employment practices. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A chronological listing that records each applicant who applies for employment or promotion. Data includes applicant's name, race, national origin, gender, referral source, date of application, job title applied for and disposition. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The sum total of all individuals who have applied for a position either by submitting a resume or application for employment which the employer uses to select candidates for employment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any paper or computerized system that tracks the organization’s data such as resumes/applications and internal job posting information. |
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Term
Application service provider
(ASP) |
|
Definition
| A third-party organization that delivers software applications and related services over the Internet allowing an organization to outsource some or all of its information technology needs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A system used to train a person in a recognized trade or craft in accordance with specific standards. The apprenticed individual obtains his or her skills by performing the related duties for a specified period of time under the tutelage of an experienced craft or tradesman. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A system used to train a person in a recognized trade or craft in accordance with specific standards. The apprenticed individual obtains his or her skills by performing the related duties for a specified period of time under the tutelage of an experienced craft or tradesman. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group of employees which a labor union seeks to represent. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to one’s ability to learn information or acquire a skill. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A standardized testing instrument used during the selection process that is intended to measure and predict an individual’s abilities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Measure the general ability to learn or acquire a new skill. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe the potential of a dispute to be appropriate for or subject to settlement by arbitration. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An alternative dispute resolution method that uses a neutral third party (i.e. arbitrator) to resolve individual, group or labor-management conflicts and issue a binding decision; the dominant third-party method of settling labor disputes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Use of a neutral party, often obtained through lists maintained by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) or Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), to decide disputes between a union and employer occurring under a collective bargaining agreement. Such decisions are made in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. Negotiations over the definition of grievances and the procedure to be used in dealing with grievances including a proposal to have all such disputes ultimately decided by arbitration are mandatory subjects for bargaining. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Use of a neutral party to settle disputes between a union or employer about what the terms of a collective bargaining agreement should be. Employers covered by the NLRA are not required to agree to interest arbitration and may, in fact, refuse to discuss the issue, as it is a permissive subject for bargaining. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The physical attributes or design of a building, structure or facility that prevent individuals with physical disabilities from accessing or freely using the building, structure or facility. The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 requires any building constructed or leased in whole or in part with federal funds be made accessible to and usable by the physically disabled. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of picketing with the purpose of encouraging an employer to observe the standards in a particular industry or locality. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A type of multiemployer bargaining whereby the bargaining process takes place between union and employer representatives on a local level. |
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Term
| ASO (administrative-services-only) health-care plan |
|
Definition
| Type of health-care plan in which the employer assumes the risk of high costs and hires an insurance claims department to handle claims. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Process by which an organization’s HRD needs are identified and articulated in order to help the organization accomplish its objectives; also called needs assessment or needs analysis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A method of evaluating candidates using content-valid work samples of a job; typically for managerial positions; a testing location where a candidate being considered for assignment or promotion to managerial or executivelevel position is rated by a team of experienced evaluators over a series of days using standardized activities, games and other simulations to predict the candidate’s future job performance. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The financial, physical, and sometimes intangible properties an organization owns. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A management right relating to the assignment of employees to positions, shifts, and locations. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A management right relating to the assignment of work to employees or positions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Union tactic to aid in organizing in which membership is offered outside the traditional local union organization; often used with professional groups and public employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A collective bargaining agreement governing a group of employers who ban together for shared support when bargaining with labor organizations. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employer’s written standards regarding the requirement for employees to be on time and present at work during regularly scheduled work periods. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Also known as a climate survey; a tool used to solicit and assess employee opinions, feelings, perceptions and expectations regarding a variety of managerial and organizational issues. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A professional individual who is authorized to practice law and can be legally appointed by either a plaintiff or a defendant to provide legal advice or act as a legal agent on their behalf during legal proceedings. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe voluntary and involuntary terminations, deaths and employee retirements that result in a reduction to the employer's physical workforce. |
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Term
|
Definition
| People who learn best by relying on their sense of hearing. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A card signed by an employee to authorize the union to act as his/her bargaining representative. It is necessary for establishment of a sufficient showing of interest to request an election from the NLRB. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Part of the union organizing drive when union representatives have employees sign cards to indicate that they want union representation. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A collective bargaining agreements provision in the Federal sector stating that if neither party gives notice during the agreement's 105-60 day open period of its intent to reopen and renegotiate the agreement, the agreement will automatically renew itself for a period of a specified number of years. |
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|
Term
| Automatic step-rate pay structure |
|
Definition
| Pay structure in which the pay scale is divided into steps, usually 3% to 7% apart. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe the use of control systems such as computers machinery and processes, often replacing human operators. Where mechanization provided human operators with machinery to assist them with physical work requirements, automation reduces the need for human sensory and mental requirements. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Involves the extent of individual freedom and discretion in work and its scheduling. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as including "a wide range of services and devices (necessary) for ensuring that equally effective communication" takes place with regard to persons with hearing, speech and vision disabilities. Such aids include, but are not restricted to, providing interpreters, assistive listening devices, materials in Braille, closed caption, telecommunication devices for the hearing impaired, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of determining the number of qualified minorities and women in the relevant available workforce who possess or have the ability to acquire the required skills or qualifications for any available position within the organization; determines the percentage of workers in a protected class that are present, and then applies the four-fifths rule to this number. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The final decision imparted by an arbitrator that is binding to the parties involved in the dispute. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe those individuals born between 1945 and 1970. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe those individuals born between 1961 and 1972. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the wages an employee is required to pay an employee due to the employers violation of the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime or minimum wage requirements. |
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|
Term
Background
check/investigation |
|
Definition
| The process of verifying information supplied by applicants who are being considered for employment, including, but not limited to, contacting former employers, obtaining educational records and requesting criminal or consumer credit reports. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe a labor contract that provides for higher wage increases during the later part of a multiyear agreement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe workers who return to their jobs prior to the union having declared an end to the strike. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A statement of a firm’s financial position at a particular time. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A popular strategic management concept developed in the early 1990s by Drs. Robert Kaplan and David Norton. The balanced scorecard is a management and measurement system that enables organizations to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. The goal of the balanced scorecard is to tie business performance to organizational strategy by measuring results in four areas: financial performance, customer knowledge, internal business processes, and learning and growth; track progress, reinforce accountability, and prioritize improvement opportunities. |
|
|
Term
Baldridge National Quality
Award |
|
Definition
| The Baldrige Award is given by the President of the United States to businesses—manufacturing and service, small and large—and to education and health care organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A federal law consisting of different chapters (i.e. chapter 7, chapter 11 or chapter 13) that allows individuals and businesses that are experiencing extreme financial duress and are unable to meet their financial obligations to eliminate or restructure their debts. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Procedural barriers, established by law to promote labor stability by providing continuity for the bargaining agent and bargaining unit. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The formal or informal process of offer and counteroffer whereby parties to the bargaining process try to reach agreement on the terms of exchange. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An individual or union who has been certified through a secret ballot election process to serve as the sole representative of all employees in a particular bargaining unit or group. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Extreme remedy in the case of an unfair labor practice case against an employee, which compels the employer to recognize and bargain with a union without an election or in the case where a union has lost an election. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The legally recognized right of a labor union to represent employees in negotiations with employers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A group of individuals who are recognized by both the employer and an organized labor union to negotiate matters involving employment issues. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The group of employees a union wants to represent. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of reviewing an organization’s policies and procedures to identify and eliminate impediments in recruitment, selection, transfer, or promotion of protected class individuals throughout the organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| Basic compensation an employee receives, usually as a wage or salary. |
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Term
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Definition
| The monthly salary or hourly wage paid for a job, irrespective of benefits, bonuses or overtime. |
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Term
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Definition
| A conscious attempt to change or eliminate an individual’s undesirable behavior by specifying expected behavior and reinforcing and rewarding desired behavior. |
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Term
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Definition
| The behavior qualities and character traits of a person. These act as markers that can predict how successful a person will be at the position he/she is applying for. Employers should determine in advance what behavioral competencies fit the position and create interview questions to find out if the candidate possesses them. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of interview in which the interviewer focuses on how the applicant previously handled real work situations. |
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Term
| Behavioral risk management |
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Definition
| The process of analyzing and identifying workplace behavioral issues and implementing programs, policies or services most suitable for correcting or eliminating various employee behavioral problems. |
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Term
| Behavioral-based interview |
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Definition
| An interview technique that focuses on a candidate’s past experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities by asking the candidate to provide specific examples of when he or she has demonstrated certain behaviors or skills as a means of predicting future behavior and performance. |
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Term
Behaviorally anchored rating
scale (BARS) |
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Definition
| An appraisal that requires raters to list important dimensions of a particular job and collect information regarding the critical behaviors that distinguish between successful and unsuccessful performance. These critical behaviors are then categorized and appointed a numerical value used as the basis for rating performance. |
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Term
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Definition
| An interview technique used to determine whether a candidate is qualified for a position based on their past behavior. The interviewer asks the candidate for specific examples from past work experience when certain behaviors were exhibited. |
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Term
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Definition
| The curve representing the normal distribution of a rating or test score. |
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Term
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Definition
| A job commonly found in the workforce for which pay and other relevant data are readily available. Benchmark jobs are used to make pay comparisons and job evaluations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Jobs used as reference points when setting up a job classification system. |
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Term
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Definition
| The systematic process of comparing an organization’s products, services and practices against those of competitor organizations or other industry leaders to determine what it is they do that allows them to achieve high levels of performance. |
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Term
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Definition
| The standards used as a basis for comparison or measurement. |
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Term
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Definition
| A benefit is a form of indirect compensation designed to provide employees added protection, promote goodwill and reward employment. It usually takes a form other than money. Benefits are typically extended to employees as well as their immediate family members. Who is covered, what type of benefits are offered, how costs are computed and distributed and how the value is captured and communicated are all important questions the employer must answer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Paid or unpaid time off following the death of an employee’s relative or friend. This time, generally ranging from one to three days, is given so that the employee can make arrangements, attend the funeral and attend to other matters related to the deceased. Many organizations are flexible in terms of how much time an employee takes off. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defined in a variety of ways, but typically refers to the practices of an organization that enables them to achieve superior organizational performance results. |
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Term
| BFOQ (bona fide occupational qualification) |
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Definition
| Situation in which gender, religion, or national origin is reasonably necessary to the normal operations of the business or enterprise. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when an appraiser’s values, beliefs, or prejudices distort ratings. |
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Term
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Definition
| The practice of posting all job openings internally so that current employees may be allowed the opportunity to apply for vacant positions prior to the employer seeking qualified candidates through other external recruitment measures. |
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Term
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Definition
| A proposal presented to a legislative body for possible enactment as a law. |
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Term
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Definition
| The stipulation under the Landrum-Griffin Act that provides union members with the explicit right to meet with other union members to discuss or express views on union business as well as safeguarding their rights to a fair trial and representation in matters regarding company disciplinary proceedings. |
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Term
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Definition
| The law requires that collective bargaining agreements contain a negotiated grievance procedure that terminates in binding arbitration of unresolved grievances. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to a list consisting of the names of employees who are considered problematic which is circulated among other employers. Employees whose names appear on such a list are often denied employment or fired from existing jobs. Blacklisting has been long ago deemed an unfair labor practice under the NLRA. |
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Term
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Definition
| A workforce is comprised of permanent full-time, parttime, temporary employees and independent contractors. |
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Term
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Definition
| A job advertisement placed in a newspaper, trade journal/publication, magazine or Internet job board that contains no identifying information about the employer placing the ad. |
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Term
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Definition
| An National Labor Relations Board decision not to continue with an election in a bargaining unit when there are unresolved unfair labor practice charges. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A situation in which the NLRB will bar a petition for an election; when an unfair labor practice charge affecting the proposed bargaining unit is pending. |
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Term
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Definition
| Microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans. |
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Term
Blood-Borne Pathogens
Standard |
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Definition
| An OSHA standard that sets forth requirements for employers with workers exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials. In order to reduce or eliminate the hazards of occupational exposure, an employer must implement an exposure control plan for the worksite with details on employee protection measures. The plan must also describe how an employer will use a combination of engineering and work practice controls, ensure the use of personal protective clothing and equipment, provide training, medical surveillance, hepatitis B vaccinations, and signs and labels, among other provisions. Engineering controls are the primary means of eliminating or minimizing employee exposure and include the use of safer medical devices, such as needleless devices, shielded needle devices and plastic capillary tubes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Hourly paid workers employed in occupations that require physical or manual labor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of a large group of uniformed law enforcement employees calling in sick on the same day(s) as an attempt to gain certain concessions from their employer without reverting to a formal labor strike. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Hourly paid workers employed in occupations that require physical or manual labor. |
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Term
| Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) |
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Definition
| A very narrowly interpreted exception to EEO laws that allows employers to base employment decisions for a particular job on such factors as sex, religion or national origin, if they are able to demonstrate that such factors are an essential qualification for performing a particular job. |
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Term
Bona fide occupational
qualification (BFOQ) |
|
Definition
| A very narrowly interpreted exception to EEO laws that allows employers to base employment decisions for a particular job on such factors as sex, religion or national origin, if they are able to demonstrate that such factors are an essential qualification for performing a particular job. |
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Term
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Definition
| An incentive pay plan which awards employees compensation, in addition to their base salary, for achieving individual or group performance and productivity goals. |
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Term
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Definition
| Specifies that an employer is not required to evaluate each component of the selection process individually if the end result of the process is predictive of future job performance. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Named after the former Vice President of General Electric, Boulwareism is a term used to describe a bargaining strategy whereby an employer attempts to persuade employees that an offer or counter-offer is in their best interest and is not meant to be negotiated. |
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Term
| Boundaryless organization |
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Definition
| Defined as an organization that removes roadblocks to maximize the flow of information throughout the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used by employees and their union to gain certain concessions from an employer, a boycott is an organized refusal by employees and their labor union to deal with the employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Promoting a product or service by identifying and then marketing its key differentiators from competitors. The differentiator/s often inspire the name, phrase or logo for which the product or service becomes known. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Occurring when an individual who is a party to a contract or agreement does not uphold or violates the terms of the contract. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A measure used to determine the approximate sales volume required to cover the costs associated with producing a particular product or service; analysis that shows the point in time at which money put into an HR program is equal to or greater than its return. |
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Term
| BRI (building-related illness) |
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Definition
| A situation in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A pay structure that consolidates a large number of narrower pay grades into fewer broad bands with wider salary ranges; an effort to make job evaluation more compatible with the de-layering of organizations by combining several salary grades or job classifications with narrow pay ranges into one band with a wider salary spread. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A pay structure that exchanges a large number of narrow salary ranges for a smaller number of broader salary ranges. This type of pay structure encourages the development of broad employee skills and growth while reducing the opportunity for promotion. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who acts as an agent for a buyer and a seller and charges a commission for his/her services. An example of a large brokerage firm is Marsh. An example of a state firm is ABD in California. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of employee orientation whereby a newly hired employee is assigned to another employee (typically within the same department) who shows the new employee the ropes, introduces him or her to coworkers, gives personal assistance and answers questions on an as-needed basis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A numerical summary of an organization’s available resources and how those resources are to be allocated based on anticipated future expenditures for various items, such as equipment, training and development programs, benefits, implementing new processes or services, etc. |
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Term
| Building-related illness (BRI) |
|
Definition
| A situation in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of allowing more senior level employees whose positions have been slotted for elimination or downsizing the option of accepting an alternative position within the organization, for which they may be qualified to perform and which is currently occupied by another employee with less seniority. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The burden placed on an employer, as a result of a claim of discriminatory treatment, to provide a verifiable, legitimate and nondiscriminatory reason for any employment action taken which may have resulted in adverse treatment of a member(s) of a protected group. |
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Term
| Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) |
|
Definition
| The principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business and labor. BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor. |
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Term
Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) |
|
Definition
| The principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business and labor. BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Physical or emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation or decreased morale resulting from an individual being exposed to excessive or prolonged stress and frustration caused by personal problems, work pressures, financial difficulties, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A “bargaining unit status” code which is part of the six-digit number known to labor relations specialists as the LAIRS or OLMR number. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An officer of a local union whose job is to handle grievances, enforce contracts and perform other union related tasks. |
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Term
| Business continuity planning |
|
Definition
| Broadly defined as a management process that seeks to identify potential threats and impacts to the organization and provide a strategic and operational framework for ensuring the organization is able to withstand any disruption, interruption or loss to normal business functions or operation. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The knowledge and understanding of the financial, accounting, marketing and operational functions of an organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A defense available when the employer has a criterion for selection that is facially neutral but which excludes members of one sex, race, national origin or religious group at a substantially higher rate than members of other groups, thus creating adverse impact. The employer must be able to prove that the challenged practices effectively carry out the business purposes they are alleged to serve and that no alternative, nondiscriminatory practices can achieve the safe and efficient operation of its business. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A document that provides relevant information about a company by outlining items such as the company’s business description, market or industry, management, competitors, future prospects and growth potential, etc. |
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Term
| Business process outsourcing (BPO) |
|
Definition
| The managing of an organizations business applications by a technology vendor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A viral marketing technique that attempts to make each encounter with a "prospect" appear to be a personal, spontaneous interaction instead of an obvious marketing pitch. For example, the advertiser reveals information about their new product to a few opinion leaders within their target audience. In theory, these opinion leaders then talk about your product with their peers, thus beginning a word-of-mouth campaign where other buyers are flattered to be included in the group of those "in the know". A typical buzz marketing campaigns is initiated in chat rooms, where marketing representatives assume an identity appropriate to their target audience and pitch their product. Blogs are another popular media for buzz marketing. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Dealing directly with employees rather than with the exclusive representative regarding negotiable conditions of employment of bargaining unit employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A plan in which an employer offers employees a variety of different benefits. The employee is able to choose which benefits would fit their individual needs. Examples of benefits offered in the cafeteria include group-term life insurance, dental insurance, disability and accident insurance, and reimbursement of healthcare expenses. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The area in an organization responsible for screening, forwarding and logging large volumes of customerrelated calls at the same time through the use of technology and other resources. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Describes the payment of higher than normal pay for those employees who are called back into work after the end of their scheduled work day or shift. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Pay that employees receive when they are called back for an extra shift in the same workday. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Describes the compensation that is guaranteed to an employee who reports to work and finds there is not enough work for him or her to perform resulting in their being sent home. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of talking to individual members of a bargaining unit to convey information, gather information on a survey, or plan for joint action. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to refer to the person at the "top" of a member-to-member action network. |
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Term
|
Definition
| To an operations department, the ability to yield output. |
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Term
| Capitated health-care plan |
|
Definition
| Type of health-care plan in which the physician is paid on a per capita (per head) basis rather than for actual treatment provided. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Vendors deliver contracted services for a set amount of money per employee per month. This can be a risky strategy for vendors whose profitability is directly tied to how much the services are or are not used (e.g., EAPs). |
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Term
|
Definition
| A union term for meetings of workers called by management and held on company time and premises. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A procedure whereby signed employee authorization cards are checked against an acceptable list of employees in a prospective bargaining unit to determine if the organization has majority status. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An office set up within an organization to be used for the purpose of providing outplacement counseling and job placement services to displaced workers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Guiding individuals through the career planning and career decision-making process by helping them to make informed decisions regarding educational and occupational choices, as well as providing resources needed to further developing job search and placement skills. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Process by which individuals progress through a series of stages in their careers, each of which is characterized by a relatively unique set of issues, themes, and tasks. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The progression of jobs in an organization’s specific occupational fields ranked from highest to lowest based on level of responsibility and pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Involves preparing, implementing, and monitoring employees’ career paths with a primary focus on the goals of the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The propensity to make several career changes during an individual’s lifetime instead of committing to a longterm career within a specific occupational field. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The progression of jobs in an organization’s specific occupational fields ranked from lowest to highest in the hierarchal structure. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of establishing career objectives and determining appropriate educational and developmental programs to further develop the skills required to achieve short- or long-term career objectives. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when an employee has reached the highest position level he or she can possibly obtain within an organization and has no future prospect of being promoted due to a lack of skills, corporate restructuring or other factors. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Type of formula used to determine benefits under a defined benefit pension plan, based on a percentage of pay for each year the employee is in the plan or a percentage of career-average pay times years of service. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An attempt under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute because it fosters unit fragmentation, to carve out or sever a subgroup of employees in an existing bargaining unit in order to establish a separate, more homogenous unit with a different union as exclusive representative |
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Term
|
Definition
| The elimination of coverage of a specific category of benefit services (e.g. vision care, mental health/psychological services, or prescription drugs). The employer opts out of certain services with one vendor and contracts another to deliver them. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A case study uses real scenarios that focus on a specific issue(s). It looks deeply at a specific issue, drawing conclusions only about that issue and only in that specific context. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Form of defined benefit plan that defines the promised benefit in terms of a hypothetical account balance and features benefit portability. |
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|
Term
| Cash profit-sharing plans |
|
Definition
| Provide employees with payments, based on the organization’s profitability, that are additional to the employees’ normal rates of pay and taxed accordingly. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to attire such as jeans, casual slacks, t-shirts, sport and polo shirts and other apparel used for leisure. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of hiring employees on an as-needed basis, either as a replacement for permanent full-time employees who are out on short- and long-term absences or to meet employer’s additional staffing needs during peak business periods. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Performance appraisal methods that require the appraiser to mark an employee’s level of performance on a designated form; methods include graphic scale, checklist, and forced choice. |
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Term
|
Definition
| In collective bargaining, when either party requests a recess from the at-the-table deliberations with the other party, for the purpose of discussing any bargaining issue without the other party’s bargaining representative present. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Uses a visual to map out a list of factors that are thought to affect a problem or a desired outcome. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An order to stop an action, to not repeat the action, and to take action to undo the wrong. |
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Term
|
Definition
| NLRB order requiring that an employer cease and desist from continuing misconduct practices. |
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Term
| Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) |
|
Definition
| A government program that tracks work-related fatal injuries. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Occur when an appraiser rates all employees within a narrow range, regardless of differences in actual performance. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of consolidating all decision-making authority under one central group or location; decision-making authority is restricted to higher levels of management. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Procedure under the NLRA where an election is held to determine whether or not employees in a given unit wish to be represented for the purposes of collective bargaining by a union. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A one-year period after a union is certified as the exclusive representative for a unit during which petitions by rival unions or employees seeking to replace or remove the incumbent union will be considered untimely. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A situation in which the NLRB will bar a petition for an election; when a union has been initially certified during the previous 12 months. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A union designated by federal or state labor relations boards as the exclusive bargaining agent of a group of employees. |
|
|
Term
| CFOI (Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries) |
|
Definition
| A government program that tracks work-related fatal injuries. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Ballots that are challenged by election observers on the ground that the person casting the ballot isn't eligible to vote. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of alteration or transformation that individuals, groups, and organizations undergo in response to external or internal factors. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to define an individual or group of individuals who directly or indirectly cause or accelerate social, cultural, or behavioral change. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A deliberate approach for transitioning individuals or organizations from one state to another in order to manage and monitor the change. Change management can be conducted on a continuous basis, on a regular schedule (such as an annual review), or when deemed necessary on a program-by-program basis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Simple visual tools used to collect and analyze data. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of deducting all union dues and initiation fees, from an employees paycheck which the employer then submits to the union. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who is involved with communicating standards of conduct in terms of organizational values and culture and instilling these throughout the organization; also known as ombuds. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A union official who assists and guides shop stewards. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Provisions under FLSA are designed to protect the educational opportunities of youth and prohibit their employment in jobs that are detrimental to their health and safety. FLSA restricts the hours that youth under 16 years of age can work and lists hazardous occupations too dangerous for young workers to perform. |
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Term
| Circuit City Stores v. Adams |
|
Definition
| 2000 court ruling that provision in pre-hire employment application requiring that all employment disputes be settled by arbitration is enforceable. |
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Term
| City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Company |
|
Definition
| 1989 court ruling that the rigid numerical quota system of Richmond, Virginia, was unconstitutional because the city had not laid the proper groundwork and had not adequately identified or documented discrimination. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and federal and state statutes enacted to protect a wide range of individual rights, such as right to vote, freedom of speech, the right to assemble, the right to equal treatment, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A federal statute enacted to further guarantee the constitutional rights of individuals and prevent employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin or age. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A federal statute that amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 enacted to strengthen and improve federal civil rights laws by providing for damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination, clarifying provisions regarding disparate impact actions and for other purposes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A central bureau within a government unit that advises, formulates policy and regulates employment procedures. |
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|
Term
| Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) |
|
Definition
| The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) applies to labor organizations which represents employees in most agencies of the executive branch of the Federal Government. The regulations implementing the standards of conduct provisions of the CSRA incorporate many LMRDA provisions, including those related to labor organization reporting requirements. |
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|
Term
| Clarification of union petitions |
|
Definition
| That portion of the FLRA’s multipurpose petition not involving a question concerning representation that may be filed at any time in which the petitioner asks the FLRA to determine the bargaining unit status of various employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A lawsuit filed by one party on behalf of themselves and other people in a group who share the same complaint. |
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|
Term
| Classification act employees |
|
Definition
| Federal employees--typically professional, administrative, technical, and clerical employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The act prohibits price discrimination, sales based on an exclusive dealing contract requirement that may have the effect of lessening competition and mergers where the effect of such an acquisition substantially lessens competition, or tends to create a monopoly in any area of commerce. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Dealt with court-issued injunctions; primarily directed at large monopolistic employers but applied by courts to the labor unions as if they were a monopoly. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Requires participants to complete a specific number of years of service with an employer before they get any vested benefits, after which they are 100% vested. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Also known as attitude survey; a tool used to solicit and assess employee opinions, feelings, perceptions and expectations regarding a variety of factors pertinent to maintaining the organizations climate, such as opportunities for growth, management, working relationships and environment, etc.. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Questions that can usually be answered with yes or no. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A type of collective bargaining agreement between an employer and the union, that requires non-union workers to join the union prior to being hired. |
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Term
|
Definition
| States that union membership is a condition of hiring; is illegal (except in the construction industry). |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A method of training an individual or group in order to develop skills or overcome a performance problem. Coaching can be between a manager and a subordinate or an outside professional coach and one or more individuals. There are many coaching methods and models, but close observation, accountability and feedback on progress and performance are usually included. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A practice in which either several employers or several unions form a committee to develop common bargaining objectives to be obtained during negotiations. |
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Term
|
Definition
| When more than one employer negotiates with the union; also known as multiple employer bargaining. |
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|
Term
| COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that provides for continuation of group health-care benefits for former employees and their families. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A commission sharing arrangement between sales professionals when engaged in team, cross-territory or cross-product line sales. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A code of union ethics that sets the standards of trade union integrity. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Principles of conduct within an organization that guide decision making and behavior. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| As related to international labor relations, an approach that requires managers and employees to discuss major strategic decisions before companies implement them. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Also known as joint employment; the relationship between a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) or employee leasing firm and an employer, based on a contractual sharing of liability and responsibility for employees; situation in which an organization shares joint responsibility and liability for their alternative workers with the alternative staffing supplier |
|
|
Term
| Cognitive ability testing |
|
Definition
| A testing instrument used during the selection process in order to measure the candidate’s learning and reasoning abilities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Tests that assess skills the candidate has already learned. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The amount (typically 20% to 30% or a fixed dollar amount) of covered medical expenses that the employee pays; also known as copayment. |
|
|
Term
| COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) |
|
Definition
| Pay adjustment given to employees regardless of their performance or company profitability; usually linked to inflation; also referred to as a standard percent raise. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Formal name for negotiations process for a union contract. Under the NLRA, the parties to an agreement are required to bargain in good faith, but cannot be compelled to agree to make a concession or agree to a proposal they do not want to agree to. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process by which management and union representatives negotiate the employment conditions for a particular bargaining unit; may cover items such as wages, benefits, working conditions, and other matters deemed important by the members. |
|
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Term
| Collective bargaining agreement |
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Definition
| A written document setting forth the terms and conditions of employment, grievance procedures, and any other matters resulting from collective bargaining. |
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Term
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Definition
| The method used to determine the terms and conditions of employment for public sector employees. |
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Term
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Definition
| A scheme between the employer and the certified employee representative intended to defraud employees while giving the appearance of a legitimate bargaining relationship. |
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Term
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Definition
| color discrimination occurs when a person is discriminated against based on the lightness, darkness, or other color characteristic of the person. Even though race and color clearly overlap, they are not synonymous |
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Term
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Definition
| Payment paid to salespeople, usually calculated as a percentage of sales. |
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Term
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Definition
| A group of people and resources who come together for the accomplishment of a specific organizational objective; have an ongoing charter. |
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Term
| Committee on Political Education (COPE) |
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Definition
| Committees existing at both the state and local levels whereby only dues paying members in good standing may serve. These Committees at the local level are responsible for running information and mobilization campaigns on local district related issues, school board candidates, and screening and recommending endorsed state legislative candidates in their respective areas. |
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Term
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Definition
| Dictates that custom and usage have the force of law, even if not specifically found in codified written laws; based on court decisions, on the implicit doctrines in those decisions, and on customs rather than codified laws. |
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Term
| Common law employment test |
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Definition
| Refers to the IRS’s 20-question common law test which examines the level of control exercised over a worker by an employer in order to determine whether the individual is an employee or an independent contractor. |
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Term
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Definition
| A form of picketing that prohibits employees of a struck employer who shares a common worksite with at least one other neutral employer from being able to picket at the entrance of the neutral employer(s) worksite. |
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Term
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Definition
| Situation in which lawful picketing of a primary employer also affects a secondary employer who occupies common premises; employers may establish separate or reserved gates, one for the struck employer and the other for all other employers. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any condition that is transmitted directly or indirectly to a person from an infected person or animal through the agency of an intermediate animal, host or vector or through the inanimate environment. Communicable diseases include, but is not limited to, influenza; tuberculosis; conjunctivitis; infectious mononucleosis; acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDSrelated complex (ARC) and positive HIV antibody status; hepatitis A, B, C and D; meningitis; SARS; and sexually transmitted diseases. |
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Term
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Definition
| The factors to be considered when determining whether employees should be grouped together as a suitable bargaining unit |
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Term
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Definition
| The mutuality of interests among employees in bargaining for wages, hours, and working conditions. |
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Term
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Definition
| The pay level divided by the midpoint of the pay range; the ratio of an actual pay rate to the midpoint for the respective pay grade used for comparing actual rates of pay with the midpoint for a particular pay grade within the salary structure. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to a union which is located within and run by a company, and is not affiliated with an independent trade union. |
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Term
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Definition
| A reform effort to pay different job titles the same based on their value to their employer regardless of the gender predominance of those working in such titles. |
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Term
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Definition
| Concept that states that jobs filled primarily by women should have the same job classification and salary as similar jobs filled by men. |
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Term
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Definition
| Performance appraisal methods that involve the appraiser directly comparing the performance of each employee with that of other employees; methods include ranking, paired comparison, and forced distribution. |
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Term
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Definition
| A rating method that determines ratings by making comparisons between the individuals being rated. |
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Term
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Definition
| The only basis upon which regulations issued by an agency or a primary national subdivision of an agency may serve as a bar to negotiations with a union. |
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Term
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Definition
| Reflect how a job adds value to the organization; these factors are used to determine which jobs are worth more than others. |
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Term
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Definition
| Pay structures within an organization. It can be linked to employee appraisal. Compensation is effectively managed if performance is measured adequately. |
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Term
| Compensatory time-off plan |
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Definition
| The practice of giving employees paid time off that can be used in the future in lieu of paying them overtime for hours worked in excess of 40 per week. While an acceptable practice in the public sector, the FLSA places very strict limitations on the use of compensatory time off for private sector employers. |
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Term
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Definition
| The knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform a specific task or function. |
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Term
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Definition
| Set of job competencies that together make up a profile for success for a particular job. |
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Term
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Definition
| A set of descriptions that identify the skills, knowledge, and behaviors needed to effectively perform in an organization. Competency models assist in clarifying job and work expectations, maximizing productivity, and aligning behavior with organizational strategy. |
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Term
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Definition
| Competency-based pay, alternately known as skill-based and knowledge-based pay, determines compensation by the type, breadth and depth of skills that employees gain and use in their positions; Also known as skill-based and knowledge-based pay. |
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Term
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Definition
| In the context of Human Resources, competitive advantage refers to the quality of the employees, as a competing organization’s systems and processes can be copied but not its people. All other things being equal among competing companies, it is the company with better employees that has the competitive advantage. |
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Term
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Definition
| In the EEOC complaint process, the individual who files the complaint; also known as plaintiff. |
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Term
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Definition
| Meeting the requirements and obligations of affirmative action imposed by Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act and their implementing regulations. |
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Term
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Definition
| OFCCP evaluation that requires an organization to provide details and documentation of its AAP. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employee of the OFCCP engaged in the investigation of employment discrimination charges and conducting compliance reviews. The former name for this position was Equal Opportunity Specialist (EOS). |
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Term
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Definition
| An alternative scheduling method that allows employees to work a standard workweek over less than a five-day period in one week or a 10-day period in two weeks. |
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Term
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Definition
| When the law requires that both parties submit to arbitration. |
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Term
| Computer vision syndrome (CVS) |
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Definition
| Refers to vision problems such as headaches and blurred vision that are associated with video display terminals. |
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Term
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Definition
| A term used to describe any kind of job action by an employee group or groups of employees intended to put pressure on the employer to reach a settlement quickly or address a particular employment issue. |
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Term
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Definition
| Typically refers to the practice whereby a union agrees to modify the terms of an existing contract in exchange for other benefits. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method of nonbinding dispute resolution involving a third party who tries to help the disputing parties reach a mutual agreeable decision; also known as mediation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A binding written agreement between a contractor and OFCCP that details specific contractor commitments to resolve major or substantive violations of Executive Order 11246, the Rehabilitation Act or the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act. |
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Term
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Definition
| The means of determining a test’s or other assessment tool’s validity by comparing test scores against actual job performance. |
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Term
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Definition
| An organization’s policies and work rules that employees are expected to abide by in order to remain continuously employed. |
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Term
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Definition
| Under title 5, United States Code, section 7103(a)(14), conditions of employment "means personnel policies, practices, and matters, whether established by rule, regulation, or otherwise, affecting working conditions, except that such term does not include policies, practices, and matters--(A) relating to political activities prohibited under subchapter III of chapter 73 of this title; (B) relating to the classification of any positions; or (C) to the extent such matters are specifically provided for by Federal statute." |
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Term
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Definition
| An employee whose functional responsibilities or knowledge in connection with the issues involved in the collective bargaining process which makes their membership in a bargaining unit conflict with their official responsibilities. |
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Term
| Confidentiality agreement |
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Definition
| An agreement between an employer and employee in which the employee may not disclose proprietary or confidential information. |
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Term
| Confined Space Entry standard |
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Definition
| An OSHA standard that requires space-entry restrictions, rescue procedures, and a written safe-entry program to address concerns over adequate oxygen content in the air, toxic substance exposure, and physical exposures to workers in confined spaces. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to situations when an individual has other competing financial, professional or personal obligations or interests that interfere with his or her ability to adequately perform required duties in a fair and objective manner. |
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Term
| Congressional Accountability Act |
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Definition
| Act that requires that any federal employee relations legislation enacted by Congress apply to the employees of Congress. |
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Term
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Definition
| An election for union representation agreed to by management, employees, and the union. |
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Term
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Definition
| An agreement between an employer and the union to waive the preelection hearing. |
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Term
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Definition
| A benefit or other item of value given to an individual who is asked to sign an employment contract or agreement (i.e., release agreement) that is above and beyond what the individual would have been entitled to, had he or she not been asked to sign a contract or agreement. |
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Term
| Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1985 |
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Definition
| 1985 Federal law that requires employers to offer continued health insurance coverage to terminated employees and their beneficiaries. The coverage may continue for the following cases: termination of employment, change in working hours, change in dependent status or age limitation, separation, divorce, or death. |
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Term
Consolidated Omnibus
Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of
1985 |
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Definition
| Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, if an employee terminates employment with the company, the employee is entitled to continue participating in the company’s group health plan for a prescribed period of time, usually 18 months. (In certain circumstances, such as an employee’s divorce or death, the length of coverage period may be longer for qualified dependents). COBRA coverage is not extended to employees terminated for gross misconduct. |
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Term
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Definition
| A doctrine developed under English common law, which states that certain acts that are legal when performed by a single individual become unlawful when performed by a group (i.e. an organization of wage earners formed for the purpose of serving the members' interests with respect to wages and working conditions). |
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Term
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Definition
| The extent to which a test or other assessment instrument measures a particular trait (e.g., intelligence or mechanical comprehension). |
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Term
| Constructive confrontation |
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Definition
| An intervention strategy that focuses on job performance. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when a manager/supervisor or employer makes working conditions so unbearable or abusive that a reasonable person believes that resignation is the only appropriate action to take. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employer’s behavior (either one serious incident or a pattern of incidents) creates a negative work environment, leading to an employee’s resigning. Such behavior is considered a breach of contract and gives the employee the right to seek compensation in court. |
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Term
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Definition
| An individual who works independently to assist and advise client organizations with various organizational functions and responsibilities on a fee-for-service basis. |
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Term
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Definition
| Consultation between qualifying unions and agencies concerning agency-wide regulations and qualifying unions and those agencies issuing government wide regulations. |
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Term
Consumer Credit Protection
Act of 1968 |
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Definition
| Prohibits employees from being terminated for garnishments for any one indebtedness. Although two or more do allow an employer to terminate, care should be exercised to prevent disparate impact if the employees being terminated are mostly women and minorities. Consumer credit; limits the amount of wages that can be garnished or withheld in any one week by an employer to satisfy creditors. |
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Term
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Definition
| The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) defines a consumer report as any communication of any information by a consumer reporting agency bearing on a consumer's credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics or mode of living, which is used, or expected to be used, or collected, in whole or in part, for the purpose of serving as a factor in establishing the consumer's eligibility for credit or insurance to be used primarily for personal, family or household purposes or employment purposes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Picketing of a retail establishment that is legal if directed toward getting consumers not to buy a particular product of a supplier or of a producer with whom a labor dispute exists. |
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Term
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Definition
| Product boycotts involving such activities as distributing handbills, carrying placards, and urging customers to refuse to purchase products from a particular retail or wholesale business. |
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Term
| Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
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Definition
| Also known as cost-of-living index; an index of prices used to measure the change in the cost of basic goods and services in comparison with a fixed base period. |
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Term
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Definition
| The degree to which a test or other assessment instrument used during the selection process measures the skills, knowledge and abilities or other related job qualifications. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of identifying an organization’s critical information systems and business operations and developing and implementing plans to enable those systems and operations to resume following a disaster or other emergency situation. |
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Term
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Definition
| Contingency recruiters conduct frontline talent searches and represent either employers or individuals seeking placement. Contingency firms are not paid unless a candidate is successfully placed. |
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Term
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Definition
| Temporary staff that supplements a companys workforce. Contingent staff may be hired through a staffing firm. Businesses that have fluctuating seasonal staff demands or are in need of temporary call center representatives often use contingent workers. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to an individual employed in a job that does not have an explicit contract for long-term employment (i.e., independent contractor or temporary employee) |
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Term
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Definition
| Also known as a collective bargaining agreement, it is a written document setting forth the terms and conditions of employment, grievance procedures, and any other matters resulting from collective bargaining. |
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Term
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Definition
| Living under, interpreting, and applying the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. |
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Term
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Definition
| Procedural barriers, established by law to promote labor stability by providing continuity for the bargaining agent and bargaining unit |
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Term
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Definition
| A situation in which the NLRB will bar a petition for an election; states that a valid, signed agreement for three years or less will bar election during the life of the agreement. |
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Term
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Definition
| An agreement with a self-employed person for a specific job. |
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Term
| Contract technical workers |
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Definition
| A type of flexible staffing option; highly skilled technical workers (e.g., engineers, data processing specialists) supplied for long-term projects. |
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Term
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Definition
| A right reserved to management that includes the right to determine what criteria management will use to determine whether or not to contract out agency work |
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Term
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Definition
| A contractor is a firm that does business with the federal government. A prime contractor receives $50,000 or more in contracts each year and employs more than 50 people in total employment. A subcontractor performs part of the contract at the direction of the prime contractor and receives $10,000 or more in subcontracts each year. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of interviewer bias; when strong candidates who interview after weak ones may appear even more qualified than they actually are because of the contrast. |
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Term
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Definition
| To an operations department, an after-the-fact evaluation of the functioning of the department. |
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Term
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Definition
| Illustration of variations from normal in a situation over time. |
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Term
| Control of Hazardous Energy standard |
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Definition
| An OSHA standard that requires action so equipment cannot be activated (lockout) and signs or labels (tagout) attached to dangerous equipment that should not be activated; also known as lockout/tagout. |
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Term
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Definition
| A conversion rate is defined as the relationship between visitors to a web site and actions considered to be a ‘conversion’, such as a sale or request to receive more information. A 2006 study by WebSideStory showed the following conversion stats for these major search engines: AOL traffic 6.17%, MSN traffic 6.03%, Yahoo traffic 4.07% and Google traffic 3.83%. Search optimization (SEO) is far less expensive than an aggressive paid search campaign and gets you the same amount of traffic. Plus, the effects are longer lasting, and conversions are frequently in the same range (or even higher) than paid ads on engines. |
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Term
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Definition
| A required period of time where a strike or lock-out is prohibited by injunction from a federal court. |
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Term
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Definition
| A cooperative effort by several unions in dealing with an employer that has employees represented by each of the unions. |
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Term
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Definition
| When an employer bargains with several unions simultaneously but on a separate basis. |
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Term
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Definition
| Eliminates the duplication of payments when the employee, spouse, or dependents have coverage under two or more plans. |
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Term
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Definition
| The amount (typically 20% to 30% or a fixed dollar amount) of covered medical expenses that the employee pays; also known as coinsurance. |
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Term
| Copeland Anti-Kickback Act |
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Definition
| Act that prohibits federal contractors from receiving kickbacks from employees or subcontractors for wages earned on federal projects. |
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Term
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Definition
| The right or privilege of the author or proprietor to exclude others from printing or otherwise duplicating, distributing, or vending copies of his/her literary, artistic, and other creative expressions when secured as defined by the copyright statute. |
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Term
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Definition
| Act that defines the right or privilege of the author or proprietor to exclude others from printing or otherwise duplicating, distributing, or vending copies of his or her literary, artistic, and other creative expressions. |
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Term
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Definition
| The particular set of strengths, experience, knowledge and abilities that differentiate a company from its competitors and provide competitive advantage. Employees should possess these qualities in order to advance business goals. |
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Term
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Definition
| The tasks or functions within an organization considered essential to the organization’s business operations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Employees who are considered to be vital to the organization’s successful business operations. |
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Term
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Definition
| The use of strategic pressure on an employer's weaknesses to gain leverage during a contract campaign or union organizing campaign. |
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Term
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Definition
| ‘Corporate Citizenship is the contribution a company makes to society through its core business activities, its social investment and philanthropy programs, and its engagement in public policy. The manner in which a company manages its economic, social and environmental relationships, and the way it engages with its stakeholders (such as shareholders, employees, customers, business partners, governments and communities), has an impact on the company's longterm success.’ (World Economic Forum) The term is also used interchangeably with other similar terms such as Corporate Governance and/or Corporate Social Responsibility. |
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Term
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Definition
| The beliefs, values and practices adopted by an organization that directly influence employee conduct and behavior. |
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Term
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Definition
| The way in which an organization is viewed by clients, employees, vendors or the general public. |
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Term
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Definition
| The prescribed standards, behaviors, principles or concepts that an organization regards as highly important. |
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Term
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Definition
| Correction of deficiencies identified during a compliance review of an affirmative action plan. |
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Term
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Definition
| A measure of association that indicates the relationship between two variables. |
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Term
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Definition
| The total payments in the form of gross salary and wages, bonuses, and other cash allowances paid to employees and salaries, allowances, fees, bonuses and commissions paid to working directors and fees paid to non-working directors for their attendance at the Board of Directors' meetings. |
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Term
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Definition
| The amount of money needed to buy the goods and services required to maintain a specific standard of living. The cost of living is closely tied to rates of inflation and deflation. In estimating such costs, food, clothing, rent, fuel, lighting, and furnishings as well as expenses for communication, education, recreation, transportation, and medical services are generally included. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measurement of the cost of living prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, tracks changes in retail prices of an average “market basket.” Changes are compared to prices in a previously selected base year, from which figures the percentage increase or decrease in the cost of living can be calculated. |
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Term
Cost of living adjustment
(COLA) |
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Definition
| An annual adjustment in wages to offset a change in purchasing power, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. The Consumer Price Index is used rather than the Producer Price Index because the purpose is to offset inflation as experienced by the consumer, not the producer. |
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Term
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Definition
| The ability to measure the costs associated with a specific program, project, or benefit. The cost is then compared to the total benefit or value derived. |
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Term
| Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) |
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Definition
| An annual adjustment in wages to offset a change in purchasing power, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. The Consumer Price Index is used rather than the Producer Price Index because the purpose is to offset inflation as experienced by the consumer, not the producer. |
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Term
| Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) |
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Definition
| Pay adjustment given to employees regardless of their performance or company profitability; usually linked to inflation; also referred to as a standard percent raise. |
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Term
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Definition
| A cost-of-living index measures changes over time in the amount that consumers need to spend to reach a certain "utility level" or "standard of living." Both the consumer price index and a cost-of-living index reflect changes in the prices of goods and services, such as food and clothing, that are directly purchased in the marketplace; but a complete cost-of-living index goes beyond this to also take into account changes in other governmental or environmental factors that affect consumers' well-being. |
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Term
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Definition
| The direct and indirect costs that are calculated to measure the costs associated with filling a vacancy. Direct costs include, but are not limited to, advertising, employment agency fees, job fairs, employee referrals, credit and reference checking costs, examination and testing costs during the selection process, signing bonuses, relocation costs, human resource overhead costs, college recruiting costs, Internet costs and training and communication costs. Indirect costs can include, but are also not limited to, lower productivity, costs of turnover, morale impacts, safety (if there is a higher number of accidents as a result of the vacancy), disruption of regular business functions, overtime (to compensate for the vacancy) and hiring to maintain production. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of intervention in which the emphasis is on the cause of a problem rather than on job performance; actions or interactions in one or serial form which serve to provide direction, guidance or advice with respect to recommendations, decisions or courses of action. |
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Term
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Definition
| An offer made by either party during collective bargaining negotiations that is in response to a proposal set forth by the other party. |
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Term
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Definition
| A doctrine under which an agency does not have to engage in midterm bargaining on particular matters because those matters are already "covered by" the existing agreement. |
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Term
| CPI (consumer price index) |
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Definition
| A measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for goods and services. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to manual occupations that require extensive training and a high degree of skill. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to an approach to union organizing that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the particular craft or trade that they work in. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual employed in a profession or activity that uses experienced hands to make something. Apprenticeships are often required and post secondary vocational schools also offer such craft oriented training. Training time can be over a course of years and require certification examinations. Examples: electrician, plumber, tool; and die maker, machinist, HVAC specialist, journeyman carpenter, cabinet maker. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A broad term that refers to an organizations preestablished activities and guidelines, for preparing and responding to significant catastrophic events or incidents (i.e., fire, earthquake, severe storms, workplace violence, kidnapping, bomb threats, acts of terrorism, etc.) in a safe and effective manner. A successful crisis management plan also incorporates other organizational programs such as , emergency response , disaster recovery, risk management, communications, business continuity, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A formal written plan establishing specific measures or actions to be taken when responding to catastrophic events or tragedies (i.e., fire, earthquake, severe storms, workplace violence, kidnapping, bomb threats, acts of terrorism, etc.) in the workplace. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of an organization implementing specific plans and procedures designed to circumvent certain disasters or emergencies. |
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Term
| Criterion-related validity |
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Definition
| Refers to the link between a selection device and job performance; requires a careful analysis of the job itself. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The key items that must be met in order to successfully achieve a specific objective. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The job tasks or functions essential to the proper performance of a particular job. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of developing a multi skilled workforce by providing employees with training and development opportunities to ensure they have the skills necessary to perform various job functions within an organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Work teams comprised of individuals who represent the various organizational functions, departments or divisions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe members of the executive team, i.e. CEO, CFO, CIO, COO, etc. |
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Term
| CTDs (cumulative trauma disorders) |
|
Definition
| Injuries caused by repetitive motion that affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS), or repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). |
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Term
| CTS (cumulative trauma syndrome) |
|
Definition
| Injuries caused by repetitive motion that affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs), or repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). |
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Term
|
Definition
| The diverse behaviors, beliefs, customs, traditions, language and expressions that are characteristic to groups of people of a particular race, ethnicity or national origin. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of bringing people of different racial or ethnic backgrounds into equal association. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Type of interviewer bias; failure to recognize responses of a candidate that are socially acceptable rather than factual. |
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|
Term
| Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) |
|
Definition
| Injuries caused by repetitive motion that affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS), or repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). |
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|
Term
| Cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS) |
|
Definition
| Injuries caused by repetitive motion that affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs), or repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used in the United States to describe, a longer, more detailed version of a resume. Internationally is synonymous with resume. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An organizational structure built around easily identifiable, distinct customer markets. |
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Term
| CVS (computer vision syndrome) |
|
Definition
| Refers to vision problems such as headaches and blurred vision that are associated with video display terminals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Using Web sites, listservs, chat rooms or bulletin boards to post insulting or defamatory statements regarding former employers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when the unemployment rate moves in the opposite direction as the Gross Domestic Product growth rate. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A daily log of job tasks being performed by individual employees over a certain period of time. Used often as a form of job analysis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The amounts awarded by a court to be paid by one party to another as a result of violating a contract or agreement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Act that established the prevailing wage and fringe benefit requirements for contractors on federally funded construction projects. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Described by IRS guidelines as any benefit, property or service provided to an employee that has so little value (taking into account how frequently similar benefits are provided to employees) that accounting for it would be unreasonable or administratively impracticable. Cash, no matter how little, is never excludable as a de minimis benefit, except for occasional meal money or transportation fare. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A violation of an OSHA standard that does not have a direct impact on employees’ safety and health on the job; least serious OSHA violation. |
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Term
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Definition
| The termination of union representation over a specific bargaining unit following a decertification election; removes the authority of the bargaining representative to enter into and enforce a union security clause. |
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Term
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Definition
| An order declaring a contractor ineligible for the award of future contracts or cancellation of current contracts. Debarment is one of the sanctions that can be imposed on a contractor found to be in violation of Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act or Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of assigning decision-making authority to lower levels within the organizational hierarchy. |
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Term
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Definition
| Allows members of a particular bargaining unit to terminate their union representation through a voting process; removes the union from its position as bargaining representative. |
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Term
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Definition
| A petition filed by employees in an existing unit asking that an election be held to give unit employees an opportunity to end the existing union's exclusive recognition. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of learning curve in which the amount of learning or skill level increases rapidly at first and then the rate of improvement slows. |
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Term
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Definition
| The initial amount of covered medical expenses an individual must pay before receiving paid benefits under a health-care plan; usually expressed in terms of an individual and/or family deductible or a per-service fee. |
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Term
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Definition
| The ability to extract certain rules based on a sequence of experiences or observations and apply those rules to other similar situations; ability to take a rule and apply it by determining what additional observations one can expect to find. |
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Term
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Definition
| A common-law tort; defined as injuring someone’s reputation either through verbal (slander) or written (libel) statements; injury caused to an individual’s character or reputation resulting from another individual(s) issuing false or malicious statements either verbally or in writing. |
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Term
| Defense Authorization Bill |
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Definition
| Excluded federal contractors from overtime pay requirements after eight hours of work a day; in their case, time-and-a-half must be paid only for hours in excess of 40 per week. |
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Term
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Definition
| A policy of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) not to process unfair labor practice charges if the charge can be filed as a grievance and taken up through an arbitration procedure. |
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Term
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Definition
| Payment for services under any employer-sponsored plan or arrangement that allows an employee (for taxrelated purposes) to defer income to the future. |
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Term
| Deferred profit-sharing plan |
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Definition
| Refers to a qualified, tax-deferred retirement plan where the employer contributes a percentage of profits to employee accounts; it is taxed at a later date. |
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Term
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Definition
| Failure to fulfill a requirement of Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act or Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act, including implementing rules, regulations and orders. "Deficiency" and "violation" are often used interchangeably. |
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Term
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Definition
| A retirement plan that is not an individual account plan and pays participants a fixed periodic benefit or a lumpsum amount, calculated using specific formulas that include such items as age, earnings and length of service; plan that promises employee a retirement benefit amount based on a formula. |
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Term
| Defined contribution plan |
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Definition
| An individual account plan in which the employer contributes a specific amount of money into each year that is to be distributed among the accounts of each plan participant; plan in which the employer and sometimes the employee make an annual payment to the employee's retirement plan account. |
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Term
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Definition
| An organizational restructuring strategy meant to reduce the organization’s existing levels of managers or supervisors. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of assigning tasks or projects to subordinates and clearly dictating expected outcomes and timeframe for completion. |
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Term
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Definition
| Uses information provided by a group; group members take turns presenting forecast assumptions and the forecast is revised until a composite emerges that incorporates many of their assumptions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Demand made by a union when the union has sufficient authorization cards to assert that they represent a majority of employees in an appropriate bargaining unit. The demand is often made in writing but may be made orally. Often the demand is made even though the union does not have sufficient cards for majority representation. Extreme caution must be taken in responding to such demand. |
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Term
| Demand-deficiency unemployment |
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Definition
| Refers to unemployment resulting from fluctuations in the total spending of the economy. |
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Term
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Definition
| The physical characteristics of a population, such as age, sex, marital status, family size, education, geographic location and occupation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A permanent reassignment to a position with a lower pay grade, skill requirement or level of responsibility than the employee’s current position. |
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Term
| Department of Labor (DOL) |
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Definition
| The federal agency responsible for administering and enforcing a large quantity of federal labor laws, including, but not limited to, overtime pay, child labor, wages and hours, workplace health and safety, FMLA, and various other employee rights. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of dividing an organization’s labor, functions, processes or units into separate groups. |
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Term
| Dependent care assistance plan |
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Definition
| An employer benefit plan that provides employees with dependent care assistance, such as paying for or providing qualified child and dependent care services necessary for them to seek or obtain gainful employment or remain gainfully employed. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of one party, accompanied by his or her legal counsel, answering questions under oath about pertinent facts regarding a case put forth by another party’s legal counsel; conducted outside of a courtroom. |
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Term
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Definition
| A period when the economy is at a low productive level and unemployment is extremely high. |
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Term
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Definition
| The removal or revision of laws that regulate the supply of goods and services. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any rating scale that uses adjectives or phrases to determine performance ratings. |
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Term
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Definition
| Stage of the ADDIE model where decisions regarding course content, goals and objectives, delivery methods, and implementation strategies are made. |
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Term
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Definition
| A review of a contractor's documents and materials to determine compliance with affirmative action practices and equal employment obligations as they relate to workforce structure, personnel policies and procedures, good-faith efforts and areas of potential discrimination. The Standard Compliance Review Report (SCRR) provides instructions for conducting a desk audit, which takes its name from the fact that this review and analysis is done at the desk of the compliance officer assigned to conduct the audit. |
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Term
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Definition
| Stage of the ADDIE model where course materials are created, purchased, and/or modified. |
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Term
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Definition
| Training or educational programs designed to stimulate an individual’s professional growth by increasing his or her skills, knowledge or abilities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Focus on preparing employees for future responsibilities while increasing their capacity to perform their current jobs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A form of shared counseling where managers or supervisors work together with subordinates to identify strengths and weaknesses, resolve performance-related problems and determine and create an appropriate action plan. |
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Term
| Developmental disabilities |
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Definition
| Defined as a severe, chronic disability of an individual that: is attributable to mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments; is manifested before the individual attains the age of 22; is likely to continue indefinitely; results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity: self-care, receptive and expressive living, and economic self-sufficiency; and reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary or generic services, individualized support or other forms of assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated. |
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Term
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Definition
| Pay that is based on when the employee works (i.e., overtime pay, shift-pay differential) or where the employee works; also called variable pay. |
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Term
| Differential piece-rate system |
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Definition
| Pay system where the employee receives one piece rate up to a standard and then a higher rate once the standard is exceeded. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to pay that is received by an employee including base pay, differential pay, and incentive pay. |
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Term
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Definition
| The costs directly attributed to a particular products, programs or activities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when an employer and represented employee discuss and take action, without the union’s knowledge or presence, in matters that fall within the scope of mandatory subjects of bargaining. |
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Term
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Definition
| The workers who actually produce a product or provide a service. |
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Term
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Definition
| Direct marketing is a sales method by which advertisers approach buyers directly with products or services. The most common forms of direct marketing are telephone sales, emails and print (e.g., catalogs, brochures). Successful direct marketing also involves renting or compiling / maintaining a database of qualified buyers. According to the Direct Marketing Association, average response rates for print direct mail (flat mail) are 2.73%), catalogs are 2.45% and E-mail is 1.12%. HRmarketer.com research shows emails that offer a compelling “offer” in the form of a free downloadable white paper or research report (on a topic that resonates with your buyer) are significantly more likely to generate a response than promotional offers. In all industries, marketers are shifting their spending from brand building tactics like print advertising to direct response-oriented promotional channels such as direct marketing and interactive marketing (online advertising). The HRmarketer.com research report Trends in HR Marketing (http://www.hrmarketer.com/home/whitepaper_main2.htm) verifies this trend in the HR marketplace. |
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Term
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Definition
| An election ordered by the NLRB regional director after a preelection hearing. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of interview in which the interviewer poses specific questions to the candidate and keeps control. |
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Term
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Definition
| The inability to perform all or part of one's occupational duties because of an accident or illness. This can be due to a sickness, injury or mental condition and does not necessarily have to have been caused by the job itself. |
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Term
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Definition
| Monthly benefits paid under Social Security to workers (and eligible dependents) younger than the Social Security retirement age if they have a disability. |
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Term
| Disability income insurance |
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Definition
| Health insurance that is paid to a policyholder who experiences a loss of income due to an injury or an illness. Disability insurance plans pay a portion of the salary of a disabled worker until his/her retirement age. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of coordinating efforts between employees, management, physicians, rehabilitation service providers and insurance carriers to reduce the impact of work-related injuries or illnesses and assisting injured employees in continuing to successfully perform their jobs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Under the ADA guidelines, an individual with a disability is a person who: has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; has a record of such impairment; or is regarded as having such impairment. Disability under Social Security rules are defined as an individual who is unable to perform work that he or she was previously able to perform and the individual cannot adjust to other work because of his or her medical condition(s), which is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death. |
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Term
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Definition
| A person whose discharge or release from active duty was for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty and who is entitled to a 30 percent or more disability payment under the regulations of the Office of Veteran's Affairs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A set of guidelines and procedures to be used by an organization for the recovery of data lost due to severe forces of nature, such as earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, floods or hurricanes. |
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Term
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Definition
| The termination of an employee based on previous disciplinary proceedings or for violating a major work rule or policy. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The means of reprimanding employees who fail to abide by the organization’s performance standards, policies or rules. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A disciplinary measure in which employees are suspended without pay for a specified period of time due to violations of a company work rule or policy. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A standardized process that an organization commits to when dealing with an employee who has breached the terms of employment in some way. If this procedure is not standardized and fair, the organization may face discrimination or other legal charges. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of disclosing information to employees or the general public regarding any business practices or processes that contain the propensity to be hazardous to the environment or the health and safety of individuals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Persons not in the labor force who want and are available for a job and who have looked for work sometime in the past 12 months (or since the end of their last job if they held one within the past 12 months), but who are not currently looking because they believe there are no jobs available or there are none for which they would qualify. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of variable pay where an employer provides additional cash compensation to an employee for reasons that are not pursuant to any prior contract, agreement or promise that would lead the employee to expect the payments regularly. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any policy or action taken related to recruiting, hiring, promotion, pay or training practices that result in an unfair disadvantage to either an individual or group of individuals who are considered part of a protected class. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An information-based process involving the continuous improvement of care (prevention, treatment and management) throughout the delivery of health care. Effective disease management can mean decreased health care costs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Also known as adverse impacct; under Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) law, a less favorable effect for one group than for another. A disparate impact results when rules applied to all employees have a different and more inhibiting effect on women and minority groups than on the majority; occurs when the selection rate for a protected class is less than 80% of the rate for the class with highest selection rate; also known as adverse impact. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Such treatment results when rules or policies are applied inconsistently to one group of people over another. Discrimination may result when rules and policies are applied differently to members of protected classes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Individuals who have lost their jobs due to a plant closing, relocation, downsizing or position elimination. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Commonly used as an offset when coordinating income from multiple sources. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Factors, such as working conditions, job functions, pay and benefits or organizational policies and practices, that contribute to employee dissatisfaction. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of delivering educational or instructional programs to locations away from a classroom or site to another location by using technology, such as video or audio conferencing, computers, Web-based applications or other multimedia communications. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to incorporating incorrect items or answers into a testing instrument where the testee is asked to select from a group of items or answers (i.e., multiple choice exams). |
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Term
|
Definition
| As used in labor relations, the handing out of materials in or about the workplace. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Takes place when the parties are in conflict over the issue and the outcome represents a gain for one party and a loss for the other; each party tries to negotiate for the best possible outcome. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A broad definition of diversity ranges from personality and work style to all of the visible dimensions of diversity such as race, age, ethnicity or gender, to secondary influences such as religion, socioeconomics and education, to work diversities such as management and union, functional level and classification or proximity/distance to headquarters. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A fundamental component of a diversity initiative that represents the opportunity for an organization to inform and educate senior management and staff about diversity. The purpose of training is not only to increase awareness and understanding of workplace diversity, but also to develop concrete skills among staff that will facilitate enhanced productivity and communications among all employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A decentralized organizational structure in which divisions are separated by product, market, or region. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to written notices, records, forms, memos, letters and so forth used during disciplinary proceedings. |
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Term
| Domestic partner benefits |
|
Definition
| Benefit plan provided by an employer that recognizes individuals who are of the same or opposite sex as spousal equivalents for purposes of health care coverage. Domestic partners are typically defined of as individuals that have lived together in the same residence for a specified period, are responsible for each other's financial welfare, are not blood relatives, are at least 18 years of age, are mentally competent, are life partners and would get legally married should the option become available, are registered as domestic partners if there is a local domestic partner registry, and are not legally married to anyone else. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The use by a company of its non-unionized shops, factories, or subsidiaries for the same work contracted to its unionized facilities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to when a common owner operates a union business and a nonunion business. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of moving an employee to a job that has a lower pay grade or level of responsibility or skill. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to employees who choose to accept or remain in lower level or lower paying jobs in order to satisfy their personal and family needs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of reducing the employer’s workforce through elimination of positions, management layers, processes, functions, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Amount advanced on future commissions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An organizational policy or rule to be used by employees as a guideline as to what is considered appropriate attire for the workplace. |
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Term
| Drug abuse/substance abuse |
|
Definition
| Habitual and excessive use of a drug for purposes other than what was medically intended. |
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|
Term
Drug Free Workplace Act of
1988 |
|
Definition
| Requires some federal contractors and all federal grantees to agree that they will provide drug-free workplaces as a precondition of receiving a contract or grant from a federal agency. Although all covered contractors and grantees must maintain a drug-free workplace, the specific components necessary to meet the requirements of the Act vary based on whether the contractor or grantee is an individual or an organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of testing employees to detect the presence of illegal drugs or alcohol within their system. Drug testing can be conducted on a pre-employment, random or post-accident basis, as well as for cause or suspicion, in accordance with the employer’s policy and any governing state law. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Requires federal contractors with contracts of $100,000 or more to follow requirements to certify that they are maintaining a drug-free workplace. |
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Term
| Dual career ladders/tracks |
|
Definition
| An employee career development plan allowing employees to alternate between technical, professional or managerial positions over the course of their careers while they simultaneously receive higher compensation and gain higher status levels within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| a situation in an organization where a smaller Core Labor Force and a Peripheral Labor Force co-exist. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to union members' activities on behalf of or membership in a rival union . |
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Term
| Dual-ladder career progression |
|
Definition
| Allows employees to advance via either a management or technical track within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of conducting an intensive investigation of a corporation as one of the first steps in a pending merger or acquisition; a critical component of mergers and acquisitions, it is the process of conducting an investigation and evaluation in order to examine the details of a particular investment or purchase by obtaining sufficient and accurate information or documents that may influence the outcome of the transaction. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The substantive protections that the Constitution and statutes afford public employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Dues withholding services provided by the agency to unions that win exclusive recognition or dues withholding recognition. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Clause in an agreement that requires the employer to deduct dues directly from the payroll checks of employees who have voluntarily requested such deductions. This is a mandatory subject for bargaining. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Where employees agree in writing to an automatic deduction of dues from their paychecks. |
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Term
| Dues withholding recognition |
|
Definition
| A limited form of recognition, under which a union that can show that it has ten per cent of employees in an appropriate unit as members can qualify for the right only to negotiate a dues deduction arrangement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A clause in a collective bargaining agreement which specifies the time period in which the agreement is in effect. |
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Term
| Duty of fair representation |
|
Definition
| Requirement for unions in the representation of employee members of a unit. Failure to properly represent an employee may result in the filing of an ULP charge or a lawsuit against the union. |
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|
Term
| Duty of fair representation |
|
Definition
| Requires that unions act fairly on behalf of the employees they represent in negotiating and administering collective bargaining agreements. |
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Term
| Duty of good faith and fair dealing |
|
Definition
| A common-law tort; contracts impose this duty on each party as an obligation for honesty in the conduct of the transaction. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A common-law tort imposing on employees a duty to be loyal to the employer. |
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Term
| Duty of successor employers or unions |
|
Definition
| Mutual bargaining obligation of an employer and a union when a majority interest in a unionized company is sold to another employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the circumstances under which there is a duty to give notice and, upon request, engage in bargaining and the negotiability of specific proposals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| 1993 NLRB ruling that held certain employee committees to be illegal because Dupont management circumvented the legally chosen employee representatives and usurped the union’s right to represent their members. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employer-sponsored program that is designed to assist employees whose job performance is being adversely affected by such personal stresses as substance abuse, addictions, marital problems, family troubles, and domestic violence. For every dollar invested in an EAP, employers save approximately $5 to $16. The average annual cost for an EAP ranges from $12 to $20 per employee. Source: US Department of Labor. |
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|
Term
| EAPs (employee assistance programs) |
|
Definition
| Provide counseling and help to employees having emotional, physical, or personal problems. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A benefit plan offered by an organization providing incentives geared toward encouraging employees who are approaching retirement age to voluntarily retire prior to their normal retirement age. |
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Term
| Early return to work program |
|
Definition
| Modified work programs designed to get employees who have been out of work due to injury or illness to return to the workforce sooner by providing them with less strenuous alternative jobs until they are able to resume their full regular duties. |
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Term
| Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA) |
|
Definition
| Act that adjusts certain minimum vesting schedules, increases retirement plan compensation and contribution limits, permits catch-up contributions by participants over age 50 in certain retirement plans, and modifies distribution and rollover rules. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A strike, picket, or boycott by a union, or a lockout by an employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Work stoppage called to protest the refusal of the employer to agree to the union’s demands in negotiations. Although most often called as a result of disputes over economic matters, this can also include disputes over language clauses in a contract (i.e., seniority definition and application, union security, dues check off, etc.). |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| One of nine broad job categories used on the EEO-1 Report. They are officials & managers, professionals, technicians, sales workers, office & clerical, craft workers, operatives, laborers and service workers. |
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|
Term
| EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) |
|
Definition
| Federal agency responsible for enforcing antidiscrimination laws and handling alleged complaints. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Interpretations of Title VII expressed by the EEOC that don't have the force of law, but tend to be supported by the courts. These positions are outlined in various EEOC publications ("Discrimination Because of Religion," etc.) |
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Term
|
Definition
| The extent to which organizational or department goals have been met. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Decisions that are within management’s right to make and which management is not obligated to bargain with the union regarding but may impact mandatory subjects of bargaining. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The degree to which operations are done in an economical manner. |
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|
Term
| EGTRRA (Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that adjusts certain minimum vesting schedules, increases retirement plan compensation and contribution limits, permits catch-up contributions by participants over age 50 in certain retirement plans, and modifies distribution and rollover rules. |
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Term
| EI (employee involvement) |
|
Definition
| A planned and orderly attempt to link the shared interests of the employee and the company for their mutual benefit. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Method of determining adverse impact. Selection rates for any group that are less than 80 percent (fourfifths) of the rate for other groups is evidence of a violation of this rule. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The delivery of formal and informal training and educational materials, processes and programs via the use of electronic media. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A proceeding in which members of a bargaining unit cast secret ballots to determine which, if any, employee organization is desired to become the unit’s exclusive bargaining representative. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Agreement entered into by the agency and the union(s) competing for exclusive recognition dealing with campaign procedures, election observers, date and hours of election, challenge ballot procedures, mail balloting, position on the ballot, payroll period for voter eligibility, and the like. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A one year period following a representation election in which there can be no other elections to challenge an exclusive representative’s status. |
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Term
|
Definition
| 1992 court decision that employers must deal cautiously with employee participation committees based on the NLRB’s interpretation of what constitutes a company-dominated labor organization; used to refer to a NLRB ruling declaring that, in nonunion companies, labor management cooperation (i.e., quality circles, employee involvement programs, etc.) is illegal because the committees through which such cooperation takes place are equal to a labor organization, as defined by the NLRA. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An employee surveillance practice where items such as telephone calls or e-mail/Internet usage are observed for general business, training or performance-related reasons. |
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|
Term
| Ellerth v. Burlington Northern Industries |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that distinguished between supervisor harassment that results in tangible employment action and supervisor harassment that does not. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to a labor-management dispute that is believe to endanger the health or safety of the general public. |
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|
Term
| Emergency Exit Procedures standard |
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that provides guidelines for preparing an emergency action plan and includes specifications regarding exits and maintenance of emergency systems; also known as means of egress. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of establishing specific measures or actions to be taken when responding to catastrophic events or tragedies (i.e., fire, earthquake, severe storms, workplace violence, kidnapping, bomb threats, acts of terrorism or other emergency situations) in the workplace. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Describes the extra pay that employees receive when they are called into work during an emergency (e.g., a power outage). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Describes the mental ability an individual possesses enabling him or her to be sensitive and understanding to the emotions of others, as well as to manage his or her own emotions and impulses. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Tests used to help employers in pre-hire situations to select candidates best suited for open positions. These tests can sometimes be taken via the Internet and can provide employees with effective training, assist managers in becoming more effective, and promote people into appropriate positions. Types of assessments include those to determine personality, aptitude and skills. |
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|
Term
Employee assistance program
(EAP) |
|
Definition
| A work-based intervention program designed to identify and assist employees in resolving personal problems (i.e., marital, financial or emotional problems, family issues, substance/alcohol abuse) that may be adversely affecting the employee’s performance. |
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|
Term
| Employee Commuting Flexibility Act |
|
Definition
| An amendment to the Portal-to-Portal Act; clarifies that commuting time is not paid working time. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The means of creating a work environment that empowers employees to make decisions that affect their jobs. Also referred to as employee involvement. Further defined by the Corporate Leadership Council in the in their 2004 study, “Driving Performance and Retention Through Employee Engagement” as “the extent to which employees commit to something or someone in their organization, how hard they work, and how long they stay as a result of that commitment.” |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any employee’s concern over a perceived violation of the labor agreement that is submitted to the grievance procedure for resolution. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Also known as an employee manual; a written or electronic document containing summaries of the employer’s policies and benefits designed to familiarize employees with various matters affecting the employment relationship. |
|
|
Term
| Employee involvement (EI) |
|
Definition
| A planned and orderly attempt to link the shared interests of the employee and the company for their mutual benefit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A staffing alternative whereby employers form a joint-employment relationship with a leasing agency or professional employer organization (PEO) that takes on the responsibility for various HR-related functions, such as labor law compliance, compensation and benefits administration, recordkeeping, payroll and employment taxes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Explains major HR and employee policies and procedures and generally describes the employee benefits provided; also called employee handbook. |
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Term
Employee Polygraph Protection
Act of 1988 |
|
Definition
| Prohibits most private employers from requiring employees or candidates for employment to submit to a lie detector test. The only time an employer may ask (but not require) an employee to take a polygraph test is in the conduct of an ongoing investigation into theft, embezzlement or a similar economic loss; or if the employee had access to property that was lost and the employer has a reasonable suspicion that the employee was involved. Employees who take a polygraph test may not be discharged or suffer any other negative consequences solely on the basis of the test, without other supporting evidence. The Act strictly mandates how polygraph tests may be administered and how the results are used. |
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Term
| Employee referral program |
|
Definition
| A recruiting strategy where current employees are rewarded for referring qualified candidates for employment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A broad term used to refer to the general management and planning of activities related to developing, maintaining and improving employee relationships by communicating with employees, processing grievances/disputes, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Organizational policies and practices designed to meet the diverse needs of employees and create an environment that encourages employees to remain employed. |
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|
Term
Employee Retirement Income
Security Act (ERISA)of 1974 |
|
Definition
| ERISA sets requirements for the provision and administration of employee benefit plans. Employee benefit plans include health care benefits, profit sharing and pension plans, for example. |
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|
Term
| Employee right-to-know law |
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that requires the use of labeling, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), training, orientation for new and transferred employees, and written hazard communication program to inform employees of hazardous chemicals in the workplace; also known as Hazard Communication standard. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A program that allows employees to handle many job-related tasks normally conducted by HR departments including benefits enrollment, and updating personal information. Employees can access the information through the company's intranet, kiosks, or other Web-based applications. |
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|
Term
Employee stock ownership plan
(ESOP) |
|
Definition
| A trust established by a corporation that operates as a tax-qualified defined contribution retirement plan, but unlike traditional defined contribution plans, employer contributions are invested in the company's stock; stock bonus plans by which employees gain ownership in the organization for which they work. |
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Term
| Employee stock purchase plan |
|
Definition
| An employer-sponsored plan that allows employees to purchase company stock below the fair market value. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An instrument used to assess employee perceptions about the work environment. |
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|
Term
| Employee-driven idea system |
|
Definition
| A type of suggestion program where employees are rewarded for being ultimately responsible for the management and implementation of any idea they submitted. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Under EEOC Policy Guidelines, a person or persons engaging in an industry affecting commerce who has 15 or more employees for each working day in each of the 20 or more weeks in the preceding year or any agent thereof. Includes state and local governments, any federal agency subject to the provisions of Section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. Also includes any federal contractor or subcontractor or federally assisted construction contractor covered by Executive Order 11246, as amended. |
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|
Term
Employer information report
EEO-1 |
|
Definition
| Also known as Standard Form 100, this annual report shows the representation of female and minority employees in an employer's total workforce as well as in standard job groupings (i.e., officials and managers, professionals, etc.). This report must be filed each year by any employer with 100 or more employees (50 or more for government contractors). |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe a public or private employer whose practices, policies, benefits and overall work conditions have enabled it to successfully attract and retain talent because employees choose to work there. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An organization that provides job placement assistance, either on a temporary or permanent basis, to individuals seeking employment opportunities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An agreement between an employer and an employee that explains the employment relationship; also known as employment contract. |
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|
Term
| Employment agreement/contract |
|
Definition
| A formal, legally binding agreement between an employer and employee outlining terms of employment such as duration, compensation, benefits, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A legal doctrine that states that an employment relationship may be terminated by the employer or employee at any time and for any or no reason. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A combination of marketing, communication and technology used by an organization intended to give it greater visibility amongst a large population within a short timeframe; a basis for recruiting employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An agreement between an employer and an employee that explains the employment relationship; also known as employment agreement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Conducted annually as part of the Department of Labor’s National Compensation Survey program, the Employment Cost Index measures the relative changes in wages, benefits and bonuses for a specific group of occupations. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when an employee is terminated as a result of position elimination. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Makes the hiring decision official; should immediately follow the final decision to hire a candidate; also known as offer letter. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Any recruitment, hiring, selection practice, transfer or promotion policy, or any benefit provision or other function of the employer's employment process that operates as an analysis or screening device. |
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|
Term
Employment practices liability
audit |
|
Definition
| An assessment of an employer’s current policies and practices to determine potential areas of liability (i.e., discrimination, wrongful discharge and other violations of employee rights) typically conducted by an outside consulting or legal firm. |
|
|
Term
Employment practices liability
insurance (EPLI) |
|
Definition
| An insurance plan that provides employers with protection against claims of discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment or other employmentrelated issues made by employees, former employees or potential employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The grounds on which a lawsuit is based, such as wrongful discharge, negligence or invasion of privacy. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An immigration-issued document that allows aliens to obtain temporary residency for the purpose of pursuing employment opportunities within the United States. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A common-law principle stating that employers have the right to hire, fire, demote, and promote whomever they choose for any reason unless there is a law or contract to the contrary; a legal doctrine that states that an employment relationship may be terminated by the employer or employee at any time and for any or no reason. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Giving employees the resources, skills and authority necessary to share power with management and make decisions. Employees are then held accountable for their decisions and rewarded if appropriate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An approach whereby a bargaining agent circumvents one level of management or authority and approaches a higher level with the objective of negotiating a more advantageous agreement. |
|
|
Term
English as a second language
(ESL) |
|
Definition
| English language training provided to individuals who do not speak English as their primary language. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An employer policy or work rule that requires employees to only speak in the English language at all times while on the job or in the workplace. |
|
|
Term
| Enterprise compensation management (ECM) |
|
Definition
| The automation of the compensation process to assist organizations in the acquisition, management and optimization of its workforce. |
|
|
Term
| Enterprise resource planning (ERP) |
|
Definition
| a business management system that integrates all facets of the business, including manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance and human resources. This is slightly different than best-of-breed HRIS applications and the industry continues to debate the merits of one versus the other. With the growing popularity of web-based applications (ease of use, lower costs) ERP seems to be losing out, especially in the mid-market. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process that systematically surveys and interprets relevant data to identify external opportunities and threats. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process that systematically surveys, identifies, and interprets relevant data to identify external opportunities and threats. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Act that prohibits wage discrimination by requiring equal pay for equal work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The branch of medicine that investigates the causes and control of diseases in a population. |
|
|
Term
| Equal Eemployment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) |
|
Definition
| The federal agency responsible for publishing guidelines, enforcing EEO laws and investigating complaints of job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age or disability. |
|
|
Term
| Equal employment opportunity (EEO) |
|
Definition
| A policy statement that equal consideration for a job is applicable to all individuals and that the employer does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability or sex. |
|
|
Term
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) |
|
Definition
| Federal agency responsible for enforcing antidiscrimination laws and handling alleged complaints. |
|
|
Term
Equal employment opportunity
(EEO) |
|
Definition
| A policy statement that equal consideration for a job is applicable to all individuals and that the employer does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability or sex. |
|
|
Term
Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) |
|
Definition
| The federal agency responsible for publishing guidelines, enforcing EEO laws and investigating complaints of job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age or disability. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The seven subparagraphs in Section 202 of Executive Order 11246, as amended. These paragraphs are required to be part of all contracts covered by the executive order. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This report is sent to a substantial portion of all nonconstruction contractors each year. It requires them to provide to the OFCCP information regarding applicants, hires, promotions, terminations, compensation and tenure by race and gender. Nonconstruction contracts can expect to receive and complete this report every other year. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Act that prohibits wage discrimination by requiring equal pay for equal work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A federal law prohibiting employers from discriminating between male employees and female employees in terms of pay when they are performing jobs that are essentially the same or of comparable worth. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A legal doctrine used in discharge cases to determine whether an employer’s policies and practices are applied in a fair, consistent and nondiscriminatory manner. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Work having equal skills, equal effort, equal responsibility, and equal working conditions, all performed at the same location. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The amount of an owners’ or shareholders’ portion of a business. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The idea that people desire to be treated fairly and thus compare their own contributions to the workplace—and resulting rewards—against those of their coworkers, to determine if they are being treated fairly. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| According to section 825.215 of the FMLA regulations, an equivalent position is one that is virtually identical to the employee's former position in terms of pay, benefits and working conditions, including privileges, perquisites and status. It must involve the same or substantially similar duties and responsibilities, which must entail substantially equivalent skill, responsibility and authority. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Status given a union challenging the existing union that entitles it to equivalent access during the period preceding an election to facilities and services as that enjoyed by the existing union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Web-based software that handles the various processes included in recruiting and onboarding job candidates. These may include workforce planning, requisitioning, candidate acquisition, applicant tracking and reporting (regulatory or company analytics). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The design of the equipment, furniture, machinery or tools used in the workplace that promotes safety, efficiency and productivity and reduces discomfort and fatigue. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The science aimed at tailoring the workplace environment to avoid injury and eliminate accidents. |
|
|
Term
| ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that established the basic uniform standards that must be met by employer-sponsored pension, health, and welfare benefit programs. |
|
|
Term
| Error of central tendency |
|
Definition
| A rating error occurring when the rater displays a propensity to assign only average ratings to all individuals being rated. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An error occurring when raters assign ratings based on comparisons between individuals being rated instead of using previously established organizational standards. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A rating error occurring when the rater assigns a rating based on individuals’ positive or negative characteristics. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when no established organizational standards for rating an individual exist, and raters use different strategies for assigning ratings. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An error in rating, which occurs when raters are inclined to allow their own personal characteristics or values to affect the ratings they assign. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when raters assign a rating based on the individual’s short-term versus long-term job performance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when a rating is assigned based on impracticable standards established by the rater. |
|
|
Term
| Errors and omissions insurance |
|
Definition
| An insurance policy providing businesses with coverage and protection against potential lawsuits from clients or customers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A provision of a contract which calls for an increase in price in the event of an increase in certain costs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A clause in a contract that specifies the conditions under which the guarantor is relieved of liability for failure to meet the terms of the contract. |
|
|
Term
| ESOPs (employee stock-ownership plans) |
|
Definition
| Stock bonus plans by which employees gain ownership in the organization for which they work. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An appraisal strategy requiring the rater to provide a narrative description of an individual’s performance based on the rater’s performance observations. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The primary job duties that a qualified individual must be able to perform, either with or without accommodation; a function may be considered essential because it is required in a job or because it is highly specialized. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The primary job functions or tasks that an individual must be able to perform with or without a reasonable accommodation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Broadly defined, as the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and promotion of such conduct among followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making processes (M.E Brown and L.K. Trevino, Measures for Leadership Development Ethical Leadership Scale) |
|
|
Term
| Ethical Practices Committee |
|
Definition
| A body within the AFL-CIO charged with the task of keeping the AFL-CIO “free from any taint of corruption or communism”. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A philosophy principle concerned with opinions about appropriate and inappropriate moral conduct or behavior by an individual or social group. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A system of moral principles and values that establish appropriate conduct. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A grouping of individuals who are of the following decent: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and White. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Final stage of the ADDIE model; a systematic collection of descriptive and judgmental information necessary to make effective decisions related to the selection, adoption, value, and modification of various HRD programs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Clause in a collective bargaining agreement that automatically extends a contract for a set period of time if the procedures for terminating or modifying an agreement are not initiated. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The list of names and addresses of employees eligible to vote in a union election. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| List the employer has to provide the union with the names and addresses of certain employees within seven days after the direction of or consent to an election. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Either party to arbitration may file with the Federal Labor relations Authority an appeal to an arbitrator’s award because the award is contrary to any law, rule or regulation or on other grounds similar to those applied by Federal courts in private sector labor-management relations. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Nonqualified deferred compensation plans that provide benefits to selected management or highly compensated employees beyond Section 401 or 415 limitations. |
|
|
Term
| Excess group-term life insurance |
|
Definition
| Amount of employer-provided group-term life insurance over $50,000. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A balancing test that the FLRA applies to proposals that are arrangements for employees adversely affected by the exercise of management’s rights in order to determine whether they are negotiable appropriate arrangements. |
|
|
Term
| Exclusive bargaining rights |
|
Definition
| The right of a union which has been certified by the National Labor Relations Board or other government agency to be the only union representing a particular bargaining unit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The rights a union is accorded as a result of being certified as the exclusive representative of the employees in a bargaining unit include, among other things, the right to negotiate bargainable aspects of the conditions of employment of bargaining unit employees, to be afforded an opportunity to be present at formal discussions, to free checkoff arrangements and, at the request of the employee, to be present at Weingarten examinations. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The union that is certified as the exclusive representative of a unit of employees either by virtue of having won a representation election or because it had been recognized as the exclusive representative before passage of the CSRA. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the right of an employee organization to be the sole representative for all employees in a particular bargaining unit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to define the highest-ranking individual or group of individuals reporting to a board of directors who have managerial or administrative authority for the business operations of the entire organization, business unit, or function. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Executive coaching is a professional relationship between a Coach and an Executive, or an Executive Team. The goal is to assist executives with positive leadership development. It can be provided in one-on-one sessions or via the Internet. |
|
|
Term
| Executive Committee, AFL-CIO |
|
Definition
| An advisory and policy-making body of the AFL-CIO comprised of the president and secretary-treasurer and six vice presidents selected by the Executive Council to carry on the work of the AFL-CIO in between meetings. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Compensation packages specifically designed for executive-level employees that include items such as base salary, bonuses, perquisites and other personal benefits, stock options and other related compensation and benefit provisions. |
|
|
Term
| Executive Council, AFL-CIO |
|
Definition
| A body within the AFL-CIO comprised of the president and secretary-treasurer and twenty-seven vice presidents designated as the governing body of the organization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Training and educational programs designed to increase performance and further the development of leadership skills for executive and senior-level managerial employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An official presidential directive that has the same force as a law. |
|
|
Term
| Executive Order 11246 of 1965 |
|
Definition
| Administered and enforced by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Executive Order 11246 prohibits federal contractors and federally-assisted construction contractors and subcontractors, who do over $10,000 in government business in one year, from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The Executive Order also requires government contractors to take affirmative action to ensure that equal opportunity is provided in all aspects of their employment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Labor-management relations in the Federal Service are governed by Executive Order 11491. The essence of the Order is for representatives of an agency and representatives of labor organization representing employees of the agency to meet, and confer in good faith with respect to personnel policies and practices and matters affecting working conditions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Requires federal agencies to take affirmative action in support of women’s business enterprises. |
|
|
Term
| Executive Orders 11246, 11375, 11478 |
|
Definition
| Require federal contractors and subcontractors with contracts in excess of $10,000 during any 12-month period to comply with Title VII and to take positive, results-oriented steps to eliminate employment barriers to women and minorities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program designed to provide displaced senior-level managerial and professional employees with career management and transition services that go above and beyond what is typically offered through a customary outplacement program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A team building and development approach designed for executive-level managers; conducted off-site and typically lasts from a few days to a week. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An agency or organization used by employers to assist them with the selection and placement of candidates for senior-level managerial or professional positions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| External recruiting method; firms seek out candidates, usually for executive, managerial, or professional positions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Employees who meet one of the FLSA exemption tests and who are paid on a fixed salary basis and not entitled to overtime. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The final meeting between management, usually someone in the HR department, and an employee leaving the company. Information on why the employee is leaving is gathered to gain insight into work conditions and possible changes or solutions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An employee who is transferred to work abroad on a long-term job assignment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Persons who live in one country and are employed by an organization based in another country; also called international assignees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A motivational theory concluding that individuals feel a sense of pleasure and gratification when they have completed a challenging task and therefore are generally more motivated. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An effort to streamline the arbitration hearing by reducing both time and cost. Transcripts and post-arbitration hearing briefs are usually eliminated. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Bases employer unemployment insurance on the employer’s number of terminated workers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The use of tests to explore what is not directly observed. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Designs that include random selection for the simultaneous testing of experimental and control groups for comparison. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A common-law tort implying that a contract need not be in writing to be enforceable; an express oral contract can be created when an employer and an employee exchange promises related to employment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of comparing an organization’s current policies and practices to that of a competitor organization(s) to determine current and future trends in areas of employment and business practice (i.e., compensation, benefits, HR practices). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when an organization’s pay rates are at least equal to market rates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Organizationally controlled incentives, such as pay, benefits, incentives, achievement awards, etc., used to reinforce motivation and increase performance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Work-related rewards that have a measurable monetary value, unlike intrinsic rewards, such as praise or satisfaction in a job well done. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Making a decision regarding the appropriateness of a test or other assessment instrument based on appearance rather than objective criteria. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When the mediator may act as an observer, helping each side to talk; the parties talk to the mediator without losing face by presenting an alternative directly to the other party. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A trainer who assists a group in learning or reaching a specific goal by directing and controlling the group process and allowing the group to work collectively to resolve problems and come up with solutions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of utilizing an impartial third party, not employed by the organization, to examine all pertinent facts surrounding a complaint. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An informal meeting directed by the EEOC to settle discrimination complaints between an employer and the plaintiff. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of utilizing an impartial third party, not employed by the organization, to examine all pertinent facts surrounding a complaint. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An ADR option; allows for an impartial third person (or team) external to the organization to examine a complaint and the facts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When the mediator collects data about the parties and restates their positions; may bring to light new considerations not otherwise recognized by the parties. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A job comparison process involving ranking each individual job by certain selected compensable factors to establish appropriate values to be used in determining pay rates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Job comparison method that involves the ranking of jobs on selected compensable factors, using factor weights and dollar values to determine a score. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Used in the job evaluation process, it is the process of assigning a weight to compensable factors to determine their relative worth. |
|
|
Term
| Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) |
|
Definition
| Protects the privacy of background information and ensures that the information supplied is accurate; imposes legal obligations on employers who use credit and other third-party background reports. |
|
|
Term
Fair Credit Reporting Act
(FCRA) of 1969 |
|
Definition
| The FCRA requires employers that use credit reports and that deny employment on the basis of a credit report to so notify the applicant and to provide the name and address of the consumer reporting agency used. |
|
|
Term
| Fair Employment Practice laws (FEP) |
|
Definition
| Federal, state and municipal laws designed to bar discrimination in conditions of employment. |
|
|
Term
| Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) |
|
Definition
| An act that covers public agencies and businesses engaged in interstate commerce or providing goods and services for commerce. The FLSA provides guidelines on employment status, child labor, minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping requirements. It determines which employees are exempt from the Act (not covered by it) and which are nonexempt (covered by the Act). It establishes wage and time requirements when minors can work. It sets the minimum wage that must be paid and mandates when overtime must be paid. |
|
|
Term
| Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) |
|
Definition
| Act that regulates employee overtime status (exempt and nonexempt), child labor, minimum wage, overtime pay, record keeping, and other administrative concerns. |
|
|
Term
Fair Labor Standards Act
(FLSA) of 1938 |
|
Definition
| An act that covers public agencies and businesses engaged in interstate commerce or providing goods and services for commerce. The FLSA provides guidelines on employment status, child labor, minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping requirements. It determines which employees are exempt from the Act (not covered by it) and which are nonexempt (covered by the Act). It establishes wage and time requirements when minors can work. It sets the minimum wage that must be paid and mandates when overtime must be paid. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This term means that a trade union, so long as it continues to be entitled to represent employees in a bargaining unit, may not act in a manner that is arbitrary, discriminatory or in bad faith in the representation of any employees in the unit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Means that a union’s conduct may not be arbitrary, discriminatory, or in bad faith. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The sum a nonmember is obligated by a provision in a collective bargaining agreement to give to a union in order to support the union’s collective bargaining activities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Provision of the Copyright Act that allows the use of copyrighted work in certain circumstances. |
|
|
Term
| Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) |
|
Definition
| Act that provides employees with the opportunity to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for family members or because of a serious health condition of the employee. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Used to define changes to an individuals existing family standing. Typically found in health care benefit plans covered by section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code. IRC 125, does not allow individuals enrolled in a covered benefit plan to make election changes to their existing benefits coverage outside of the plans annual open enrollment period, unless a qualifying change in family or employment status, defined by the IRS as a "Qualified Family Status Change" has occurred (i.e. marriage, divorce, legal separation, death, birth/adoption, changes in employment status, cessation of dependent status, or a significant change in cost or reduction of benefits.) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A policy or practice designed to help families spend more time together and/or enjoy a better quality of life. |
|
|
Term
| Faragher v. City of Boca Raton |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that distinguished between supervisor harassment that results in tangible employment action and supervisor harassment that does not. |
|
|
Term
| FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) |
|
Definition
| Private body that decides how financial executives should report their firms’ financial information to their shareholders. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Career development programs that involve identifying a pool of potential leaders and rapidly increasing their leadership skill development. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe employees who have exhibited strong potential for promotion and are being primed for higher level professional or technical positions within the organization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An organization with a structure consisting of several layers of management. |
|
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Term
| FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) |
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Definition
| Prohibits American companies from making corrupt payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. |
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Term
| FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) |
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Definition
| Protects the privacy of background information and ensures that the information supplied is accurate; imposes legal obligations on employers who use credit and other third-party background reports. |
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Term
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Definition
| A study designed to discover if a business, product, project or process justify the investment of time, money and other resources. |
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Term
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Definition
| An unfair labor practice occurring when a union requires an employer to pay an employee for services he or she did not perform. |
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Term
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Definition
| When unions try to require the employment of more workers than is necessary. |
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Term
| Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) |
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Definition
| An independent, bipartisan commission, similar to the NLRB; primary function is to administer the many provisions of the various executive orders that fall under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A local union chartered by the AFL-CIO over which no affiliated national or international union has claimed jurisdiction. |
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Term
| Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) |
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Definition
| Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service |
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Term
| Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) |
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Definition
| Established by the LMRA to offer assistance in contract settlement and to maintain a list of arbitrators to help interpret contract language and resolve disputes. |
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Term
| Federal Services Impasse Panel (FSIP) |
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Definition
| An entity within the FLRA that resolves bargaining impasses, chiefly by ordering the parties to adopt certain contractual provisions relating to the conditions of employment of unit employees. |
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Term
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Definition
| Positive or negative information provided to an individual in the form of coaching or counseling regarding his or her performance or behavior. |
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Term
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Definition
| The amount of clear information received about how well or how poorly one’s job has been performed. |
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Term
| Fee-for-service health-care plan |
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Definition
| Full-choice health-care plan that allows covered employees to go to any qualified physician or hospital and submit claims to the insurance company. |
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Term
| Fetal protection policies |
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Definition
| Attempts to protect the fetus from workplace hazards. |
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Term
| Field Advisory Services (FAS) |
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Definition
| The FAS Labor and Employee Relations Branch provides technical advisory service to operational civilian personnel offices on clarification of laws, government-wide regulations, case law, and Department of Defense policy on labor and employee relations matters. |
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Term
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Definition
| An individual employed by the NLRB who has the responsibility to conduct certification elections and carry out investigations of unfair labor practice claims. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employment interview conducted away from the employer’s actual worksite. |
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Term
| Final- offer interest arbitration |
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Definition
| A technique for resolving bargaining impasses in which the arbitrator is forced to choose among the final positions of the parties--rather than order adoption of some intermediate position. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of formula used to determine retirement plan payments based on the average earnings during a specified number of years. |
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Term
| Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) |
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Definition
| Private body that decides how financial executives should report their firms’ financial information to their shareholders. |
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Term
| Financial core membership |
|
Definition
| Ultimate requirement of a union security clause. Employees may be required to pay dues and initiation fees to a union but cannot be compelled to actually join the union and be subject to the union’s constitution, bylaws, rules, and trial procedures. The member may be charged a fee based on the union’s cost of representation of the member, such as a prorated share of the cost of contract negotiations, cost of grievance and arbitration representation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A report containing financial information derived from an organizational accounting record. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of interviewer bias; the interviewer makes snap judgments and lets his or her first impression (either positive or negative) cloud the entire interview. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to company practices which are which are self sustaining and environmentally friendly. |
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Term
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Definition
| A document provided by a medical practitioner following a post-offer medical examination containing information used by the employer to determine a candidate’s ability to perform the functions of a job. Also used to refer to documents or notes from medical providers releasing individuals under their care to resume full or modified duties following a leave of absence due to illness or injury. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employee agrees to work for a fixed term—until a certain date, at the completion of a project, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe an invariable year such as a calendar or fiscal year. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An organization characterized by having only a few layers of management from top to bottom |
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Term
|
Definition
| Type of formula used in determining retirement plan payments where the employer pays a set dollar amount for each year of service under the plan. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Provides each incumbent of a job with the same rate of pay, regardless of performance or seniority; also known as single-rate pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A benefit program regulated under IRC 125 that offers employees a choice between permissible taxable benefits (including cash) and nontaxable benefits such as life and health insurance, vacations, retirement plans and child/dependent care. Although a common core of benefits may be required, the employee may determine how his or her remaining benefits dollars are allocated for each type of benefit from the total amount offered by the employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An alternative work arrangement providing employees with greater flexibility in meeting their own personal needs by allowing them to work nontraditional schedules (i.e., compressed workweek, summer hours or flextime). |
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Term
| Flexible spending account (FSA) |
|
Definition
| FSAs allow employees to set aside a portion of their earnings on a pre-tax basis into separate spending accounts to fund allowable health care and/or dependent day care expenses. The funds must be segregated as per IRS regulations. |
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|
Term
| Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) |
|
Definition
| Type of Section 125 plan that allows employees to use pretax dollars to pay for certain out-of-pocket health and dependent-care expenses. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Uses recruiting sources and workers who are not regular employees; also known as alternative staffing. |
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Term
| Flexible work arrangements |
|
Definition
| Schedules that allow employees to structure their work hours around their personal responsibilities. Examples include flextime, job sharing, telecommuting and a compressed workweek. Home sourcing has become a popular flexible work concept in recent years. In this arrangement, employees work full-time from their homes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Variable work hours requiring employees to work a standard number of core hours within a specified period of time, allowing employees greater flexibility in their starting and ending times. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Requires employees to work an established number of hours per week but allows starting and ending times to vary. |
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|
Term
| FLRA (Federal Labor Relations Authority) |
|
Definition
| An independent, bipartisan commission, similar to the NLRB; primary function is to administer the many provisions of the various executive orders that fall under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. |
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|
Term
| FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that regulates employee overtime status (exempt and nonexempt), child labor, minimum wage, overtime pay, record keeping, and other administrative concerns. |
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|
Term
| FMCS (Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service) |
|
Definition
| Established by the LMRA to offer assistance in contract settlement and to maintain a list of arbitrators to help interpret contract language and resolve disputes. |
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|
Term
| FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that provides employees with the opportunity to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for family members or because of a serious health condition of the employee. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A small group of individuals who are interviewed through structured facilitator-led discussions in order to solicit opinions, thoughts and ideas about a particular subject or topic area. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A small group of employees (normally six to twelve) invited to actively participate in a structured discussion with a facilitator. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An appraisal rating method intended to prevent rater errors by requiring the rater to force ratings into a bellshaped curve. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Also known as a vitality curve, this is a system of work performance evaluation in which employees are compared against each other instead of against fixed standards. Based on the “20/80 Rule” idea, that 20 percent of employees do 80 percent of the meaningful, productive work, the top 20 percent of workers are rewarded and, oftentimes, the bottom 10 percent are fired. |
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Term
|
Definition
| In test construction, used to define multiple-choice tests or questionnaires requiring the testee to choose an answer from a collection of possible answers. Also refers to a performance appraisal strategy where the appraisal is divided into several sections, and the rater is then provided with a few performance descriptors for each section and asked to select the most and least characteristic statement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A business analysis conducted in order to assess what future trends are likely to happen, especially in connection with a particular situation, function, practice or process that is likely to affect the organization’s business operations. |
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Term
| Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) |
|
Definition
| Prohibits American companies from making corrupt payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A discussion between an agency representative(s) and a bargaining unit employee(s) concerning any grievance or any personnel policy or practice or other condition of employment which affects bargaining unit employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Form of budgeting in which an average cost is applied to comparable expenses and general funding is changed by a specific amount. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Bargaining that takes place at a department or unit level which may lead to an unwritten consensus to ignore certain provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. |
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Term
| Fraudulent misrepresentation |
|
Definition
| A common-law tort; defined as intentional deception relied upon by and resulting in injury to another person. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to an employee who is eligible for union membership but chooses not to join the union. |
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Term
|
Definition
| As set forth in the NLRA, “The expressing of any views, argument, or opinion, or the dissemination thereof, whether in written, printed, graphic, or visual form, shall not constitute or be evidence of an ULP under any of the provisions of this Act, if such expression contains no threat of reprisal or force or promise of benefit.” |
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Term
|
Definition
| The right of workers to join a union and to bargain collectively. This right is protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act of 1993. |
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Term
Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) of 1966 |
|
Definition
| A federal law providing guidelines for access and disclosure of government documents and materials to the general public. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Listing of grouped data from highest to lowest. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Shows the number of people or organizations associated with data organized in a frequency distribution. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to unemployment that is always present in the economy, resulting from temporary transitions made by workers and employers or from workers and employers having inconsistent or incomplete information. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Employment benefits granted to employees in addition to their current base salary or wages (i.e., cash, merchandise, services, health insurance, pension plans, holidays, paid vacations, etc.). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Employment benefits granted to employees in addition to their current base salary or wages (i.e., cash, merchandise, services, health insurance, pension plans, holidays, paid vacations, etc.). |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe a labor contract that provides for higher wage increases during the early part of a multiyear agreement. |
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|
Term
| FSAs (flexible spending accounts) |
|
Definition
| Type of Section 125 plan that allows employees to use pretax dollars to pay for certain out-of-pocket health and dependent-care expenses. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of Section 125 plans that allow employees to choose from a menu of benefits and allocate pretax dollars to pay for those benefits. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A regulation that sets forth the minimum number of workers that are required to perform a given operation. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A term that basically means “zero unemployment” or an employment level which any individual who is willing to work is able to find gainful employment. |
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|
Term
| Full-time equivalent (FTE) |
|
Definition
| A value assigned to signify the number of full-time employees that could have been employed if the reported number of hours worked by part-time employees had been worked by full-time employees instead. |
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|
Term
| Fully insured health-care plan |
|
Definition
| Health-care plan in which the employer pays a third-party provider to assume all costs for health-care coverage for its employees. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A benefit plan where the employer contracts with another organization to assume financial responsibility for the enrollees’ medical claims and for all incurred administrative costs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, functional job analysis is a method of gathering specific and detailed job information. This information can be used to write job descriptions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A centralized and specialized organizational structure that is arranged by business function. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group of employees who are responsible for a particular function within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the employment contract restrictions used as a means of protecting the organization’s trade secrets or proprietary information. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Group incentives where a portion of the gains an organization realizes from group efforts is shared with the group. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Project planning tool that graphically displays activities of a project in sequential order and plots them against time. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A group incentive plan used to enhance productivity by sharing with a group a percentage of the gains the organization realizes from specific group efforts. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The rights available to any public employee, under the 5th Amendment against self-incrimination in a criminal context. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Individual, usually a primary-care physician, who is given control of patient access to specialists and services in a managed care organization. |
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|
Term
| GDP (gross domestic product) |
|
Definition
| An estimate of the total value of goods and services produced in a country in a given year. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual appointed by the President to the FLRA. The General Counsel is responsible for investigating Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) allegations, filing and prosecuting ULP complaints and exercising other powers prescribed by the FLRA. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A statement in the Occupational Safety and Health Act that requires employers subject to OSHA to provide employees with a safe and healthy work environment. |
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|
Term
| General Schedule (GS) system |
|
Definition
| System used by the federal government to classify jobs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A strike action by all or most of the employees in a specific community, city, region or country. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An individual who possesses the capabilities to perform more than one diversified function, rather then specializing in or having responsibility for one specific function. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe children born after 1994 who are growing up in the Internet age. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe individuals born between 1965 and 1980. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Describes the group of people born roughly between the years of 1965 and 1980. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe individuals born between 1985 and the present. |
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|
Term
| Genetic-based discrimination |
|
Definition
| The practice of requesting or requiring genetic testing information during the hiring process or using genetic testing information to base any other employment decisions or actions. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Pay based on where an employee works. |
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|
Term
| Geographical differential |
|
Definition
| The variance in pay established for same or comparable jobs based on variations in labor and costs of living among other geographic regions. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Term used to describe the strong but invisible career barriers that sometimes exist for minorities and women. |
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|
Term
| Glass ceiling act of 1991 |
|
Definition
| An act meant to raise public awareness regarding the underutilization of females and minorities in certain positions within the U.S. workforce and eliminate barriers preventing advancement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Pay practices relating to employees who are working on assignments in international locations. A service premium and additional incentives are often included in the compensation package to offset differences in taxes and cost of living. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of transferring an individual’s residence from the United States to a foreign country for the purpose of completing an international job assignment. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe increasingly mobile organizations that are performing their operations in foreign countries. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A statement outlining the long-term results, accomplishments or objectives an organization seeks to attain. |
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Term
|
Definition
| How well a contractor has progressed toward meeting employment or promotion targets set to correct underutilization of protected class members. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of setting and assigning a set of specific and attainable goals to be met by an individual, group or organization. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe individuals such as scientists, engineers and other highly skilled employees who are in high demand and short supply. |
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Term
|
Definition
| System of overlapping short- and long-term incentives to make it less likely that key employees will leave the company. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Clauses written into executive contracts that provide special payments to key executives who might lose their position or be otherwise disadvantaged if another company took control of the organization through a merger or acquisition; also known as parachutes. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A requirement of the Employment Relations Act of 2000 that all parties to a contract conduct negotiations with a willingness to reach an agreement on new contract terms. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The effort and action an organization puts forth to correct goals and specific problem areas. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Generally means that both parties enter into discussion with fair and open minds and a sincere desire to arrive at an agreement. |
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|
Term
| Government-wide regulations |
|
Definition
| Regulations issued by an agency bearing on conditions of employment that must be complied with by other agencies. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A system by which qualified retirement plan participants become incrementally vested over a period of years of service. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A provision of a contract exempting employees who are on the employer’s payroll prior to a specified date will not be subject to the terms of the new contract. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An informal communication channel used to transmit information or rumors from one person to another. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A card issued in accordance with immigration laws to an alien granting him or her the right to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, including the right to work legally. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Describe a situation where an employee’s pay is below the minimum of the range. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A new operation that is built from “the ground up”. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A formal complaint or allegation by an employee or group of employees made to unfair treatment or violation of a union contract. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Also referred to as grievance mediation, it is a proactive, voluntary process, which utilizes an arbitrator to assist and issue a binding resolution of grievances over the application or interpretation of a collective bargaining agreement. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The process and guidelines to be followed by employees, management or the union when resolving differences or conflicts. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Process that provides an orderly way to resolve the inevitable differences of opinion in regard to the union contract. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| 1971 case that recognized adverse impact discrimination. |
|
|
Term
| Gross domestic product (GDP) |
|
Definition
| An estimate of the total value of goods and services produced in a country in a given year. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The total earnings before taxes; includes regular wages plus additional earnings such as tips, bonuses, and overtime pay. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An action so serious that it calls for the immediate dismissal of an employee. Examples include fighting, drunkenness, harassment of others and theft. |
|
|
Term
| Gross national product (GNP) |
|
Definition
| The total dollar value of all final goods and services produced for consumption in society during a particular time period. Its rise or fall measures economic activity based on the labor and production output within a country. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The difference between the price a certain product is sold at and the cost of producing the product. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Measures the difference between what it costs to produce a product and what an organization is selling it for. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The way that people interact within a group that determines how it functions and how effective the group is. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A grievance signed by many people in a workplace in order to show management that members are collectively opposed to a management's action. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An interviewing method where a prospective employee is interviewed by a small group of his or her peers. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Used as a cost-cutting measure, it incorporates the same principles as individual outplacement benefits (i.e., providing job counseling, training and other services to displaced employees) with the exception that counseling is performed on a group vs. individual basis. |
|
|
Term
| Group-term life insurance |
|
Definition
| Form of insurance carried by employers for their employees that provides a lump-sum payment to the employees’ beneficiaries. |
|
|
Term
| GS (General Schedule) system |
|
Definition
| System used by the federal government to classify jobs. |
|
|
Term
| Guaranteed annual wage plan (GAW) |
|
Definition
| A formal arrangement whereby an employer agrees to provide employees with a guaranteed minimum of income for a particular year. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Point-factor job evaluation system developed by Hay Associates, a large consulting organization; also known as the Hay Plan. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A form of interviewer bias, occurring when the interviewer rates or judges an individual based on the individual’s positive or strongest traits, allowing their overall perception of the person to overshadow any negative traits. Referred to as the “halo effect” when it works in the candidate’s favor or the “horn effect” when it works against the candidate. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The distribution of literature on or about an employer’s premises, usually by a union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Based on the definition provided by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, an individual is "handicapped" if he or she has: a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities; has a record of such; is regarded as having such impairment. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 amended this definition to exclude individuals who are currently engaged in the use of illegal drugs. Individuals who are rehabilitated drug users or engaged in a supervised drug rehabilitation program and are no longer using drugs are also covered by the definition. The term “individual with handicaps” does not include any individual whose current use of alcohol prevents such an individual from performing the duties of the job in question or whose employment, by reason of such current alcohol abuse, would constitute a direct threat to property or the safety of others. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Conduct or actions, based on race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, military membership or veteran status, severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile, abusive or intimidating work environment for a reasonable person. State laws may further define harassment to include additional protections, such as sexual orientation, marital status, transsexualism or cross-dressing, political affiliation, criminal record, prior psychiatric treatment, occupation, citizenship status, personal appearance, "matriculation," tobacco use outside work, Appalachian origin, receipt of public assistance or dishonorable discharge from the military. |
|
|
Term
| Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc. |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that ultimately established the reasonable person standard in a sexual harassment case. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term produced as a result of an experiment conducted by Elton Mayo whereby he concluded that expressing concern for employees and treating them in a manner that fulfills their basic human needs and wants will ultimately result in better performance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Point-factor job evaluation system developed by Hay Associates, a large consulting organization; also known as the Guide Chart-Profile. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An incident without adequate controls applied. |
|
|
Term
| Hazard Communication standard |
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that requires the use of labeling, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), training, orientation for new and transferred employees, and written hazard communication program to inform employees of hazardous chemicals in the workplace; also known as employee right-to-know law. |
|
|
Term
Hazard Communication
Standard of 1988 |
|
Definition
| An occupational safety and health standard intended to comprehensively address the issue of evaluating the potential hazards of chemicals and communicating information concerning hazards and appropriate protective measures to employees. Such communication may include, but is not limited to: developing and maintaining a written hazard communication program for the workplace, including lists of hazardous chemicals present; labeling of containers of chemicals in the workplace, as well as of containers of chemicals being shipped to other workplaces; preparation and distribution of material safety data sheets to employees; and development and implementation of employee training programs regarding hazards of chemicals and protective measures. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A special payment made in addition to an individual’s salary for accepting assignments at locations where there is threat of physical danger or for performing positions that are hazardous to the individual’s health and well-being. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to pay earned by employees who work in an environment that is considered more risky from a safety or health point of view. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A bloodborne pathogen that affects the liver. |
|
|
Term
| HCE (highly compensated employee) |
|
Definition
| Determined by an array of issues such as business ownership (employee owns at least 5% of the firm) and/or salary (for 2002, exceeds $90,000 per year). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to average number of people employed directly by the company on a full-time and part-time basis. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A state of well-being, free of illness or disease. |
|
|
Term
Health care flexible spending
account (FSA) |
|
Definition
| A benefit plan designed to allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible medically related expenses, such as medical, vision or dental exams, copays and deductibles, as well as other out-of-pocket expenses. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Any hospital, convalescent hospital, health maintenance organization, health clinic, nursing home, extended care facility, or other institution devoted to the care of the sick, infirm, or aged persons. |
|
|
Term
| Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) |
|
Definition
| Act that made changes to improve health-care coverage portability and accessibility. |
|
|
Term
Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act
(HIPAA )of 1996 |
|
Definition
| The Act was enacted to make health insurance more "portable" from one employer to another. The law mandates procedures for both new hires and for existing employees who are leaving the company. Employees who are new to a company can use evidence of previous health care coverage that is provided by their former employer to reduce or eliminate the new employer's preexisting condition requirements. Employees who are leaving a company must be provided a certificate of prior creditable health care coverage to use for this purpose. The law includes other provisions regarding restrictions on preexisting conditions, special enrollment rights and privacy rights and protections. |
|
|
Term
| Health insurance purchasing cooperative (HIPC) |
|
Definition
| Purchases health-care plans for large groups of employers to provide small businesses the economic advantages large companies have. |
|
|
Term
| Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) |
|
Definition
| Form of health care that provides services for a fixed period on a prepaid basis. |
|
|
Term
| Health savings accounts (HSA) |
|
Definition
| A tax-free account that can be used by employees to pay for qualified medical expenses. Contributions do not have to be spent the year they are deposited. Money in the account earns interest and accumulates tax free, so the funds can be used now and in the future. If an employee leaves the job, he or she can take the account with him or her and continue to use it to pay for qualified healthcare expenses. To be eligible for a Health Savings Account, an individual must be covered by a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), must not be covered by other health insurance (does not apply to specific injury insurance and accident, disability, dental care, vision care, long-term care), is not eligible for Medicare and can’t be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return. |
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Term
| Hearing conservation standard |
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Definition
| An OSHA standard that requires employers to reduce noise levels in the workplace if they exceed OSHA standard; also known as Occupational Noise Exposure standard. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual hired by an employer to take testimony and issue recommendations to the Commission in unfair practice claims. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A theory created by psychologist Abraham Maslow that states humans constantly strive to meet a series of needs, going from physical (food and shelter) all the way to spiritual (self-actualization). |
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Term
|
Definition
| A bloodborne pathogen that affects the liver. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Disabilities which are not of a visible nature, such as learning disorders, alcohol abuse, depression, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The unemployment or underemployment of workers that is not reflected in official unemployment statistics because of the way they are compiled. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A psychology theory ascribed to Abraham H. Maslow, in which he proposed that people will constantly seek to have their basic needs (sleep, food, water, shelter, etc.) fulfilled and that such needs ultimately determine behavior. |
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Term
| Highly compensated employee |
|
Definition
| For the purposes of retirement plans, a highly compensated employee is defined by the IRS as an employee who owns 5% or more of a company or receives compensation in excess of a predetermined amount. To qualify for tax advantages, retirement plans cannot be overly favorable to highly compensated employees. The definition of HCE is crucial in determining whether plan benefits are allocated to HCEs in a discriminatory manner compared to nonhighly compensated employees. |
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Term
| Highly compensated employee (HCE) |
|
Definition
| Determined by an array of issues such as business ownership (employee owns at least 5% of the firm) and/or salary (for 2002, exceeds $90,000 per year). |
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Term
| HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that made changes to improve health-care coverage portability and accessibility. |
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Term
| HIPC (health insurance purchasing cooperative) |
|
Definition
| Purchases health-care plans for large groups of employers to provide small businesses the economic advantages large companies have. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A union-operated placement office where jobs are allotted to applicants according to seniority or rotation. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Graphic representation of the distribution of a single type of measurement; data is represented by a series of rectangles of varying heights, with the rectangles usually touching. |
|
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Term
| HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) |
|
Definition
| A virus that may lead to the development of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). |
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|
Term
| HMOs (health maintenance organizations) |
|
Definition
| Form of health care that provides services for a fixed period on a prepaid basis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employee who works from a home office rather than at a physical workspace at the employer’s location. |
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Term
| Honesty/integrity testing |
|
Definition
| Tests used to assess an individual’s propensity for dishonest conduct or behavior (i.e., stealing or lying). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Paper-and-pencil measures of applicants’ propensity toward undesirable behaviors such as lying, stealing, taking drugs, or abusing alcohol. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Also known as job rotation, it is a job enlargement method whereby employees are shifted between various comparable jobs in an effort to prevent boredom and boost morale. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A flat organizational structure that consists of fewer hierarchal levels. Such organizational structures often rely on the use of cross-functional teams. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Also referred to as a craft union, refers to an approach to union organizing that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the particular craft or trade that they work in. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of interviewer bias, occurring when the interviewer rates or judges an individual based on the individual’s positive or strongest traits, allowing their overall perception of the person to overshadow any negative traits. Referred to as the “halo effect” when it works in the candidate’s favor or the “horn effect” when it works against the candidate. |
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Term
| Hostile environment harassment |
|
Definition
| Harassment that occurs when sexual or other discriminatory conduct is so severe and pervasive that it interferes with an individual’s performance, creates an intimidating, threatening, or humiliating work environment, or perpetuates a situation that affects the employee’s psychological well-being. |
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|
Term
Hostile environment
harassment |
|
Definition
| Sexual or other discriminatory conduct that is so severe and pervasive that it interferes with an individual’s ability to perform the job, creates an intimidating, offensive, threatening or humiliating work environment or causes a situation where a person’s psychological well-being is adversely affected. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A leveraged purchase of a company that goes against the wishes of the target company's management and board of directors. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A clause in union contract that allows employees to refuse to handle or work on goods shipped from a struck employer or to provide services to an employer listed on a union unfair practices list. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Agreement that union members were not required to handle goods made by nonunion labor or a struck plant; illegal except for provisions in the construction and clothing industries. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A method of saving office space in which workers do not have their own desk but share the same desk at different times during the day or week. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of not assigning offices on a permanent basis to individuals who telecommute. Instead, offices are assigned by calling in and reserving an office or workstation in advance. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employee who is paid by the hour and who must be paid overtime under the FLSA or a state wage hour statute. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Form of base pay that is dependent on the number of hours worked. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A periodic measurement of human resources effectiveness, conducted by internal staff or with the use of an HR audit system. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A process to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of programs and positions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who is able to perform more than one diversified human resources function, rather than specializing in one specific function |
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|
Term
| HRD (human resource development) |
|
Definition
| Set of systematic and planned activities designed by an organization to provide its members with the necessary skills to meet current and future job demands. |
|
|
Term
| HRIS (human resource information system) |
|
Definition
| A systematic tool for gathering, storing, maintaining, retrieving, and revising HR data. |
|
|
Term
| HRM (human resource management) |
|
Definition
| The design of formal systems in an organization that ensure the effective and efficient use of human talent to accomplish organizational goals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A training method whereby participants are divided into small groups, given a specific problem to handle within a short period of time (typically less then 10 minutes) and then report their findings back to the larger collective group. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The collective skills, knowledge and competencies of an organization’s people that enables them to create economic value. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The challenge of recruiting and retaining qualified candidates, and helping new employees fit into an organization. The goal is to keep employees contributing to the organizations intellectual capital by offering competitive salary, benefits and development opportunities. The major functions of human capital management include Recruitment, Compensation, Benefits and Training. |
|
|
Term
| Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) |
|
Definition
| A virus that may lead to the development of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of assessing HR programs and services to determine effectiveness or efficiency. |
|
|
Term
| Human resource development (HRD) |
|
Definition
| Set of systematic and planned activities designed by an organization to provide its members with the necessary skills to meet current and future job demands. |
|
|
Term
| Human resource information system (HRIS) |
|
Definition
| A systematic tool for gathering, storing, maintaining, retrieving, and revising HR data. |
|
|
Term
| Human resource management (HRM) |
|
Definition
| The design of formal systems in an organization that ensure the effective and efficient use of human talent to accomplish organizational goals. |
|
|
Term
| Human resource management system |
|
Definition
| A software application combining various human resource functions, such as benefits, payroll, recruiting, training, etc., into one package. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Measurements used to determine the value and effectiveness of HR strategies. Typically includes such items as cost per hire, turnover rates/costs, training and human capital ROI, labor /productivity rates and costs, benefit costs per employee, etc. |
|
|
Term
| Human resource outsourcing (HRO) |
|
Definition
| A contractual agreement between an employer and an external third-party provider whereby the employer transfers responsibility and management for certain HR, benefit or training-related functions or services to the external provider. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of anticipating future staffing needs and ensuring that a sufficient pool of talent possessing the skills and experience needed will be available to meet those needs. |
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|
Term
| Human Resource Specialist |
|
Definition
| A term used to define an individual who has expertise and responsibility for a specific area or function in the field of Human Resources (i.e. compensation, benefits, employee relations, etc.) |
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Term
|
Definition
| The function dealing with the management of people employed within the organization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An organization whose structure is comprised of both vertical and horizontal models. |
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Term
|
Definition
| According to Herzberg, those factors that surround the job; they make up the environment in which the employees work. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Studies conducted by Frederick Herzberg used to better understand employee attitudes and motivation and what factors cause job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A specific, testable prediction that is derived from a theory and describes a relationship between two variables. |
|
|
Term
| IBB (interest-based bargaining) |
|
Definition
| A form of negotiating where the parties look for common ground and attempt to satisfy mutual interests through the bargaining process. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A beginning exercise, game or simulation used as a means to reduce tension and create a more relaxed atmosphere during training programs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Regulated by federal and state statutes, identity theft occurs when a person fraudulently obtains and uses another person's personal information, such as name, Social Security number, credit card number, etc., without that person’s authorization, consent or knowledge. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An individual who is not a U.S. citizen and who has entered the United States without proper documentation and without complying with legally required U.S. immigration and naturalization procedures. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A strike that is called in violation of the law, such as a strike that ignores "cooling off" restrictions, or a strike that disregards a "no strike" agreement signed by the union or imposed by a court of law. |
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|
Term
| Illegal subject of bargaining |
|
Definition
| Proposal that is illegal, such as for wage rates that are below the minimum wage law or for overtime provisions contrary to the Fair Labor Standards Act, or for a closed shop, etc.. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Those collective bargaining items that are unlawful by statute. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of counseling and advising individuals regarding items such as personal appearance, dress, manner of speaking or style. |
|
|
Term
| Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) |
|
Definition
| Prohibits discrimination against job applicants on the basis of national origin or citizenship; establishes penalties for hiring illegal aliens. |
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|
Term
| Impact and implementation bargaining |
|
Definition
| A statutory right of the union under 5 U.S.C. 7106(b)(2) to negotiate on the procedures use to implement management decisions made under 5 U.S.C. 7106(a). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to labor-management negotiations over the particular effects of an employers decisions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Selection rate, for an employment opportunity, for a group of people in a protected class, divided by the selection rate for the group with the highest selection rate. For an adverse employment situation, the impact ratio is the rate of the group with the lowest rate divided by the rate of the group in question. Impact ratios are compared to the 80 percent rule to determine adverse impact. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A physical or mental condition resulting from injury or illness, which diminishes an individual’s faculties such as ability to hear, see, walk, talk, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term applied to a permanent arbitrator who has been mutually chosen by management and the union to serve for the life of the contract. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Deadlock in good faith negotiations. Where one party engages in bad faith bargaining, a true impasse cannot be reached. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Foreign nationals who are hired by U.S. employers under the H1-B visa program to fill highly skilled vacancies due to a labor shortage of skilled U.S. applicants. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Stage of the ADDIE model where an HRD program is delivered to its target audience; a very rare procedure in which an employer imposes its last offer on all terms and conditions of employment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A common-law tort existing when an agreement is implied from circumstances, even though there has been no express agreement between the employer and the employee. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The term used to describe an unfair labor practice in the public sector. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Industrial engineering–based gainsharing plan that uses past production records to establish base performance standards. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Premium amount that a company pays on behalf of an employee; the employee does not receive the benefit in dollars but does pay taxes on it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In place of a parent; term used in expansion of FMLA coverage to employees who stand in place of a parent with day-to-day responsibilities to care for and financially support a child or who have a day-to-day responsibility to care for or financially support parents who stood "in loco parentis" for them. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Additional compensation used to motivate and reward employees for exceeding performance or productivity goals. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Form of direct compensation where employers pay for performance beyond normal expectations to motivate employees to perform at higher levels. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A plan providing additional compensation intended to serve as an incentive for excellent performance, exceeding productivity goals or standards, as well as other contributions in accordance with prescribed goals or standards. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An employee stock option plan that allows options to be granted or exercised on a tax-deferred basis. All gains on options are taxed only when the holder sells the stock. |
|
|
Term
| Incidence rate statistics |
|
Definition
| Indicates the work-related injuries and illnesses and the number of lost workdays per 100 employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Any deviation from an acceptable standard. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A statement explaining revenues, expenses, and profits over a specified period of time—usually a year or a quarter. |
|
|
Term
| In-company/in-house counseling |
|
Definition
| An EAP program which is conducted by a trained professional counselor hired as an employee by the employer to handle all aspects of the company’s EAP. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of learning curve in which progress is initially slow because basics are being learned but then performance takes off after the initial learning phase. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Form of budgeting in which the prior budget is the basis for allocation of funds. |
|
|
Term
| Indemnity health-care plan |
|
Definition
| Full-choice health-care plan that allows covered employees to go to any qualified physician or hospital and submit claims to the insurance company. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Workers who are not under FLSA regulations as determined by the IRS 20-Factor Test. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Independent unions represent the employees of a single employer and are not affiliated with an international union or the AFL-CIO. They may be more effective in representing local interests of the employees, but may have less bargaining power than affiliated locals who may act in concert with other locals. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Form of compensation commonly referred to as benefits. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Expenses, such as fringe benefits, overhead, utilities, rent or equipment, that have been incurred for the purpose of common general activities and cannot be identified or charged directly to the production of a specific project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Used to define labor that is necessary to support the manufacturing of a product, but is not directly involved with the actual process of manufacturing the product. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Focuses on individual employees and how they perform their jobs. |
|
|
Term
| Individual employment agreement |
|
Definition
| A written document that describes the legal relationship between an employer and employee. |
|
|
Term
| Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) |
|
Definition
| Tax-deferred accounts to which wage earners can contribute an amount up to a yearly maximum. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Programs designed to introduce and acclimate newly hired employees into the organization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Involves looking at a set of observations and designing a rule that characterizes or explains a pattern underlying the observations. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| As related to international labor relations, where employees have legally mandated rights to participate in management decisions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Applied psychology concerned with the study of human behavior in the workplace and how to efficiently manage an industrial labor force and problems encountered by employees. |
|
|
Term
| Industrial rehabilitation |
|
Definition
| Programs designed to get employees who have been injured on the job back into the workforce and off workers’ compensation. Informed consent An individual’s agreement to |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A field of study that examines the relationship between employer and employees, particularly groups of workers in unions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An industrial union is one which, for organizational purposes, includes all workers in a particular industry regardless of whether they are skilled or unskilled. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Multiemployer bargaining that results in the negotiation of one master contract for all employees within a particular industry by one or more unions representing workers throughout the entire industry.. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An increase in the price of goods and services that is representative of the economy in its entirety. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A type of picketing done with the express intent not to cause a work stoppage, but to publicize either the existence of a labor dispute or information concerning the dispute. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of picketing done to advise the public that an employer is nonunion. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An individual’s agreement to allow something to transpire subsequent to the individual having been informed of associated risks involved and alternatives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The fees an employee is required to pay a union upon becoming a member of the union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A court-issued order requiring a party to either do or refrain from doing a certain act. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A court order that directs a party, employer, or union to do or refrain from doing a certain act (or acts). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A foreign national transferred to the United States on a long-term assignment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A form of employee counseling geared toward acclimating recently promoted or transferred employees into their new positions or providing current employees guidance on the steps they need to take to be considered for promotion or transfer to alternative positions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the process of internally administering employee benefit plans or other programs, as opposed to utilizing the services of a third-party provider. |
|
|
Term
| Instructor-to-trainee ratio |
|
Definition
| The maximum number of trainees assigned per trainer. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The willful or repeated disobedience to an order or directive from a higher level manager or superior to a subordinate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A subjective benefit that has no monetary value, such as praise for excellent performance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Takes place when there is more than one issue to be resolved; focuses on creative solutions to conflicts that reconcile the parties’ interests and result in mutual benefit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A pre-employment psychological assessment tool used to gauge an applicant’s honesty. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Property which is protected under federal law, including trade secrets, confidential or proprietary information, copyrightable or creative works, ideas, patents or inventions. |
|
|
Term
| Intelligence quotient (IQ) |
|
Definition
| The measure of an individual’s cognitive abilities, as measured by an intelligence test. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In interest-based negotiations, refers to the concerns, needs, or desires behind a particular issue. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An adjudication process uses to resolve impasses in contract negotiations. |
|
|
Term
| Interest-based bargaining (IBB) |
|
Definition
| A form of negotiating where the parties look for common ground and attempt to satisfy mutual interests through the bargaining process. |
|
|
Term
| Interest-based negotiations |
|
Definition
| A bargaining technique in which the parties start with interests rather than proposals; agree on criteria of acceptability that will be used to evaluate alternatives; generate several alternatives that are consistent with their interests, and apply the agreed-upon acceptability criteria to the alternatives so generated in order to arrive at mutually acceptable contract provisions. |
|
|
Term
| Intermittent/reduced schedule leave |
|
Definition
| Under FMLA, intermittent and reduced schedule leave is used to describe leave that is not taken on a consecutive basis but rather taken in increments of days or hours. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of conducting an in-house examination of one or more of an organization’s processes, functions, programs, etc. Internal equity A term used to refer |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A plan implemented by the AFL-CIO for resolving disputes among its affiliated members. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to refer to employees’ perceived fairness of a company’s pay structure as it relates to their responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and working conditions compared with those of other employees in similar or like positions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of assessing the employer’s current workforce to determine whether or not current employees possess the required skills or qualifications to fill specific vacancies either through promotion or transfer. |
|
|
Term
| Internal security practices |
|
Definition
| A right reserved to management by title 5, United States Code, section 7106(a)(1). The right to determine the internal security practices of an agency isn't limited to establishing "those policies and actions which are part of the Agency's plan to secure or safeguard its physical property against internal and external risks, to prevent improper or unauthorized disclosure of information, or to prevent the disruption of the Agency's activities. |
|
|
Term
Internal temporary pool
employee |
|
Definition
| A pool of former employees who are called upon and hired to fill temporary staffing needs on an as-needed basis. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Persons who live in one country and are employed by an organization based in another country; also called expatriates. |
|
|
Term
| International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Definition
| A specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labor issues. |
|
|
Term
| International representative |
|
Definition
| An officer of an international union who has been appointed by the union’s executive board to serve as a liaison between the national or international level of the union and locals. |
|
|
Term
| International social security agreements |
|
Definition
| Bilateral social security agreements that coordinate the U.S. Social Security program with the comparable programs of other countries; eliminate dual social security taxation and help fill gaps in benefit protection for workers who have divided their careers between the United States and another country. Also known as totalization agreements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The national organization of a labor union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A partnership between an organization and an educational institution, whereby students are hired by an employer for a specified period of time into a professional or technical position that correlates with their area of study in order to provide them with handson experience and prepare them for the workforce. |
|
|
Term
| Interpersonal communications |
|
Definition
| Refers to the process of communicating with another person or group to express feelings, thoughts or information by means of physical gestures or verbal exchanges. |
|
|
Term
| Interpersonal intervention strategies |
|
Definition
| OD interventions that are targeted at improving work relationships between employees. |
|
|
Term
| Interpretive Guidelines on Sexual Harassment |
|
Definition
| EEOC issued guidelines defining sexual harassment and the employer’s responsibility for maintaining a workplace environment which is free from sexual harassment or intimidation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The degree to which different raters or observers give consistent estimates of the same behavior. |
|
|
Term
| Intersectional discrimination |
|
Definition
| Discrimination not just because of one protected trait (e.g., race), but also because of the intersection of two or more protected bases (e.g., race and sex), i.e., Title VII prohibits discrimination against African American women even if the employer does not discriminate against White women or African American men. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The action taken by a competing labor union to place itself as a contender on the ballot for a recognition election originally initiated by another union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Used during the selection process, an interview is a face-to-face meeting with an individual or group, which involves asking questions to elicit information from the applicant to determine whether or not an applicant is suitable for a position of employment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The ratio of the numbers of individuals interviewed to actual offers extended. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A reward given to an employee for achievement of a particular goal, objective or project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| To an operations department, an organization’s major asset after physical buildings and equipment. |
|
|
Term
| Investigatory examination |
|
Definition
| An examination conducted by an agency representative in which an employee is questioned as part of an inquiry to get facts. |
|
|
Term
| Invitation to self-identify |
|
Definition
| An invitation by an employer extended to all employees who believe they are covered by Section 402 or 503 to identify themselves as having a disability, being a disabled veteran, a Vietnam-era veteran or other eligible veteran for purposes of making reasonable accommodation and taking affirmative action. Applicants may no longer be asked to self-identify prior to an offer of employment being extended to them by the employer. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Payroll deductions such as tax levies and court-ordered child support that an employee must pay; withheld from paychecks before voluntary deductions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When employers decide to discharge particular employees for cause (e.g., poor performance, inability to manage subordinates, inability to work with management, and violations of employer policy). |
|
|
Term
| IRAs (individual retirement accounts) |
|
Definition
| Tax-deferred accounts to which wage earners can contribute an amount up to a yearly maximum. |
|
|
Term
| IRCA (Immigration Reform and Control Act) |
|
Definition
| Prohibits discrimination against job applicants on the basis of national origin or citizenship; establishes penalties for hiring illegal aliens. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Set of 20 factors that the IRS uses to determine whether workers are employees or independent contractors. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A set of internationally-accepted standards, created by the International Organization for Standardization, for quality management and quality assurance. These standards apply uniformly across all industries and company size. Companies can receive ISO 9000 certification for meeting these standards. |
|
|
Term
Job Accommodation Network
(JAN) |
|
Definition
| A service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor. JAN's mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing employers, employment providers, people with disabilities, their family members and other interested parties with information on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects. |
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Term
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Definition
| Concerted activities by employees on the job designed to exert pressure on the employer in order to avert resorting to a strike. |
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Term
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Definition
| A document consisting of information or instructions used to guide the user on how to perform a task correctly. |
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Term
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Definition
| A systematic study of jobs to determine what activities and responsibilities they include, their relative importance and relationship with other jobs, the personal qualifications necessary for performance of the jobs, and the conditions under which the work is performed. |
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Term
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Definition
| According to EEO regulations, anyone who expresses an interest in employment, regardless of whether that person meets the employer's minimum qualifications for the job. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to pools of retired employees who are used by employers to fill part-time or temporary position needs. |
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Term
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Definition
| Internal recruiting method that allows employees to indicate an interest in a position before one becomes available. |
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Term
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Definition
| An online location that provides an up-to-date listing of current job vacancies in various industries. Applicants are able to apply for employment through the job board itself. Many job boards have a variety of additional services to help job seekers manage their careers and their ongoing job search processes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when work is no longer meaningful to a person. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method of evaluation used for job comparisons, which groups jobs into a prearranged number of grades, each having a class description and a specified pay range. |
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Term
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Definition
| Evaluation method that groups jobs into a predetermined number of grades or classifications, each having a class description to use for job comparisons. |
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Term
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Definition
| Identification numbers assigned to specific jobs or job tasks. |
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Term
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Definition
| Basic characteristics that can link individuals or teams to enhanced performance; critical success factors needed to perform a given role in an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| A written description of a job which includes information regarding the general nature of the work to be performed, specific responsibilities and duties, and the employee characteristics required to perform the job. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when an employee’s position is eliminated. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method used to keep workers motivated, the process invnew tasks which are of the same level of skill and responsjob. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to broadening the scope of a job by expanding the number of different tasks to be performed. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method used to keep workers motivated, the process involves adding new tasks which are of the same level of skill and responsibility to a job. |
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Term
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Definition
| The practice of adding tasks to a job as a means of increasing the amount of employee control or responsibility. |
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Term
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Definition
| Increases the depth of a job by adding responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, and evaluation; also known as vertical integration. |
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Term
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Definition
| Used for compensation planning purposes, it is the process of comparing a job with other jobs in an organization to determine an appropriate pay rate for the job. |
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Term
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Definition
| Systematic determination of the relative worth of jobs within an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| The group into which jobs of the same or similar worth are placed for determining appropriate rates of pay. |
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Term
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Definition
| Used to group jobs that have approximately the same relative internal worth and are paid at the same rate or rate range. |
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Term
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Definition
| A division within the contractor's workforce for the purposes of analyzing the workforce for underutilization. Job grouping is done to group job titles together based on similarity of job content, pay rates and opportunities for advancement. |
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Term
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Definition
| Part of an affirmative action plan that lists all job titles that comprise each job group having similar content and responsibilities, wage rates, and opportunities for advancement. |
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Term
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Definition
| Career development strategies designed to ensure that the right fit occurs for both the organization and the employee. |
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Term
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Definition
| A formal written document that is provided by an employer to a candidate selected for employment which outlines information regarding the employment terms, such as the date employment is to commence, the position the individual is being hired to perform, the agreed upon salary, benefits to be provided, etc. The employer usually requires the candidate to sign and return the letter as a formal acceptance of employment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Information that prepares the employee by introducing him/her to the work environment, coworkers, and formal and informal work rules. |
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Term
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Definition
| The method of advertising for vacancies internally by posting a notice of the opening on a bulletin board, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of determining pay rates for jobs within the organization by analyzing industry or regional salary survey data in order to establish appropriate job pay rates. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of ranking all jobs within the organization in order of importance or worth. |
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Term
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Definition
| Evaluation method that establishes a hierarchy of jobs from lowest to highest based on overall importance to the organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of restructuring a job by adding, changing or eliminating certain tasks or functions in order to make the job more satisfying or challenging. |
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Term
Job reference immunity
statutes |
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Definition
| Laws enacted in several states meant to provide employers with protection from liability when disclosing information regarding current or former employees. Typically for an employer to be immune from liability the reference provided must be factual and truthful, based on documented information and not be given with malicious intent. |
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Term
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Definition
| The practice of transferring employees for temporary periods of time between varying jobs within an organization. Often used as a training and development method. |
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Term
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Definition
| A variation of job enlargement; breaks the monotony of routine jobs by shifting people between comparable but different jobs; also known as horizontal integration. |
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Term
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Definition
| During the selection process, the term refers to the practice of observing and measuring how an applicant actually performs certain selected job tasks. |
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Term
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Definition
| Used to define how an employee feels regarding their job, work environment, pay, benefits, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to the process of migrating job listings to a job board from job boards where they were initially posted to enhance job site listings or hits. |
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Term
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Definition
| A temporary, unpaid work experience opportunity where students learn about a particular job (typically in a field of interest) by walking through the work day as a shadow to an employee. |
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Term
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Definition
| The practice of two different employees performing the tasks of one full-time position. |
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Term
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Definition
| Results when two part-time employees share one full-time job. |
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Term
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Definition
| Spells out the qualifications necessary for an incumbent to have a reasonable chance of being able to perform the job. |
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Term
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Definition
| A specific name given to a particular job which is used to distinguish that job from other jobs within the organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| The requirement that an employer be able to demonstrate that a particular action, policy or job requirement is related to the actual job. |
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Term
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Definition
| A leadership disclosure and feedback model which can be used in performance measurement and features the four quadrants (windows) of “knowing”. Quadrant I – represents the area of free activity or public area, refers to behavior and motivation known to self and known to others. Quadrant II – represents the blind area, where others can see things in ourselves of which we are unaware. Quadrant III – represents the avoided or hidden areas, represents things we know but do not reveal to others, (e.g., a hidden agenda, or matters about which we have sensitive feelings). Quadrant IV - represents the areas of unknown activity, in which neither the individual nor others are aware of certain behaviors or motives. |
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Term
| Johnson v. Santa Clara County Transportation Agency |
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Definition
| Court ruling that endorsed using gender as a factor in an employment decision if underrepresentation is shown and if the affirmative action plan is not a quota system. |
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Term
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Definition
| A committee of equal numbers of union and management representatives established by a contract to hear grievances arising under the contract. |
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Term
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Definition
| Generally describes a situation in which an organization shares joint responsibility and liability for their alternative workers with the alternative staffing supplier; also known as co-employment. |
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Term
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Definition
| A legislative measure that must be passed by both houses and approved by the chief executive to become effective; similar to a bill, with the force of law, and often used for unusual or temporary purposes. |
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Term
| Joint/labor management committee |
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Definition
| A panel comprised of management and union representatives whose purpose is to address problems, resolve conflicts and build on relationships. |
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Term
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Definition
| A craft worker who has completed apprenticeship training and has been admitted to full membership in a craft. |
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Term
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Definition
| Use information from the past and present to predict expected future conditions; include managerial estimates, Delphi technique, and nominal group technique. |
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Term
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Definition
| A court procedure to determine the legality of decisions issued by an arbitrator. |
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Term
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Definition
| The area of occupations or industries within which a union organizes and engages in collective bargaining. |
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Term
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Definition
| A dispute between two or more rival unions over the right to perform certain work or represent workers. |
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Term
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Definition
| A strike resulting from a dispute between two rival unions over the representation rights of workers. |
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Term
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Definition
| A legal term used as the guiding principle utilized by employers whenever engaging in some form of corrective action or discipline for employees. Just cause is determined by examining the reasonableness of the discipline according to a set of guiding principles (i.e. was the employee adequately forewarned that the particular behavior would result in discipline or termination; management conducted a fair and objective investigation of the facts prior to administering any discipline; rules, orders, and disciplinary action must be applied in a consistent and non-discriminatory manner; discipline must be reasonably related to the seriousness of the offense and the employee’s past work record, etc.) |
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Term
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Definition
| A common-law tort that is an exception to at-will employment; under this exception, employees who have long-term service with the employer and indicia of job security can be terminated only for good or just cause. |
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Term
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Definition
| Under FMLA statutes, a key employee is defined as a salaried employee who is among the highest-paid 10% of all workers employed by the employer within a 75- mile radius. Under ERISA, a key employee is defined as a plan participant who is a highly compensated officer or company owner. |
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Term
Key performance indicators
(KPI) |
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Definition
| Key Performance Indicators are quantifiable, specific measures of an organization’s performance in a certain area(s) of its business. . The purpose of KPI’s is to provide the company with quantifiable measurements of things it has determined are important to the organizational or business long-term goals and critical success factors . Once uncovered and properly analyzed, KPI’s can be used to understand and improve organizational performance and overall success. Also referred to as Key success indicators. |
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Term
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Definition
| Used to establish standards and objectives, key result areas are the chief tasks of a job identified during the job evaluation process. |
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Term
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Definition
| People who learn best through a hands-on approach; also called tactile learners. |
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Term
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Definition
| The parts of an organization’s intangible assets that relate specifically to knowledge, expertise, information, ideas, best practices, intellectual property and other capabilities. |
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Term
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Definition
| The individual who facilitates the creation, sharing and use of knowledge in an organization by linking individuals with providers. |
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Term
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Definition
| Knowledge integration is broadly defined as the assimilation, extraction, transformation and loading of information from disparate systems into a single more unified, consistent and accurate data store used for evaluating, manipulating and reporting information. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of creating, acquiring, sharing and managing knowledge to augment individual and organizational performance. |
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Term
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Definition
| A process used to create a summation of the knowledge an organization will need in order to support its overall goals, objectives, strategies and missions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Employees whose job functions are primarily of an intellectual nature. |
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Term
Knowledge, skills and abilities
(KSA’s) |
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Definition
| The attributes required to perform a job; generally demonstrated through qualifying experience, education or training. |
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Term
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Definition
| A salary differentiation system that bases compensation on an individual’s education, experience, knowledge, skills or specialized training. Also referred to as skillbased pay. |
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Term
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Definition
| Labor certification is a statement from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that a particular position at a particular company is "open" because no U.S. workers who satisfy the minimum requirements for the job are available. Alien labor certification programs are generally designed to assure that the admission of aliens to work in the United States on a permanent or temporary basis will not adversely affect the job opportunities, wages and working conditions of U.S. workers. |
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Term
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Definition
| Legal agreement between an employer and a labor organization for the purpose of regulating certain work-related issues. |
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Term
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Definition
| As defined by the NLRA, “any controversy concerning the terms, tenure or conditions of employment, or concerning the association or representation of persons negotiating, fixing, maintaining, changing, or seeking to arrange terms or conditions or employment whether or not the disputants stand in the proximate relation of employer and employee.” |
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Term
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Definition
| The number of employed individuals in the civilian workforce and armed services. |
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Term
| Labor force participation rate |
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Definition
| The ratio between the labor force (all those currently employed or seeking work) and the nation’s total working-age population. |
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Term
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Definition
| Federal and state regulations requiring employers to post in conspicuous places a variety of labor law posters, including, but not limited to, information regarding employee rights under EEO, FMLA, OSHA, ADA, FLSA, as well as other labor laws. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A geographical region (local, national or international) in which labor transactions occur—employers find workers and workers find work. |
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Term
|
Definition
| As defined by the NLRA, “any organization, of any kind, or any agency or employee representation committee or plan, in which employees participate and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work.” |
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Term
| Labor peace agreements (see also Neutrality Agreements) |
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Definition
| The public relations term the AFL-CIO has coined for neutrality agreements. They often contain clauses waiving rights under the NLRB regarding employer’s right to free speech, access to the premises by unions, waiving secret ballot elections, etc. Such agreements are being required by municipal governments, pursuant to AFL-CIO political pressure, as a condition for private businesses to bid on public contracts, zoning variances, building permits, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| The correlation between a given output and the percentage of labor time used to produce the output. |
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Term
| Labor-management contract |
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Definition
| A binding agreement governing wages, benefits, representation rights and other working conditions between a labor union and management. |
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Term
| Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA) |
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Definition
| Also referred to as the Taft-Hartley act, establishes control of labor disputes on a new basis by enlarging the National Labor Relations Board and providing that the union or the employer must, before terminating a collective-bargaining agreement, serve notice on the other party and on a government mediation service. |
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Term
| Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) |
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Definition
| Protects the rights of union members from corrupt or discriminatory labor unions; also known as Landrum-Griffin Act. |
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Term
| Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 |
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Definition
| An act that provides for the reporting and disclosure of certain financial transactions and administrative practices of labor organizations and employers, to prevent abuses in the administration of trusteeships by labor organizations, to provide standards with respect to the election of officers of labor organizations, and for other purposes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Protects the rights of union members from corrupt or discriminatory labor unions; also known as Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA). |
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Term
| Landrum-Griffin Act of 1955 |
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Definition
| Also know as the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, it provides for the reporting and disclosure of certain financial transactions and administrative practices of labor organizations and employers, to prevent abuses in the administration of trusteeships by labor organizations, to provide standards with respect to the election of officers of labor organizations, and for other purposes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A temporary termination of employees, or the elimination of jobs, during periods of economic downturn or organizational restructuring. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process, by which an individual determines direction, influences a group and directs the group toward a specific goal or organizational mission. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Formal and informal training and professional development programs designed for all management and executive-level employees to assist them in developing the leadership skills and styles required to deal with a variety of situations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Systems-level concept in which the organization is characterized by its capability to adapt to changes in its environment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Describe the ways individuals learn and how they process ideas; Learning styles are defined, classified, and identified in various ways. Broadly speaking, they are overall patterns that provide direction to learning and teaching. Learning style can also be described as a set of factors, behaviors, and attitudes that facilitate learning for an individual in a particular situation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A leave program allowing employees to donate unused sick leave to a coworker who has exhausted all available sick leave and is out due to a long-term illness or injury. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used to define the practice of scheduling leave under FMLA in such a manner that the employee’s leave allowance for two consecutive calendar years is uninterrupted. Typically occurs when an employer uses the calendar-year method for determining the 12-month period under FMLA. |
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Term
| Leggett v. First National Bank of Oregon |
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Definition
| Court ruling that held that a representative of the company invaded privacy by questioning a psychologist (to whom an employee had been referred by the employee assistance program). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Errors that are the result of appraisers who don’t want to give low scores. |
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Term
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Definition
| An organization’s debts and other financial obligations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defaming or harming an individual’s reputation in writing. |
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Term
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Definition
| Measures a person’s respiration, blood pressure, and perspiration while they are asked a series of questions; the outcome is a diagnostic opinion about honesty; also called polygraph test. |
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Term
|
Definition
| For purposes of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and ADA, functions that are limited by a person's disability such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A process that begins with an identifiable work need, and then continues through a sourcing and search strategy, then progresses to a pre-qualification and assessment strategy, and concludes with hire. The cycle repeats itself again with next vacancy. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The maximum dollar amount of covered medical expenses that a health-care plan will pay on behalf of a covered person during that person's lifetime. |
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Term
| LIFO (last in, first out) |
|
Definition
| A method of determining who should be laid off in which the most recent hires are laid off first. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A series of related jobs in a promotional sequence generally starting with less difficult, lower-paying jobs and progressing to more difficult, higher-paying jobs. Often, the lower jobs provide required training for movement to the higher-level jobs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Work groups that conduct the major business of the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to a concept that states that employees must be able to influence the attainment of a goal and see a direct result of their efforts in order for incentive pay plans to be effective. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A legal proceeding occurring in a federal or state court of law to determine and enforce legal rights. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A wage rate that is sufficient for a worker and his or her family to exist comfortably |
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Term
|
Definition
| Such laws are generally passed at the municipal or county level, setting a minimum wage rate to be paid within the jurisdiction of the governmental unit. Employers subject to the living wage are generally those who have or seek contracts with the governmental unit above a certain dollar amount and may apply to for-profit or nonprofit companies with a certain number of employees. The wage is linked to any number of indicators such as national poverty threshold, rise in consumer prices, consumer price indices or a multiple of federal, state or local Minimum Wages. Passage of such ordinances is often assisted and supported by the AFL-CIO and may contain any number of provisions linking such ordinances to unions. |
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Term
| LMRA (Labor-Management Relations Act) |
|
Definition
| Provides a balance of power between union and management by making union unfair labor practices unlawful; also known as Taft-Hartley Act. |
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Term
| LMRDA (Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act) |
|
Definition
| Protects the rights of union members from corrupt or discriminatory labor unions; also known as Landrum-Griffin Act. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The activities of an agent (lobbyist) for a group, usually to influence public policy. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Those employees a United States company hires abroad for jobs in their own country. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The organization of members of an international union in a particular facility, region, or locality. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The strategy of applying locale-specific terminology and data to a specific product or application in order to meet the language, cultural and other requirements of a specific market. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Action taken by management to put pressure on a union to accept its bargaining proposal by not allowing unit employees to come in and work (the flip side of a strike). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to installing a lock, disconnect switch, or shutoff valve, so equipment cannot be energized by mistake. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that requires action so equipment cannot be activated (lockout) and signs or labels (tagout) attached to dangerous equipment that should not be activated; also known as Control of Hazardous Energy standard. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to insurance coverage that provides a daily monetary benefit to people who are chronically ill and who require living assistance either at home or in a residential facility. |
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Term
| Long-term disability (LTD) coverage |
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Definition
| Replaces a portion of an employee’s lost income after short-term disability coverage ends; may be combined with Social Security disability. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Specific results, accomplished in three to five years, that an organization seeks to achieve in pursuing its mission. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the particular number of days an employee is absent from work due to an injury or illness or the number of days which the employee is on restricted duty. |
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Term
|
Definition
| One-time payment made to an employee; often called a performance bonus. |
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Term
| LTD (long-term disability) coverage |
|
Definition
| Replaces a portion of an employee’s lost income after short-term disability coverage ends; may be combined with Social Security disability. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A single large payment given to an employee, usually instead of more and smaller pay increases. |
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Term
|
Definition
| One-time payment made to an employee; often called a performance bonus. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A fixed negotiated payment that is not typically included in an employee’s annual salary; often times given in lieu of pay increases. |
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Term
| Machine Guarding standard |
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that provides general requirements for all machinery to protect the operator and other employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A catchall phrase used in grievance and other legal action where a remedy is sought from an employer. |
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Term
| Maintenance of membership clause |
|
Definition
| According to this clause, an employee may or may not choose to join a union; once the employee joins, however, he/she must maintain membership for the duration of the contract. |
|
|
Term
| Maintenance-of-membership clause |
|
Definition
| A collective bargaining provision stating that no worker be required to join the union as a condition of employment. |
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|
Term
| Maintenance-of-standards clause |
|
Definition
| A contract clause that prohibits an employer from changing any condition of employment regardless of whether or not it is specifically outlined in the collective bargaining agreement without negotiating with the unions bargaining agent. |
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Term
Malcolm Baldridge National
Quality Award |
|
Definition
| The Baldridge Award is given by the President of the United States to businesses—manufacturing and service, small and large—and to education and health care organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A health care system in which the provider manages the care of the individual for a fixed fee. The opposite of this preventive intervention (or, population-based) approach is fee-for-service. Managed care emphasizes wellness and prevention. |
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Term
|
Definition
| General term for a medical plan that seeks to ensure that the treatments a person receives are medically necessary and provided in a cost-effective manner. |
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Term
|
Definition
| About coping with and directing day-to-day organizational operations. |
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Term
Management by Objective
(MBO) |
|
Definition
| A performance appraisal strategy in which subordinates determine and set goals for themselves based on the overall goals and objectives for the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who works independently to assist and advise clients with managerial responsibilities regarding various organizational issues. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Training and developmental programs designed to provide new managers and existing managers with the resources needed to become more effective in their roles. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employee who meets the salary basis test and regularly manages or supervises two or more employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who formulates, determines, or influences the policies of the agency. Such individuals are excluded from appropriate units. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the rights that management believes are its own and therefore not subject to the collective bargaining process. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Clause in a collective bargaining agreement which, generally, describes those areas in which management retains complete authority to act. NOTE: as set forth below in waiver the standard adopted by the NLRB for an effective waiver of a union’s right to demand bargaining over mandatory subjects for bargaining (which is what management rights are), is clear and convincing evidence that the union agreed to waive its right to negotiate, which may be more strict than management rights language. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Projections made by managers; can happen from the top down or the bottom up. |
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Term
Mandatory Retirement Age
Law of 1978 |
|
Definition
| A statute which prohibits (with the exception of exempted employees and positions) employers from having policies or practices that call for mandatory retirement of employees under the age of 70. |
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|
Term
| Mandatory subject of bargaining |
|
Definition
| As defined by the NLRA, wages, benefits, hours of work, and other terms and conditions of employment. Parties in a collective bargaining process are required to negotiate in good faith about mandatory subjects, but are not required to make concessions or agree to any proposal and may press their case for or against a mandatory subject to the point of impasse. Also included are union security, dues check off, waiver or zipper clauses, no strike clauses, plant rules, discipline, grievance and dispute arbitration, subcontracting, etc. The general rule is for the proposal to be a mandatory subject it must meet a two-prong test: (1) the subject must “vitally affect” terms and conditions or job security of unit employees, and (2) it must represent a direct frontal attack on a problem thought to threaten the basic wage structure established by the collective bargaining agreement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Those collective bargaining items required by law and the NLRB. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of assessing an employer’s current workforce content and composition in order to anticipate future staffing requirements needed to meet business goals and requirements. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Method similar to job evaluation systems that evaluates jobs based upon their market value. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of planning, pricing, promoting, and distributing goods and services to satisfy organizational objectives. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Marketing PR is the combining of what are traditionally two separate departments, public relations and marketing, to one integrated front whereby all marketing and PR activities focus on reaching buyers directly. Marketing PR incorporates both traditional marketing and PR tactics with social media and other Internet-based initiatives that support the measurable goals of online publicity, increased web site traffic, search-optimization (SEO) and, lead generation. A key difference between traditional PR and Marketing PR is the use of a press release. Traditional PR writes and distributes a press release for the sole purpose of securing media placements. Marketing PR does this as well but also uses the press release to enhance website SEO, increase web site traffic and generate qualified sales leads. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Court ruling that allowed Caucasian firefighters to sue the city of Birmingham, Alabama, for reverse discrimination. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Picketing by large numbers of people in close formation, typically used as an attempt to prevent access to company premises. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A collective bargaining agreement which covers a number of employers (or one ore more of an employers single facilities) and one or more unions. |
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|
Term
| Master vendor arrangement |
|
Definition
| A type of flexible staffing option in which one staffing firm supplies all needed temporary employees. |
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|
Term
| Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) |
|
Definition
| Required by OSHA, an MSDS is a detailed description of each hazardous chemical located in the workplace, which includes information regarding potential health risks, symptoms and treatment measures to be taken if exposure occurs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| In an HRD program, the articles used to store and/or transmit information. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An organizational structure where employees report to more than one manager or supervisor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An organizational structure that combines two different organizational designs, usually product- and function-focused, in order to gain the benefits of both. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Correlate pay with time spent in a professional field such as teaching or research. |
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|
Term
| McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green |
|
Definition
| Case that established criteria for disparate treatment; court ruled that individuals can show a prima facie case of disparate treatment in a hiring situation. |
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Term
| McKennon v. Nashville Banner Publishing Co. |
|
Definition
| Case in which Supreme Court held that evidence of misconduct acquired after the decision to terminate cannot free an employer from liability, even if the misconduct would have justified terminating the employee. |
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|
Term
| MDR-TB (multidrug-resistant TB) |
|
Definition
| A new form of tuberculosis that is resistant to current drug therapy. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A measure of central tendency that indicates the average score or value. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The average wage for a worker in a specified position or occupation, which is determined by adding together the total wages for all incumbents in a specific position or occupation and then dividing it by the total number of incumbents. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that provides guidelines for preparing an emergency action plan and includes specifications regarding exits and maintenance of emergency systems; also known as Emergency Exit Procedures standard. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A dispute resolution procedure whereby the parties agree to empower a neutral party to render a final and binding decision regarding the dispute if other mediation efforts have failed to result in an agreement between the parties. |
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Term
|
Definition
| In an HRD program, the way in which the information in materials is conveyed. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A measure of central tendency that indicates the point below which 50% of the scores lie. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A method of nonbinding dispute resolution involving a third party who tries to help the disputing parties reach a mutually agreeable decision; also known as conciliation. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A process in which a neutral with authority to impose a settlement, first resorts to mediation techniques in an attempt to get the parties to voluntarily agree on unsettled matters, but who can later impose a settlement if mediation fails. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The use of a trained third party to settle an employment dispute. The third party has no legal authority and so must use persuasion to settle the dispute. |
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|
Term
| Medical examinations/testing |
|
Definition
| A medical evaluation conducted on a post-offer basis by a company physician or an independent physician to ascertain whether or not a candidate is able to perform the physical requirements of a particular job. |
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|
Term
Medical savings account
(MSA) |
|
Definition
| Savings accounts designated for out-of-pocket medical expenses. In an MSA, employers and individuals are allowed to contribute to a savings account on a pre-tax basis and carry over the unused funds at the end of the year. One major difference between a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Medical Savings Account is the ability under an MSA to carry over the unused funds for use in a future year, instead of losing unused funds at the end of the year. Most MSAs allow unused balances and earnings to accumulate. Unlike FSAs, most MSAs are combined with a high-deductible or catastrophic health insurance plan. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Social Security Administration program that provides medical care for the aged; is taxed with no yearly maximum and is matched by the employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Health plan where benefits are reduced for employees eligible for Medicare; Medicare becomes the primary provider. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Mandatory hospital coverage for persons covered by Medicare. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Optional medical coverage for persons covered by Medicare. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Health plan that covers specific expenses not covered by Medicare. |
|
|
Term
| Meet-and-confer negotiations |
|
Definition
| A public sector negotiation procedure in which the final decision as to terms and conditions of employment for public employees are determined by a public employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Union members who have fulfilled requirements for the organization and who have not voluntarily withdrawn, been expelled, or suspended from membership. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Collective bargaining agreement that applies only to those employees who are members of the union. This is an illegal and unenforceable contract. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A communications technique designed to allow the leaders of a local union to communicate personally and quickly with members. |
|
|
Term
| Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) |
|
Definition
| Act that addresses parity between mental health benefits and medical benefits; Prohibits group health plans and insurance companies that offer mental health benefits from setting annual or lifetime limits on mental health benefits that are lower than those limits set for any other condition. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Developmentally oriented relationship between two individuals, usually a senior and junior colleague or perhaps peers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to a situation where an individual’s performance is the basis for either the amount or timing of pay increases; also called performance-based pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A compensation system whereby base pay increases are determined by individual performance. |
|
|
Term
| Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that first held that sexual harassment that alters an individual’s terms and conditions of employment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Ways in which information in an HRD program is conveyed; they are the approaches for teaching the content. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A measure used to determine the effectiveness and value of implemented HR programs in increasing performance and profits. |
|
|
Term
| MHPA (Mental Health Parity Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that addresses parity between mental health benefits and medical benefits. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The right, under certain circumstances, to initiate bargaining during the term of a collective bargaining agreement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Serve a purpose similar to short-term objectives but are completed in one to three years. |
|
|
Term
| Mine Safety and Health Act |
|
Definition
| Established mandatory safety and health standards for underground and surface mines; created the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The attributes of a job description which establishes a baseline for meeting the qualifications for a particular position. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The smallest hourly wage that an employee may be paid for all hours worked, as mandated by federal or state law. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Minimum hourly amount, determined by Congress, that nonexempt employees can be paid. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Men and women of those minority groups for whom EEO-1 reporting is required; that is, black, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaskan Native. The term may refer to these groups in the aggregate or to an individual group. |
|
|
Term
| Minority business enterprise |
|
Definition
| A small business enterprise that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more minorities or, in the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of all classes or types of the stock is owned by one or more minorities and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more minorities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Specify what activities an organization intends to pursue and what course management has charted for the future; A statement illustrating what the company is, what the company does and where the company is headed. |
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|
Term
| MNCs (multinational companies) |
|
Definition
| Companies that conduct business and have offices in a number of different countries. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A measure of central tendency that indicates the value that occurs most frequently. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When an employer offers an employee a less strenuous job until they are fit to return to their regular job; also known as alternate-duty program or early-return-to-work program. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Plans in which employers make mandatory payments (a fixed percentage of an eligible employee’s compensation) to a retirement plan. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A persistent market situation where there is only one provider of a particular product or service. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Working one or more full- or part-time jobs in addition to an individual’s regular full-time job. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Factors that initiate, direct, and sustain human behavior over time. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| According to Herzberg, factors that are present in the job itself and include things such as opportunity for recognition, achievement, and personal growth. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Psychological models that attempt to explain what motivates people. These theories can help employers design incentive strategies. |
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|
Term
| MSD (musculoskeletal disorder) |
|
Definition
| An injury caused by repetitive motion that affects muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS), cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs), or repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). |
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|
Term
| MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) |
|
Definition
| Must be provided by manufacturers for every hazardous substance; employers must evaluate the chemicals and inform employees of hazardous properties. |
|
|
Term
| Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) |
|
Definition
| A new form of tuberculosis that is resistant to current drug therapy. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Collective bargaining between one or more employer in a particular industry which results in one master contract. |
|
|
Term
| Multinational companies (MNCs) |
|
Definition
| Companies that conduct business and have offices in a number of different countries. |
|
|
Term
| Multiple employer bargaining |
|
Definition
| When more than one employer negotiates with the union; also known as coalition bargaining. |
|
|
Term
| Multiple linear regression |
|
Definition
| A projection of future demand; operates the same as simple linear regression, except that several variables are utilized to project future demand. |
|
|
Term
| Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) |
|
Definition
| An injury caused by repetitive motion that affects muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS), cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs), or repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). |
|
|
Term
| Myers-Briggs Type Indicator |
|
Definition
| A psychological test used to assess an individual’s personality type. |
|
|
Term
| Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) |
|
Definition
| A well-known personality type assessment designed to measure people’s psychological preferences. The personality is divided into four dichotomies, with 16 personality types possible. The system is partly based on the theories of psychologist Carl Jung. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Performance appraisal methods that consist of appraisers including written, narrative descriptions of employees’ performance; methods include essay, critical incidents, and field review. |
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|
Term
| National consultation rights |
|
Definition
| In the Federal government, a union which has exclusive recognition on an agency-wide basis or is the exclusive representative of a substantial number of agency employees is granted consultation rights. |
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|
Term
| National emergency strike |
|
Definition
| National emergency strikes are those that can endanger national health or safety. The president may appoint a board of inquiry charged with making a report of the situation. Based upon this report, the president could apply for an injunction restraining the strike for 60 days. If there has been no resolution at the end of 60 days, the injunction can be extended for another 20 days. During this period, employees are polled in a secret ballot to determine their willingness to comply with the terms of their employer's last offer. |
|
|
Term
| National Industrial Recovery Act |
|
Definition
| Extended the policies of the Railway Labor Act to all interstate commerce organizations; replaced by the National Labor Relations Act. |
|
|
Term
| National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
|
Definition
| An agency that provides health and safety information upon request. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Collective reference for the National Labor Relations Act, the Labor-Management Relations Act, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. |
|
|
Term
| National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) |
|
Definition
| Protects the rights of employees to organize unhampered by management; also known as Wagner Act. |
|
|
Term
| National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (NLRA) |
|
Definition
| The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), passed in 1935, provides that all employees have the right to form, join and assist labor organizations and to bargain collectively with their employers. |
|
|
Term
| National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) |
|
Definition
| The National Labor Relations Act is administered by the NLRB, a five-member board appointed by the president, along with a General Counsel acting through more than 45 regional and other field offices of the board. They investigate and prosecute unfair labor practice cases and conduct elections to determine employee representation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The country--including those that no longer exist--of one's birth or of one's ancestors' birth. "National origin" and "ethnicity" often are used interchangeably, although "ethnic group" can refer to religion or color, as well as country of one's ancestry. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The national organization of a labor union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process by which an alien is made a citizen of the United States of America and relinquishes citizenship to any other country. |
|
|
Term
| Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act |
|
Definition
| A revision to the Bloodborne Pathogens standard that requires employers to minimize employees’ exposure to blood through needlesticks through annual reviews and employee input. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Process by which an organization’s HRD needs are identified and articulated in order to help the organization accomplish its objectives; also called assessment or needs assessment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Process by which an organization’s HRD needs are identified and articulated in order to help the organization accomplish its objectives; also called assessment or needs analysis. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of interviewer bias; involves rejecting a candidate on the basis of a small amount of negative information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A common-law tort; defined as the hiring of an employee whom the employer knew or should have known, based on the employee’s background, posed a risk to others in the workplace. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Negligent referral is defined as the failure of an employer to disclose complete and factual information about former or current employee to another employer. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A common-law tort; defined as the retention of employees who engage in misconduct (wrongful acts) both during and after working hours. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to whether a given topic is subject to bargaining between an agency and the union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| If an agency believes that a union proposal is contrary to law or applicable regulation, or is otherwise nonnegotiable under the statute, it may inform the union of its refusal to negotiate |
|
|
Term
| Negotiated grievance procedure |
|
Definition
| A systematic procedure agreed to by the negotiating parties for the resolution of grievances. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A process whereby members of management and the union bargain over terms and conditions of employment during collective bargaining. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Preferential hiring of relatives and friends, even though others might be more qualified for those positions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to Internet use rules of conduct, involving respecting others' privacy and not doing anything online that is offensive, annoying or frustrating to other people. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A disinterested third party who acts as a conciliator, mediator, fact finder, or arbitrator in order to facilitate a settlement in dispute. |
|
|
Term
| Neutrality agreements (see also Labor Peace Agreements) |
|
Definition
| An agreement between the employer and a union, wherein the employer agrees not to resist the union’s organizing attempts. Such agreements may include, among other things: Facility access for the union; card checks for recognition; prohibitions on the employer from making any negative comments regarding the union; providing the employees the address and phone number of the union organizer at hire and a variety of other similar provision. Such agreements are often politically driven. |
|
|
Term
Newborns’ and Mothers’
Health Protection Act
(NMHPA) of 1996 |
|
Definition
| Requires a minimum length of hospital confinement in conjunction with childbirth. This requirement applies to health plans and health insurance companies that provide hospital stays for childbirth in their policies. The law provides that coverage for a hospital stay following a normal delivery may not be limited to less than 48 hours for both the mother and newborn, and for a cesarean section not less than 96 hours. |
|
|
Term
| NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) |
|
Definition
| An agency that provides health and safety information upon request. |
|
|
Term
| NLRA (National Labor Relations Act) of 1947 |
|
Definition
| Protects the rights of employees to organize unhampered by management; also known as Wagner Act. |
|
|
Term
| NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) |
|
Definition
| Agency that has authority to conduct union representation elections and investigate unfair labor practices. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Contract stipulation that the company agrees not to lock out workers during a labor dispute for the life of the contract. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the unclear jurisdiction between federal, state and local governments during labor disputes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Uses a variety of individuals associated with the industry to forecast ideas and assumptions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract restricting an employee from obtaining employment with a competitor within a specified industry, distance and/or time frame. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Failure to follow equal employment opportunity or affirmative action guidelines and the regulations applicable to them. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When the interviewer asks open questions and provides general direction but allows the applicant to guide the process; a response to one question indicates the next question the interviewer will ask. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract restricting an employee from disclosing confidential or proprietary information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of not discriminating against members of disadvantaged or protected groups in hiring practices, policies, benefits or conditions of employment. |
|
|
Term
| Nonduplication of benefits |
|
Definition
| In health plans, requires a secondary carrier to reimburse only up to the level of reimbursement they would have paid. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An employee who does not meet any one of the Fair Labor Standards Act exemption tests and is paid on an hourly basis and covered by wage and hour laws regarding hours worked, overtime pay, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Employees covered under FLSA regulations, including minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Stock-ownership plan in which the company or employees make tax-deductible contributions to the plan; employees receive distribution at retirement or other times depending upon the terms of the ESOP. |
|
|
Term
| Nonqualified deferred compensation plan |
|
Definition
| Income deferral benefit offered to a select group of management or highly compensated employees in the organization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Workers’ compensation plans set up by employers/industries in place of their state’s compensation plan. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An agreement between individual international unions in which they respectively promise not to engage in the practice of persuading employees to leave one union to join another once the initial bargaining relationship has been established. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The expected distribution given a random sampling of people across a large population. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A method of projecting future needs in order to determine what developments will be required to meet those needs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Guarantees the workers’ right to organize and restricts the issuance of court injunctions in labor disputes. |
|
|
Term
| Norris-LaGuradia Act (Anti-Injunction Act) |
|
Definition
| One of the first laws to protect the rights of workers so they can engage in activities brought onto by the unions. In addition, the act gave labor unions the right to organize, strike, and use other forms of leverage against management without the interference of the federal court. |
|
|
Term
North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) |
|
Definition
| An agreement reached by the United States, Canada and Mexico that instituted a schedule for the phasing out of tariffs and eliminated a variety of fees and other hindrances to encourage free trade between the three North American countries. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A provision in a collective bargaining contract where the union promises that during the life of the contract the employees will not engage in strikes, slowdowns, or other job actions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Contract stipulation that the union agrees not to strike during the duration of the contract. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In wrongful discharge cases, this doctrine is used to determine whether or not an employer gave an employee adequate advanced notice of the potential consequences if a specific behavior or conduct was not improved upon. |
|
|
Term
O*Net (Occupational
Information Network) |
|
Definition
| Administered and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, the Occupational Information Network--O*NE--is a database that replaced the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) as the nation's primary source of occupational information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Charges filed with the FLRA contesting election results because of alleged irregularities in the conduct of a representational election. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A specification of what is to be accomplished, the timeframe in which it is to be accomplished and by whom; the results that the participants will be able to perform at the end of an HRD program. |
|
|
Term
| OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that reduced the compensation limits in qualified retirement programs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of observing employees while performing their respective jobs or tasks, used to collect data regarding specific jobs or tasks. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Used to classify specific occupations into a specific category, such as professionals, technical/hi-tech, administrative/clerical, sales, service, retail, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An abnormal condition or disorder, other than one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An injury that results from a work-related accident or exposure involving a single incident in the work environment. |
|
|
Term
| Occupational Noise Exposure standard |
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that requires employers to reduce noise levels in the workplace if they exceed OSHA standard; also known as hearing conservation standard. |
|
|
Term
| Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 |
|
Definition
| A law setting forth standards that employers must comply with in order to provide working conditions that are safe and free from any health hazards for all employees. Additionally, the law also requires employers to provide employees with protection against workplace hazards that could result in illness, injury or death to an individual, as well as to communicate to employees the information on hazardous materials or chemicals they may be required to handle. |
|
|
Term
| Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) |
|
Definition
| A law setting forth standards that employers must comply with in order to provide working conditions that are safe and free from any health hazards for all employees. Additionally, the law also requires employers to provide employees with protection against workplace hazards that could result in illness, injury or death to an individual, as well as to communicate to employees the information on hazardous materials or chemicals they may be required to handle. |
|
|
Term
| Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
|
Definition
| A Department of Labor office responsible for overseeing and assuring the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. |
|
|
Term
| Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
|
Definition
| Agency created within the Department of Labor to administer and enforce the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. |
|
|
Term
| Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) |
|
Definition
| The group that rules on contested OSHA citations. |
|
|
Term
| OD (organizational development) |
|
Definition
| Process of enhancing the effectiveness of an organization and the well-being of its members through planned interventions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Used to define the periods of time during which an employee is totally and completely relieved of any and all job duties and is free to attend to his or her own personal activities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Makes the hiring decision official; should immediately follow the final decision to hire a candidate; also known as employment offer. |
|
|
Term
| Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCCP) |
|
Definition
| Division of the Employment Standards Administration in the Department of Labor responsible for enforcing three statutes for federal contractors and subcontractors: Executive Order No. 11246, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act. OFCCP enforces the three laws through the use of compliance reviews, complaint investigations, administrative procedures and judicial procedures. |
|
|
Term
| Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs(OFCCP) |
|
Definition
| Division of the Employment Standards Administration in the Department of Labor responsible for enforcing three statutes for federal contractors and subcontractors: Executive Order No. 11246, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act. OFCCP enforces the three laws through the use of compliance reviews, complaint investigations, administrative procedures and judicial procedures. |
|
|
Term
| Office of Personnel Management (OPM) |
|
Definition
| An agency that issues government-wide regulations on personnel matters that may have a substantial impact on the scope of bargaining; consults with labor unions on those regulations; provides technical advice and assistance on labor-management relations matters to Federal agencies. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of relocating business processes, such as production/manufacturing, to a lower cost international location. |
|
|
Term
| Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) of 1990 |
|
Definition
| Act that amended ADEA to include all employee benefits; also provided terminated employees with time to consider group termination or retirement programs and consult an attorney. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An ADR option that designates a neutral third party to confidentially investigate and propose settlements of employment complaints brought by employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A neutral third party that helps individuals or groups in conflict resolve disputes by mediating, coaching and facilitating communication between the parties and recommending an appropriate resolution. |
|
|
Term
| Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) |
|
Definition
| Act that reduced the compensation limits in qualified retirement programs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of moving a new hire from applicant to employee status ensuring that paperwork is done, benefits administration is underway, and orientation is completed. |
|
|
Term
| Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Service, Inc. |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that same-gender harassment is actionable under Title VII. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Pay that employees receive when they are on call but not actually working. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Used to define periods of time when an employee is off duty but is required to remain on or close to the company premises or to respond to a call or page within a specified period of time, resulting in the employee being unable to effectively use such time to attend to his or her own personal activities. |
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Term
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Definition
| A type of flexible staffing option; employees who report to work only when needed. |
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Term
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Definition
| Training provided to employees by managers and supervisors; conducted at the actual worksite utilizing demonstration and actual performance of job tasks to be accomplished. |
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Term
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Definition
| The period of time designated by the employer’s health or other benefit plan when employees may enroll in new benefit plans or make changes to existing benefit plans. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to the specific period prior to the expiration of contract where petitions for exclusive representative status are considered timely. |
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Term
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Definition
| Typically begin with what, where, why, when, or how. |
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Term
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Definition
| An organization that hires workers without regard to their membership in a labor union. |
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Term
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Definition
| A management strategy emphasizing employee empowerment by making the organization’s financial data available to all employees. The goal of this type of management program is to make employees view themselves as more of a business partner and increase their awareness of how their actions and decisions affect the organization’s bottom line. |
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Term
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Definition
| An ADR option; encourages employees to meet with an immediate supervisor or manager to discuss workplace problems. |
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Term
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Definition
| A detailed projection of all projected income and expenses during a specified future period. |
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Term
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Definition
| A written document issued by government agencies used to provide a ruling on a particular issue. |
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Term
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Definition
| A tool used to solicit and assess employee opinions, feelings, perceptions and expectations regarding a variety of managerial and organizational issues. |
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Term
| Opposition to exception to arbitration award |
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Definition
| If a party files an exception to an arbitrator’s award, the other party may oppose the exception to the Authority in accordance with 5 CFR 2425.1. 23. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employer benefit plan provision that offers cash, extra benefits or additional credits in return for an employee reducing the level of benefits he or she selects under a flexible benefit/cafeteria-style program or providing extra cash compensation to those employees who choose not to elect any benefit coverage. |
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Term
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Definition
| A verbal warning given to an employee by a manager or supervisor as a means of correcting inappropriate behavior or conduct. |
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Term
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Definition
| Search results returned by search engines that are based purely on the content of the pages and page popularity. Organic search results are not categorized directory results, or pay-per-click advertising results. According to MarketingSherpa.com, total money spent on search engine optimization represents only 12% of what is spent on pay-for-click advertising (PPC). What makes this statistic so startling is that it is that organic search engine results (those that show up in natural "free" listings) are better noticed, read, and clicked on than the paid listings. |
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Term
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Definition
| A right reserved to management. According to the FLRA, this right encompasses an agency's authority to determine its administrative and functional structure, including the relationship of personnel through lines of control and the distribution of responsibilities for delegated and assigned duties. |
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Term
| Organizational assessment |
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Definition
| Identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities employees will need in the future as organizations and jobs change. |
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Term
Organizational behavior
modification theory |
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Definition
| A motivational theory suggesting that an individual will behave in a manner that helps him or her avoid potential negative outcomes and achieve agreeable outcomes. |
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Term
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Definition
| A graphic representation outlining how authority and responsibility are distributed within an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| Shared attitudes and perceptions in an organization; An organization’s attitude and values regarding itself, employees, customers and the general public. It encompasses the manner things are done within the organization based on defined policies and practices. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of establishing and arranging the elements of an organization’s structure. |
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Term
| Organizational development (OD) |
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Definition
| A planned organization-wide effort to improve and increase the organization’s effectiveness, productivity, return on investment and overall employee job satisfaction through planned interventions in the organization's processes. |
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Term
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Definition
| An organizational display is a detailed graphical or tabular chart, text, spreadsheet or similar presentation of the contractor's organizational structure. It must identify each organizational unit in the establishment and show the relationship of each organizational unit to the other organizational units in the establishment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Describes the process of managing the way people leave an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| The systematic presentation of data to groups with the intent of stimulating discussion of problem areas, generating potential solutions, and stimulating motivation for change. |
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Term
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Definition
| Describes certain types of learning activities or processes that may occur at any one of several levels in an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of picketing done to induce employees to accept the union as their representative. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of transforming an organization’s goals, objectives, philosophy and mission into practices and policies. |
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Term
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Definition
| Part of an affirmative action plan that provides a graphical presentation of the organizational units, including their interrelationships. |
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Term
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Definition
| The design of an organization that identifies the organization’s hierarchal reporting and authority relationships. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of evaluating and analyzing an organization’s structure and other major components to determine whether they are suitably meeting the organization’s current and future needs. |
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Term
| Organizational transformation |
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Definition
| Refers to organization-wide changes, such as restructuring operations, introducing new technologies, processes, services or products, implementing new programs, re-engineering, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any discrete component at which there is a level of supervision responsible and accountable for the selection, compensation, etc., of employees within the unit. |
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Term
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Definition
| The employees in a non-union shop who are designated to represent their co-workers during the representation campaign. |
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Term
| Organizing model of unions |
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Definition
| The concept that the primary function of a union's officers and staff is to organize members to exert collective power to solve problems. |
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Term
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Definition
| The introduction of employees to their jobs, co-workers and the organization by providing them with information regarding such items as policies, procedures, company history, goals, culture and work rules. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occupational Safety and Health Act: established the first national policy for safety and health and continues to deliver standards that employers must meet to guarantee the health and safety of their employees; also Occupational Safety and Health Administration: the agency created within the Department of Labor to administer and enforce the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; used to classify work-related injuries and illnesses and to note the extent and severity of each case. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; shows the totals of work-related injuries and illnesses for the year in each category. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Injury and Illness Incident Report; supplemental record that covers the details of each occupational injury and illness. |
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Term
| OSHRC (Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission) |
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Definition
| The group that rules on contested OSHA citations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Other eligible veterans are those individuals who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized. |
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Term
| Other-than-serious violation |
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Definition
| A violation of an OSHA standard that would probably not cause serious physical harm or death. |
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Term
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Definition
| A strategy used to evaluate and measure the results of an instructional method or program. |
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Term
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Definition
| Also know as a wildcat strike, it is an unauthorized work stoppage while a labor contract is still in effect. |
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Term
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Definition
| Stated amount out of pocket the insured can pay for medical costs in a 12-month period before copayments end. |
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Term
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Definition
| A systematic counseling process by which a laid-off or terminated employee is counseled in the techniques of career self-appraisal and in securing a new job that is appropriate to his or her talents and needs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method of keeping employees informed of company programs and services available to them by utilizing such things as postings, newsletters, memos or meetings. |
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Term
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Definition
| The practice of buying services externally rather than producing them internally. |
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Term
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Definition
| In accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), it is the term used to define work that is performed in excess of 40 hours per week. |
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Term
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Definition
| Required for nonexempt workers under FLSA at 1.5 times the regular rate of pay for hours over 40 in a workweek. |
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Term
| OWBPA (Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act) |
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Definition
| Act that amended ADEA to include all employee benefits; also provided terminated employees with time to consider group termination or retirement programs and consult an attorney. |
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Term
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Definition
| A negotiating technique whereby contract proposals are grouped into a “package” usually offering substantial concessions by one party, in exchange for substantial gains. |
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Term
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Definition
| A benefit program granting employees a bank consisting of a specific number of paid days that can be used for absences related to sickness, vacation or personal reasons. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A benefit program granting employees a specific number of vacation or personal days off which that are paid by the employer. The number of days is generally based on the employer’s policy for accrual of paid time off. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to a job ranking method in which evaluator compares each job with every other job being evaluated; A form of rating, in which the rater compares, one by one, the performance of each member in a group with the performance of every other member in the group. |
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Term
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Definition
| Group or team interview of a job candidate. |
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Term
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Definition
| A term used to describe a local union that has no members. |
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Term
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Definition
| Clauses written into executive contracts that provide special payments to key executives who might lose their position or be otherwise disadvantaged if another company took control of the organization through a merger or acquisition; also known as golden parachutes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Takes place when unions negotiate provisions covering wages and other benefits similar to those already provided in other agreements existing within the industry or region; also known as pattern bargaining. |
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Term
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Definition
| A benefit designed to provide employees with approved paid or unpaid time off following the birth or adoption of a child or to care for a dependent. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A bar graph used to rank in order of importance information such as causes or reasons for specific problems, so that measures for process improvement can be established; shows how several items contribute to a total effect. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used in the public sector to describe the ratio an employer maintains between the salaries for specific jobs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A guideline governing the admission of evidence during an arbitration hearing. |
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Term
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Definition
| An illness or injury that prevents an individual from performing one or more functions of his or her job. |
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Term
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Definition
| Espouses the theory that every organization is a storehouse of talent that is recognized only if employees are allowed to contribute; employee input on important organizational issues is both asked for and valued. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The Authority’s analytical approach in dealing with union requests for information under title 5, United States Code, section 7114(b)(4). |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of employee participation established pursuant to Executive Order 12871 in which the parties are expected to deal with matters relating to improving the performance of the agency in a non-adversarial, non-litigious manner. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who continually works less than 40 hours per week (standard workweek hours are based on individual employer policy, therefore, a 40-hour workweek is only a guideline; this number could be higher or lower). |
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Term
|
Definition
| A consistent action or behavior with respect to an issue that over time employees, the union and the employer have come to recognize the standard. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Gives its owner the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling anything that embodies or uses an invention. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A benefit designed to provide fathers of newborn children with paid or unpaid time off from work following the birth of the child. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Takes place when unions negotiate provisions covering wages and other benefits similar to those already provided in other agreements existing within the industry or region; also known as parallel bargaining. |
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Term
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Definition
| When the interviewer asks each applicant questions that are from the same knowledge, skill, or ability area; the questions, however, are not necessarily the same; also called a targeted interview. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any change made to the pay rate of an employee, such as an increase or decrease to the rate of pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A situation occurring when only a small difference in pay exists between employees, regardless of their knowledge, skills, abilities or experience. Oftentimes, it is the result of a market-rate for a given job surpassing the increases historically awarded to long-term employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when there is only a small difference in pay between employees regardless of their skills, experience or seniority; also known as salary compression. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A method used to group jobs together that have approximately the same relative internal worth and are paid at the same rate. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Associated with pay grades; they set the upper and lower bounds of possible compensation for individuals whose jobs fall in the range. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A structure of job grades and pay ranges established within an organization. May be expressed as job grades or job evaluation points. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Collect information on prevailing market rates and include topics such as incentive plans, overtime pay, base pay, and vacation and holiday practices. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An agreement between an employer and an employee used primarily for relocated employees, stating that an employee will not voluntarily terminate his or her employment with the organization for a specified duration of time, effective from the date of relocation. Failure to abide by the terms of the agreement results in the employee being responsible for paying back a portion of any and all costs incurred by the employer on the employee’s behalf. Also used by employers that pay for expensive job-related or professional development training or educational courses. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Online advertising payment model in which payment is based on qualifying click-throughs. A typical PPC agreement has the advertiser paying for clicks to the destination site based on a prearranged per-click rate. Popular PPC advertising options include search engines (right sidebar on Google). Paying per click is different than paying per impression which generates lower-quality traffic/leads. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Online advertising payment mode in which payment is based on how often the "publisher" (e.g., web site where you purchase a banner ad) shows your banner ad on their web site (e.g., an "impression"). Typically, prices are set per one thousand exposures. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Documentation created and maintained by the employer containing such information as hours worked, salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, vacation/sick pay, contributions to qualified health and pension plans, net pay and deductions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Documentation created and maintained by the employer, which contains information regarding hours worked, salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, vacation/sick pay, contributions to qualified health and pension plans, net pay and deductions for all employees on the employer’s payroll for the year. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A type of flexible staffing option; when a company needing help identifies specific people and refers them to a staffing firm, which employs them and assigns them to work at the company. |
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Term
| PBGC (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation) |
|
Definition
| Set up by ERISA to insure payment of defined benefit pension plan benefits in the event that a private-sector defined benefit pension plan terminates with insufficient funds to pay the benefits. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Study of the education of children. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A performance assessment given by an employee’s peers who have observed the employee’s job performance. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An ADR option; establishes a panel of employees (or employees and managers) to work together to resolve employee complaints. |
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Term
| Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) |
|
Definition
| Set up by ERISA to insure payment of defined benefit pension plan benefits in the event that a private-sector defined benefit pension plan terminates with insufficient funds to pay the benefits. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employer benefit plan funded through insurance, a trust, general assets or other separately maintained funds designed to provide employees with a monthly income benefit upon retirement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A person who does not meet the definition of a disabled individual in accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act but is regarded by his or her employer as having a mental or physical disability . |
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Term
|
Definition
| A measure of variation that indicates a specific point in a distribution that has a given percentage of cases below it. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Method of measuring employees’ adherence to performance standards and providing feedback in relation to said adherence. |
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Term
|
Definition
| One-time payment made to an employee; often called a lump-sum increase. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of improving employee performance and productivity by providing the employee with feedback regarding areas where he or she is doing well and areas that may require improvement. |
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Term
| Performance improvement plan |
|
Definition
| A plan implemented by a manager or supervisor that is designed to provide employees with constructive feedback, facilitate discussions between an employee and his or her supervisor regarding performance-related issues, and outline specific areas of performance requiring improvement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Process that provides an opportunity for employees and managers to discuss development goals and jointly create plans to achieve them. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of monitoring employees while they perform their jobs through the use of surveillance cameras, telephone or computer monitoring. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An organization-wide plan to manage employees and their performance wherein goals are set for employees, departments and the organization as a whole. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Expectations of management translated into behaviors and results that employees can deliver. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A variable pay strategy that pays employees based on their individual performance and contributions, rather than the value of the job they are performing. |
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Term
| Performance-sharing plans |
|
Definition
| Organization-wide incentive plans in which funds are made available for incentive awards based on predetermined criteria and standards. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Special privileges for executives that are usually noncash items; also known as perquisites. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An arbitrator who is used for all arbitration during the life of a contract. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A court-issued order requiring a party to either do or refrain from doing a certain act. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Individuals hired to permanently replace an employee engaged in a strike. At the end of the strike, permanent replacements are not taken off the job but rather continue to work. Returning striker are recalled to work as vacancies for which they are qualified, are created due to attrition, growth, or other means. Unions refer to all replacement employees as “scabs.” |
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Term
|
Definition
| An arbitrator who has been chosen by both management and the union to serve for a specified period of time or the duration of the contract. |
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Term
| Permissive subject of bargaining |
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Definition
| Subjects that are not mandatory nor illegal. These subjects may be proposed in the negotiations, but neither side may insist that they be included in the agreement (another way of stating this is to say the other side has no obligation even to discuss them if they do not wish to). Included as permissive topics are: interest arbitration, benefits for non-employees (such as retirees), changes in the composition of the certified or recognized bargaining unit, selection of bargaining representative, internal union affairs, inclusion of supervisors, settlement of an unfair labor practice charge, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Those collective bargaining items that may be bargained but are not obligatory; also referred to as voluntary subjects. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Special privileges for executives that are usually noncash items; also known as perks. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A benefit designed to provide employees with an allotment of paid days off in addition to holidays, sick days or vacation days, which they can use to attend to personal matters. |
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Term
| Personal Protective Equipment standard |
|
Definition
| An OSHA standard that protects employees from environmental, process, chemical, mechanical, or radiological hazards capable of causing injury or impairment and sets criteria for acceptable equipment designs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Attempt to measure a person’s social interaction skills and patterns of behavior; report what might be described as traits, temperaments, or dispositions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Pay systems in which employee characteristics, rather than the job, determine pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| All information pertaining to individual employees, which is collected and maintained by the employer and is essential to the employer for handling various employment-related matters. |
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Term
| PERT (program evaluation review technique) chart |
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Definition
| Project planning tool that provides a road map or diagram of project events mainly to illustrate the time needed to complete a project. |
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Term
|
Definition
| As a flextime option, offers employees the opportunity to gradually reduce the number of hours they work before they are fully retired. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the practice of telephoning large numbers of members to inform them of a union policy or action or to gather information. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the network of volunteer members in which one member calls a list of members, each of whom calls another list of members, so on so forth. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A test instrument used to determine an individual’s ability to perform the functions or tasks of a job where physical strength or endurance is required. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A medical examination performed by a company physician or an independent physician to ascertain whether or not an individual is able to perform the physical requirements of a particular job. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Generally, activity at the location of a labor dispute that involves patrolling and the carrying of placards. This definition has been expanded to include activities where persons did not carry signs but rather had signs posted nearby and to situations where persons were not sitting in their cars keeping warm. A key element is that a “signal” is sent to others whether the substance of the dispute is known or not and regardless of whether the message on the placards is read. Generally, hand billing without the carrying of placards or patrolling is not “picketing” and is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A per-piece rate system that pays employees based on the number of pieces produced. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Involve offering an HRD program initially in a controlled environment with a segment of the target audience. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A written or verbal notice given to employees who are being terminated or laid-off. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Serve as objectives or targets in an affirmative action plan when the percentage of protected-class workers is less than is reasonably expected given availability. |
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Term
|
Definition
| In the EEOC complaint process, the individual who files the complaint; also known as complainant. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual or plan sponsor designated by the instrument under which the plan is operated to be responsible for the administration of pension and welfare benefit plans. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An entity that has adopted and has maintained an employee-benefit plan. The plan sponsor is often an employer, but may be a union or a professional association. The Plan Sponsor is responsible for determining employee participation and the amount of benefits involved. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Type of learning curve in which learning is fast at first but then flattens out with no apparent progress. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Describes the career state of employees who are no longer considered promotable. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Most commonly used method of job evaluation; it involves using specific factors to evaluate job worth. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A broad statement that reflects an organization’s philosophy, objectives, or standards concerning a particular set of management or employee activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Measures a person’s respiration, blood pressure, and perspiration while they are asked a series of questions; the outcome is a diagnostic opinion about honesty; also called lie detector test. |
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|
Term
| POPs (premium-only plans) |
|
Definition
| Type of Section 125 plan that allows employees to pay for certain qualified benefits with pretax dollars. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group of persons or objects or a complete set of observations or measurements about which one wishes to draw conclusions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A pension plan designed to allow employees the ability to transfer accrued pension benefit credits earned with one employer to another. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Act that defines what is included as hours worked and is therefore compensable and a factor in calculating overtime. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Compensation for all expenses incurred while traveling from door to door. Portal-to-portal pay is used in business organizations for business-related purposes, such as business travel where all expenses including transportation are covered. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A workforce planning tool that imposes certain rules or restrictions on the creation, and filling of positions as a means to manage and control the costs associated with any given position within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A type of contract negotiation in which the following outcomes occur: 1) people lock themselves into positions and find it difficult to move away, 2) parties lose sight of the underlying problems to be resolved, and 3) emphasis is placed on winning the position. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A disciplinary strategy geared toward reducing and improving an individual’s unfavorable behavior or conduct by rewarding positive behavior rather than focusing on and punishing negative behavior. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of acknowledging specific behaviors with positive feedback, such as a smile, praise or reward. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of testing an employee involved in a workplace accident for the presence of drugs or alcohol. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Contributions made to a benefit plan that are subject to applicable state or federal tax withholding requirements. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A measurement that establishes the minimum income required to provide an adequate standard of living. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who practices a learned profession. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used in the test validation process to measure the relationship between test scores and actual job performance. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of issuing tests to potential employees on a pre-employment basis in order to determine an applicant’s suitability for a certain position. These tests may include, but are not limited to, drug and alcohol tests, medical examinations, skills tests, physical agility tests, honesty/integrity tests or personality tests. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any condition for which a person is currently receiving treatment, has been advised to receive treatment or for which a prudent person would seek treatment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A hiring tactic in which employers agree that when hiring new employees, they will give preferential treatment to union members. |
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|
Term
| Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 |
|
Definition
| An amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, requiring pregnancy or related conditions to be treated in the same manner as any other temporary disability. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Additional compensation paid for work performed outside of regularly scheduled work hours. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Additional compensation paid for work performed outside of regularly scheduled work hours; Extra pay for working holidays or vacation days. |
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|
Term
| Premium-only plans (POPs) |
|
Definition
| Type of Section 125 plan that allows employees to pay for certain qualified benefits with pretax dollars. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A benefit plan that provides employees, their spouses or dependents with assistance in obtaining legal services, which have been prepaid in whole or in part by the employer. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the use of resume boards to determine which current employees are looking for a job online |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Useful when an organization has a high volume of applicants for a job and face-to-face interviews are needed to judge prequalification factors. |
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Term
| Prescription drug benefits |
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Definition
| Typically a provision included in a group health plan designed to provide covered employees and their dependents with payment assistance for medically prescribed drugs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Contributions made to a benefit plan that are exempt from all applicable state or federal tax withholding requirements. |
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Term
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Definition
| A rate of pay determined by the U.S. Department of Labor based upon the geographic area for a given class of labor and type of project. |
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Term
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Definition
| Latin term for on first view or at first appearance; in an EEO case, when a plaintiff presents evidence of a prima facie case, the employer must articulate a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for its decision. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used by employees and their union to gain certain concessions from an employer, a boycott is an organized refusal by employees and their labor union to deal with the employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Involves data that is gathered firsthand for the specific evaluation being conducted. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A type of contract negotiation based on four premises: 1) separate the people from the problem, 2) focus on interests, not positions, 3) invent options for mutual gain, and 4) insist on objective criteria. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A situation in which the NLRB will bar a petition for an election; when a prior election petition was withdrawn by the requesting party within the past six months. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Specifies that a government entity must have a person’s signed release before giving information about that individual to someone else. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Rulings issued by the IRS to specific taxpayers or organizations who request an interpretation of the law. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The term pro forma comes from the Latin phrase meaning, "as a matter of form". The term is very broad and its meaning depends on the context in which it is being used. Basically it is a term used to describe the presentation of data, usually financial statements, where the data reflects information as if the state of the world were different from that which is in fact the case. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used as a form of discipline, it is a specified period of time during which an individual’s performance or conduct is closely monitored. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An agreement between an employer and employee that the employee will work for a set amount of time on a trial or probationary period. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A specified period of time (typically 30-90 days) where a newly hired, promoted or transferred employee’s job performance is evaluated. Primarily used by supervisors to closely observe an employee’s work, help the employee adjust to the position and reject any employee whose performance does not meet required standards. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Detailed, step-by-step description of the customary method of handling activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of improving business practices or methods by creating and implementing new processes or making changes to existing processes. |
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Term
| Process Safety Management standard |
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Definition
| An OSHA standard that prevents or minimizes the effect of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Diagram of the steps involved in a process. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employee who is directly involved with the manufacture of a particular product. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The measurement of output to input used to gauge production efficiency. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A collective bargaining agreement that provides employees with increases based on the employers realized productivity gains. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Pay based on the quantity of work and outputs that can be accurately measured. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employee who has undergone advanced or specialized training in a particular field of learning and whose work is predominantly intellectual in nature. |
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Term
| Professional Employer Organization (PEO) |
|
Definition
| A staffing service that is contracted to assume the employers responsibilities and risk for his/her workforce. Employees are legally co-employed by the PEO. The PEO is responsible for such actions as the preparation of accurate payroll checks, the remittance of payroll taxes to federal and state jurisdictions and the preparation of various tax information. |
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Term
Professional Employer
Organization (PEO) |
|
Definition
| An organization that enters into a join-employment relationship with an employer, by leasing employees to the employer, allowing the PEO to share and manage many employer-related responsibilities and liabilities. Employers outsource their human resource functions, such employee benefits, compensation and payroll administration, workers’ compensation and employment taxes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A qualified retirement plan established and maintained by an employer which enables employees and their beneficiaries to participate in the profits of the employer's business. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A qualified retirement plan established and maintained by an employer which enables employees and their beneficiaries to participate in the profits of the employer's business. |
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Term
| Program evaluation review technique (PERT) chart |
|
Definition
| Project planning tool that provides a road map or diagram of project events mainly to illustrate the time needed to complete a project. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of discipline whereby increasingly harsher penalties are awarded each time an employee is disciplined for the same or a different performance infraction or policy or work-rule violation. Generally, the sequence is an oral warning to written warnings to suspension and finally termination. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A series of tasks and activities that has specific objectives, defined start and end dates, budget limits, and dedicated resources. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group of people who come together for a specific project. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Career advancement within an organization, which includes increased authority, level of responsibility, status and pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Information associated with a company's products, business or activities, including such items as financial data; trade secrets; product research and development; product designs; marketing plans or techniques; computer programs; processes; and know-how that has been clearly identified and communicated by the company as proprietary, a trade secret or confidential. |
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Term
| Protected characteristics |
|
Definition
| Legal terminology referring to areas protected by federal or state statutes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| People who are covered under a particular federal or state discrimination law; groups protected by EEO designations include but are not limited to women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, people age 40 or older, the disabled, veterans, and religious groups. |
|
|
Term
| Protected concerted activities |
|
Definition
| The basic activity protected by the NLRA. Activities by more than one person (concerted, although there are cases where the NLRB or courts have found that the activities of one person are “deemed” to be concerted) for the purposes of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection (protected activities). Activities that are generally protected include engaging in work stoppages, honoring picket lines, filing or processing grievances, safety related protests, protests of employment discrimination, appeals to regulatory agencies or courts (it is not necessary that the basis of the protest be meritorious). Discipline and/or discharge of employee(s) for participation in such activities may b a violation of the NLRB. Activities that are not protected include, but are not limited to, sit down strikes, some breaches in confidentiality, some forms of disloyalty. |
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Term
|
Definition
| States that an ERISA plan fiduciary has legal and financial obligations not to take more risks when investing employee benefit program funds than a reasonably knowledgeable, prudent investor would take under similar circumstances. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Psychological test A written, visual or verbal assessment administered to determine cognitive and emotional skills. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Large bank of time comprising all an employee’s paid time off (i.e., vacation, sick leave, and holidays) that the employee can use as they see fit. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Status of a work when copyright protection ends (in general, copyright protection covers the life of the author plus 70 years); means that no one can invoke the Copyright Act to prevent another from copying, distributing, or otherwise using the work. |
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Term
| Public employment relations board or commission (PERB or PERC) |
|
Definition
| An administrative agency that is responsible for providing impartial, efficient and expert resolution of labor-management disputes and interpretation of state labor laws for public employers. |
|
|
Term
| QDROs (qualified domestic relations orders) |
|
Definition
| A court judgment, order, or decree that recognizes the existence of an alternate payee's right to receive all or a portion of the benefits payable under a pension plan. |
|
|
Term
| Qualified deferred compensation plan |
|
Definition
| Retirement benefit offered to all employees in the organization; includes tax advantages and is protected under ERISA. |
|
|
Term
| Qualified disabled person |
|
Definition
| A qualified disabled person is an individual with a disability who is capable of performing a particular job, with or without reasonable accommodation. |
|
|
Term
| Qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs) |
|
Definition
| A court judgment, order, or decree that recognizes the existence of an alternate payee's right to receive all or a portion of the benefits payable under a pension plan; An order, decree, judgment or administrative notice (including a settlement agreement) that establishes the rights of another person (the “alternate payee”) to benefits; issued by a domestic relations court or other court of competent jurisdiction or through an administrative process established under state law. |
|
|
Term
| Qualified medical child support order (QMCSO) |
|
Definition
| An order, decree, judgment or administrative notice (including a settlement agreement) requiring health coverage for a child; issued by a domestic relations court or other court of competent jurisdiction or through an administrative process established under state law. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A defined benefit or defined contribution pension plan covered by ERISA and IRS regulations qualifying for certain tax advantages for both the employer and the participant. |
|
|
Term
| Qualified special disabled veteran |
|
Definition
| A special disabled veteran who satisfies the requisite skill, experience, education and other job-related requirements of the employment position such veteran holds or desires and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of such position. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Under COBRA, an event, such as termination for reasons other than gross misconduct, that allows employees to continue their group health-care coverage for a specified period of time. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Research that utilizes open-ended interviewing to explore and understand the attitudes, opinions, feelings, and behavior of individuals or a group of individuals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Activities or programs whose purpose is to demonstrate and ensure that products and services meet specifications and are consistently of high quality. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of examining the elements of a quality management system in order to evaluate how well they comply with quality system specifications. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A carefully selected group of employees who voluntarily meet on a regular basis to identify problems and make recommendation by using various techniques for analyzing and solving work-related problems. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Activities or programs whose purpose is to ensure that all quality specifications for products or services are being met and are of consistently high quality. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Any system or process designed to enhance an organization's ability to meet quality requirements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A system to make sure that a product or service meets standards of excellence, and that the process by which the product or service is created is efficient and effective as well. The three key components of this system are quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Utilizes statistical measures to collect, interpret, and communicate data. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Show measures of dispersion, or how groups of data relate to each other. There are four quartiles to any set of data, with 25% of the data falling in each quartile. |
|
|
Term
| Quasi-experimental designs |
|
Definition
| Include comparisons between groups before and after the installation of a special program or new technique. |
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|
Term
| Questions concerning representation |
|
Definition
| Refers to a petition in which a union seeks to be the exclusive representative of an appropriate unit of employees, or in which employees in an existing unit want to decertify the incumbent union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe a strike that has not been authorized by the union, typically occurring on a spontaneous basis as a result of a particular job incident on the job and of short duration. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Legal terminology essentially meaning “what for what” or “something for something.” It is the concept of getting something of value in exchange for giving something of value. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Type of sexual harassment that occurs when an employee is forced to choose between giving in to a superior’s sexual demands or forfeiting an economic benefit such as a pay increase, promotion, or continued employment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A voluntary resignation from employment that is initiated by the employee. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The number of members of a legislature or of any organization that have to be present before official business may be conducted. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Fixed hiring and promotion rates based on race, gender, or other protected-class standards that must be met at all costs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In affirmative action systems, it is a means of attempting to achieve workplace balance by hiring and/or promoting specified numbers or ratios of minorities or women in positions from which they have been excluded. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A grantor trust designed to segregate nonqualified deferred compensation benefits from an employer's general accounts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Race is a division of humankind with certain distinguishing characteristics in common which indicate distinctive origins. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of adjusting employment test scores to compensate for racial differences. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A union's attempt to enroll workers belonging to, or represented by, another union. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Originally provided railroad employees the right to organize and bargain collectively; now covers both railroad and airline employees. |
|
|
Term
| Railway Labor Act of 1926 (RLA) |
|
Definition
| A law that regulates labor relations in the railway and airlines industries, guaranteeing workers in these industries the right to form a union and bargain collectively. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Drug and alcohol tests administered by an employer that selects employees to be tested on a random basis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Measure of variation that indicates the distance between the highest and lowest scores. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A rating method where the performance of a group, process or product is arranged in a particular order, such as highest to lowest. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The formal approval of a newly negotiated agreement by vote of affected union members. |
|
|
Term
| REA (Retirement Equity Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that provided certain legal protections for spousal beneficiaries of qualified retirement plans. |
|
|
Term
| Real simple syndication (RSS) |
|
Definition
| A commonly used protocol for delivering web-based content such as blogs. RSS is an XML-based format that allows webmasters to provide fresh web content in a succinct manner. It is fast becoming an easy and affordable way to spread content. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term referring to the value of current wages as compared to the value of the same wages during a specific period of time in the past. |
|
|
Term
| Realistic job preview (RJP) |
|
Definition
| Any part of the selection process that provides an applicant with honest and complete information about a job and the work environment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Modifying or adjusting a job application process, a work environment, or the circumstances under which a job is usually performed to enable a qualified individual with a disability to be considered for the job and perform its essential functions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A reimbursement standard used by insurance companies to determine how much providers should be paid for their services. |
|
|
Term
| Reasonable person standard |
|
Definition
| A standard used in sexual harassment suits, referring to conduct or behavior so offensive in nature that any reasonable person, regardless of sex, would agree the conduct or behavior should be illegal. |
|
|
Term
| Reasonable suspicion testing |
|
Definition
| A drug or alcohol test administered to an employee due to a performance or policy infraction or poor or erratic behavior. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Transferring individuals to alternative positions where their talents or skills may be best utilized to their own or the organization’s benefit or where they are better able to perform the job in accordance with required standards. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when an appraiser gives more weight to recent occurrences and discounts the employee’s earlier performance during the appraisal period. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An appraisal method where the subordinate and the manager are evaluated by each other based on agreedupon performance criteria. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A relationship between states or other taxing jurisdictions whereby privileges granted by one are returned by the other under a reciprocal agreement. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The written acceptance by a public employer of an employee organization as the majority representative of employees in an appropriate unit. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When an employer recognizes a union as being entitled to conduct collective bargaining on behalf of workers in a particular bargaining unit; An acknowledgement of an employee’s exceptional performance or achievements expressed in the form of praise, commendation or gratitude. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of picketing as a means to assert pressure or coerce an employer to recognize a union as a bargaining agent for the employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Consist of gifts, awards, trips, prizes, and other forms of merit rewards that recognize individuals for their performance, special contributions, or years of service. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of picketing done to obtain the employer’s recognition of the union as the bargaining representative. |
|
|
Term
| Recordable illness/injury |
|
Definition
| All occupational injuries and illnesses that require more than basic first aid treatment, or deaths that occurred in the workplace. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of soliciting and actively seeking applicants to fill recently vacated or newly created positions using a variety of methods (i.e., internal job postings, advertising in newspapers or electronic job boards/sites, utilizing search firms, or listing position with trade and professional associations, etc). |
|
|
Term
| Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) |
|
Definition
| The outsourcing of the recruiting process to a third party. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A pay rate that is above the maximum range assigned to the job grade. Employees are usually not eligible for additional pay increases until the range maximums exceed the individual pay rate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The reassignment of employees to other departments or functions as an alternative to laying them off. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An involuntary separation of an employee or groups of employees due to economic pressures, lack of work, organizational changes or other reasons of business necessity that require a reduction in staff. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Eliminating jobs or job categories as they become unnecessary to the functioning of an organization. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The redesigning of business and work processes, policies or organizational structure. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of verifying information supplied by applicants on an application or resume. |
|
|
Term
| Regents of the University of California v. Bakke |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that colleges and universities could legitimately consider race as a factor in the admissions process. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A form of multiemployer bargaining whereby bargaining takes place between a union and the representatives of several employers in a particular industry and region. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Measure of association that refers to the fact that if two variables are related, when one changes by a certain amount, so does the other. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A statistical measure used to discover relationships between variables such as performance ratings and promotions. |
|
|
Term
Regular full/part-time
employee |
|
Definition
| An individual who has been hired by an employer to work a predetermined amount of hours per week in a position/appointment of indefinite duration. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Any hours worked per week that are less than full-time status. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A rule or order issued by a government agency; often has the force of law. |
|
|
Term
| Rehabilitation Act of 1973 |
|
Definition
| A federal statute requiring federal agencies to ensure that electronic and information technology systems are accessible to individuals with disabilities when their jobs require the use of electronic or information technology systems; Prohibits discrimination based on physical or mental disabilities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of providing positive feedback to an individual or groups of individuals after completion of a particular project or achievement of a particular goal. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A type of legal written document executed by an employer and signed by an employee whereby the employee relinquishes certain rights in exchange for some form of consideration, such as a benefit the employee would not have otherwise received had he or she not been discharged. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The ability of an instrument to measure consistently. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Includes all aspects of religious observance and practice and religious beliefs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An accommodation made for an employee, such as time off from work, so that he or she may observe a religious holiday or attend a religious ceremony or their day of Sabbath such as Saturday or Sunday. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A type of benefit offered to employees who accept work assignments in new locations. Typically takes the form of assistance with moving costs, travel expenses, temporary lodging and home-buying/selling. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A type of employee counseling used to correct performance or behavior-related issues. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An order of an administrative agency, court, or arbitrator to correct a defect; relief or cure. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Describes a method of teaching intended to help people who have basic skills deficiencies, such reading or writing. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A strategy designed to conquer a deficiency in an employee’s behavior, performance or skills. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Employees who work off company premises and are removed from their supervisors or managers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A manager who supervises employees who perform their work at a site other then the employer’s premises. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A provision in a collective bargaining agreement stating the time or the circumstances under which negotiations can be requested prior to the expiration of the contract. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of returning to the United States after being placed on a long-term international assignment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A violation of an OSHA standard that is a repeat of a violation found in a previous inspection. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| When the interviewer asks every applicant the same questions; also called a structured interview. |
|
|
Term
| Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) |
|
Definition
| Injuries caused by repetitive motion that affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS), or cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A tool in succession planning in which current and future job vacancies, as well as the number of employees in currently filled jobs, are visually summarized. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Concentrates on immediate needs and a snapshot assessment of the availability of qualified back-up for key management positions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Pay provided to employees who report for work as scheduled but then find that no work is available. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A secret-ballot election to determine whether the employees in an appropriate unit shall have a union as their exclusive representative. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the issues related to how a union gains or loses exclusive recognition for a bargaining unit, the unit status of employees and determining whether a proposed unit of employees is appropriate for exclusive recognition. |
|
|
Term
| Representation proceeding |
|
Definition
| A procedure for the purpose of determining the majority representative of employees in an appropriate collective bargaining unit. |
|
|
Term
| Representational functions |
|
Definition
| Activities performed by union representatives on behalf of the employees for whom the union is the exclusive representative regarding conditions and terms of employment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An oral or written reproach given to an employee as part of disciplinary action. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The framework developed by the FLRA to determine whether a breach of the agreement was clear and patent and whether the provision breached went to the heart of the agreement. |
|
|
Term
| Request for proposal (RFP) |
|
Definition
| A written request asking contractors to propose solutions and prices that fit the customer’s requirements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Grants management full authority and discretion over the items that are or could be covered unless the contract limits management’s rights in a particular area. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A resident alien is a lawful permanent resident of the United States at any time if he or she has been given the privilege, according to the immigration laws, of residing permanently as an immigrant. This status usually exists if the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued a green card. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The disposition of a disagreement or grievance through alternative dispute resolution methods. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In the EEOC complaint process, the entity accused of the discrimination (typically, the employer and/or individual supervisor). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A contract clause requiring executives or other highly skilled employees to refrain from seeking and obtaining employment with competitor organizations in a specific geographical region and for a specified period of time. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Changing an organizational structure in order to make it more efficient and cost effective. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Often prepared by candidates (or by a professional hired by the candidate) to highlight candidates’ strengths and experience. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The result of an employer punishing an employee for engaging in activities protected by the law (e.g., filing a discrimination charge, opposing unlawful employer practices). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An incentive payment used to entice employees from leaving the organization. Typically employees are asked to sign an agreement stating they will remain employed for a specific duration or until the completion of a particular task or project in order to be eligible for the bonus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A pool of retired former employees who are rehired on a temporary or contractual basis. |
|
|
Term
| Retirement Equity Act (REA) |
|
Definition
| Act that provided certain legal protections for spousal beneficiaries of qualified retirement plans. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A written qualified or nonqualified benefit plan, funded by employer and employee contributions, that provides retirement income benefits for employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Training that is provided for a certain job to enable an employee to acquire the necessary skills to work with new processes, procedures or equipment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to a deferred wage payment for work done previously at a lower rate of pay. |
|
|
Term
| Return on investment (ROI) |
|
Definition
| A calculation showing the value of expenditures on HR activities; A ratio of the benefit or profit derived from a specific investment, compared with the cost of the investment itself. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Act that added two sections to the Tax Code: Section 125 and Section 401(k). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Rulings published by the IRS as general guidelines to all taxpayers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Employment policies or practices that result in discriminatory treatment against applicants or employees who are not minorities or members of a disadvantaged group. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A formal or informal program used to recognize individual employee achievements, such as accomplishment of goals or projects or submission of creative ideas. |
|
|
Term
| RFP (request for proposal) |
|
Definition
| A written request asking contractors to propose solutions and prices that fit the customer’s requirements. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The “right” of management to conduct business without having to answer to internal or external forces for their decisions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A state law preventing labor-management agreements requiring an individual to join a union as a condition of employment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Also referred to as grievance arbitration or mediation, it is a proactive, voluntary process, which utilizes an arbitrator to assist and issue a binding resolution of grievances over the application or interpretation of a collective bargaining agreement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A disagreement regarding the application or understanding of the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An approach to reducing staff, whereby jobs are prioritized in order to identify and eliminate unnecessary work. This method uses a selection criteria based on individual jobs, rather than people, in order to avoid possibly laying off the wrong employees. |
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Term
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Definition
| An OSHA standard providing workers with protection from hazardous substances in the workplace by requiring employers to keep employees informed of any hazardous substances that they may be working with, as well as the hazards and symptoms associated with the substance. |
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Term
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Definition
| A letter issued by the EEOC, once a charge has been recorded and processed, informing individuals who filed the charge that they have the right to further pursue their charges in a federal or state court. |
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Term
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Definition
| A state law preventing labor-management agreements requiring an individual to join a union as a condition of employment. |
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Term
| Right-to-work legislation |
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Definition
| Legislation that prohibits both the closed shop and the union shop. |
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Term
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Definition
| The use of insurance and other strategies in an effort to minimize an organization’s exposure to liability in the event a loss or injury occurs. |
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Term
| RJP (realistic job preview) |
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Definition
| Any part of the selection process that provides an applicant with honest and complete information about a job and the work environment. |
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Term
| ROI (return on investment) |
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Definition
| A calculation showing the value of expenditures on HR activities. |
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Term
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Definition
| A training method in which each participant purposely acts out or assumes a particular character or role. |
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Term
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Definition
| Under FMLA regulations, a rolling year is defined as a 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee first uses leave. |
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Term
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Definition
| A training method where employees are rotated among a variety of different jobs, departments or company functions for a certain period of time. |
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Term
| RSIs (repetitive stress injuries) |
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Definition
| Injuries caused by repetitive motion that affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS), or cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). |
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Term
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Definition
| Illustration of trends and results over a specified period of time. |
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Term
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Definition
| The tactic of transferring a plant to an alternative location, usually another city, in order to damage union effectiveness and escape bargaining duties. |
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Term
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Definition
| An outsourcing method that is based on transferring jobs away from higher cost urban areas to lower cost rural areas. |
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Term
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Definition
| Business enterprise allowed by the IRS for most companies with 75 or fewer shareholders, enabling the company to enjoy the benefits of incorporation while being taxed as if it were a partnership. |
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Term
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Definition
| A voluntary arrangement whereby an employer allows an employee paid or unpaid leave for a specified duration of time in order for the employee to pursue a course of advanced training, teach or perform a public service. In education, it is a period of time college or university teachers are allowed to stop their usual work in order to study or travel, usually while continuing to be paid (typically every seven years). |
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Term
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Definition
| Guidelines regulated by the Department of Labor, which, when fully complied with, may reduce or limit the liability of a plan fiduciary. |
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Term
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Definition
| Freedom from hazard, risk, or injury. |
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Term
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Definition
| Composed of workers from different levels and departments who are involved in safety planning and programs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A teaching tool used to help employees become more safety-conscious in all aspects of safety. |
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Term
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Definition
| Uniform amount of money paid to a worker regardless of how many hours are worked. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when there is only a small difference in pay between employees regardless of their skills, experience or seniority; also known as pay compression; Pay differentials too small to be considered equitable. The term may apply to differences between (1) the pay of supervisors and subordinates; (2) the pay of experienced and newly hired incumbents of the same job; and (3) pay-range midpoints in successive job grades. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of insurance that provides regular payments to the surviving spouse and dependent children in case of death or disability of a covered employee. |
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Term
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Definition
| A compensation level expressed as a salary range, which has been established for each position within the organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| A range of pay rates, from minimum to maximum, set for a specific pay grade. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A structure of job grades and pay ranges established within an organization. May be expressed as job grades or job evaluation points. |
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Term
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Definition
| The business function responsible for selling the organization’s product to the marketplace. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A compensation system designed for individuals employed in managerial sales or sales representative positions. Individuals are paid on a commission or percentage of sale basis, in accordance with achieving specified sales goals. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to paid union organizers who apply for jobs with an employer for the purpose of organizing the employer’s workforce. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A portion of a population used to draw conclusions regarding the entire population. |
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Term
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Definition
| The portion of the baby boom generation that is simultaneously caring for both their own children and one or more elderly family members. |
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Term
| Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
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Definition
| The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was enacted to increase accountability of corporations to their shareholders in the wake of recent accounting scandals. There are many financial provisions that are not germane to HR basics. Two provisions are of special interest to HR professionals--the whistleblower protection provision and the 401(k) blackout notice provision. |
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Term
| Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) |
|
Definition
| Retirement plan by which employees can contribute a set amount each year to their 401(k) plan or IRA. |
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Term
| SBJPA (Small Business Job Protection Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that made changes to rules regarding the ability of tax-exempt organizations to institute retirement plans modeled after 401(k) and IRA accounts and the definition of highly compensated employees. |
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Term
| SBS (sick building syndrome) |
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Definition
| A situation in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building but no specific illness or cause can be identified. |
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Term
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Definition
| A term used to describe either workers who refuse to participate in a strike with fellow co-workers or workers who have been hired to replace workers on strike. |
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Term
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Definition
| The degree to which a computer application or component can be expanded in size, volume or number of users served and continue to function properly. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A gainsharing program in which employees share in specific cost savings that are due to employee effort. The Scanlon Plan involves much employee participation, predating quality circles with most of the same techniques; workers earn a bonus for increasing productivity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Measure of association that indicates the relationship between data items using x and y axes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An interviewing format in which each candidate is asked for the same exact information. |
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Term
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Definition
| To an operations department, the act of detailed planning; based upon incoming orders and forecasts of future demand. |
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Term
| School Board of Nassau v. Arline |
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Definition
| Court ruling that persons with contagious diseases could be covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; protection of the act prevents employers from discriminating against ailing persons. |
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Term
School-to-Work Opportunities
Act of 1994 |
|
Definition
| A national effort to develop a school-to-work system to assist students in making the transition from school to the adult workforce. The goal of the Act is to create well-marked paths students can follow to move from school to good first jobs or from school to continued education and training. The Act focuses on broadening educational and career opportunities for all students by encouraging state and local partnerships between businesses and educational institutions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| External recruiting method; programs allowing organizations to partner with their communities and schools to help develop the skilled workforce they will need for the future. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A systematic method for diagnosing problems, finding solutions, and evaluating the effectiveness of activities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to Matters about which management and the union can negotiate. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Usually the first step taken during the interviewing process, involving reviewing prospective candidate applications/resumes, verifying information supplied by the candidate, conducting interviews and examining test results. |
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Term
| Search engine optimization (SEO) |
|
Definition
| The process of optimizing a web site (e.g., identifying and placing targeted keywords on web pages) to ensure the site places well when queried on search engines. It is important for corporate web sites to optimize their visibility on search engines. See http://hrmarketer.blogspot.com/2005/04/seo-industry-gold-rush-or-fools-gold.html . |
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Term
|
Definition
| An organization or individual consultants working on a retainer or fee basis who provide the service of searching and screening potential candidates for prospective employers. Typically search firms are retained for higher-level professional or managerial positions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to refer to joblessness that occurs due to seasonal requirements for labor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to strikes, picketing or boycotts against a neutral employer for the purposes of bringing pressure on another employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Directed at the primary party through action against some third party. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Uses data already gathered by others and reported in various sources. |
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Term
| Section 125 benefit plans |
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Definition
| Written benefit plans maintained by the employer that allow employees to use pretax dollars to pay for certain qualified benefits. |
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Term
| Securities and Exchange Act |
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Definition
| Act that regulated insider trading. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The reduction or elimination of the risk of loss of an organization’s assets, property, employees, and intellectual capital. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of hiring the most suitable candidate for a vacant position. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Designed to probe areas of interest to the interviewer in order to determine how well the candidate meets the needs of the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any step, combination of steps or procedure used as a basis for any employment decision, including, but not limited to, informal or casual interviews, unscored application forms, paper and pencil tests, performance tests, training programs, probationary periods and physical, education and work experience requirements, as well as the decision-making process used in determining whether or not to hire or promote. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A multi-skilled, cross-functional group of employees possessing full empowerment who share responsibilities for producing a particular service or product; typically assume complete autonomy. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who has earned income for the current or preceding year from self-employment, within the meaning of I.R.C. §401(c) (2), or an individual who would have had such income, except for the fact that the relevant business did not incur a profit for the year. |
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|
Term
| Self-funding/self-insurance |
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Definition
| A benefit plan whereby the employer assumes all the risk, paying out for claims but saving the cost of any associated premiums |
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Term
| Self-insured health-care plan |
|
Definition
| Health-care plan in which the employer assumes the role of the insurance company and assumes some or all of the risk. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A facilitator-directed meeting or conference consisting of groups of individuals gathered to study a specific subject matter. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Semi-skilled workers have to be able to read, write and communicate but are usually not required to have educational or apprenticeship credentials to qualify for jobs. Training time is short, task specific and generally doesn’t require much in terms of reasoning skills. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Status determined by the length of time an employee has worked for a specific employer, department or position within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Status determined by the length of time an employee has worked for a specific employer, department or position within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of individual counseling geared toward increasing self-awareness and sensitivity to others. It aims to assist key employees in developing their leadership skills surrounding issues of diversity and harassment prevention. |
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|
Term
| SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) |
|
Definition
| Tax-deferred account to which the self-employed and employees of very small businesses can contribute. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential medical care facility; or continuing treatment by a health care provider. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A violation of an OSHA standard that is likely to cause death or serious injury on the job. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Part of a formal or informal recognition program that rewards employees based on length of service. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Act that extended prevailing wage rate and fringe benefit requirements to employers providing services under federal government contracts. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The concept that the primary function of a union, its staff, and its officers is to service the members or solve the members' problems for them. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A worker whose job is primarily to provide personal, protective or maintenance services for an employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Set of benefits provided to employees who are terminated for some reason other than cause; severance may be subject to ERISA depending upon its terms and conditions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of short-term salary continuation awarded to employees who are being terminated. Severance payments often equal one week's pay for each year of service. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The classification of people as male or female. |
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|
Term
| Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 |
|
Definition
| The Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination against individuals based on sex or marital status in areas of employment, education, the provision of goods, facilities and services or in the management of premises. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to surgical alteration, which is a part of "transition." |
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Term
|
Definition
| Discriminatory conduct or actions based on sex or pregnancy, as it relates to conditions of employment, benefits, pay and opportunities for advancement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The scientifically accurate term for an individual's enduring physical, romantic, emotional and/or spiritual attraction to members of the same and/or opposite sex, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual orientations. (Closeted describes a person who is not open about his or her sexual orientation.) |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual or corporation that owns shares in the corporation. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to a work-oriented rehabilitation facility for disabled individuals consisting of a controlled environment that accentuates the attainment of individual vocational goals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Dealt with court-issued injunctions; primarily directed at large monopolistic employers but applied by courts to the labor unions as if they were a monopoly. |
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Term
| Sherman Antitrust Act of 1980 |
|
Definition
| A federal law prohibiting trusts and conspiracies that restrain interstate commerce and forbids parties to monopolize trade or commerce among states. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Additional compensation, usually expressed as cents per hour, paid as an incentive for employees to accept working a less-then-desirable work shift (i.e., 2 nd or 3 rd shift). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to supplemental pay paid to employees who work less-desirable hours, such as second or third shifts. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A body of employees who are appointed by the union or elected by fellow employees to represent the bargaining unit, considering grievances, etc. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A local union’s representative in a company designated to carry out union duties, represent employees in presenting grievances, collect dues and solicit new members. |
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Term
|
Definition
| As related to international labor relations, a participatory management approach in which workers have the opportunity to identify problems and to help resolve them. |
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|
Term
| Short-term disability (STD) coverage |
|
Definition
| Replaces a portion of lost income for a specified period of time for employees who are ill or have nonwork-related injuries; A benefit designed to provide temporary income replacement for worker absent due to illness or injury, but who is expected to return to work within a specified timeframe. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Milestones that must be achieved, usually within six months to one year, in order to reach long-term objectives. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The required evidence of employee interest supporting a representation petition. |
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|
Term
| Sick building syndrome (SBS) |
|
Definition
| A situation in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building but no specific illness or cause can be identified. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Specified period of time during which employees who are ill or have nonwork-related injuries receive their full salary. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An off-the-record discussion or discussion away from the bargaining table. |
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|
Term
| SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) |
|
Definition
| Retirement plan by which employees can contribute a set amount each year to their 401(k) plan or IRA. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A projection of future demand based on a past relationship; involves a single variable (e.g., the relationship between employment level and a single variable related to employment). |
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|
Term
| Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) |
|
Definition
| Tax-deferred account to which the self-employed and employees of very small businesses can contribute. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Representations of real situations in abstract form, often referred to as “what if” scenarios; give organizations the opportunity to speculate as to what would happen if certain courses of action were pursued. |
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|
Term
| Single employer, joint employer, alter ego doctrines |
|
Definition
| Issue of whether commonly owned businesses or affiliates are, in fact, a single employer, joint employer, or “alter ego” of the primary employer; important in determining whether an employer is really secondary or neutral in a labor dispute and, therefore, subject to strikes and picketing. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Provides each incumbent of a job with the same rate of pay, regardless of performance or seniority; also known as flat-rate pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Work stoppage where employees stop working but remain at their work places thus preventing the employer from using the machinery, etc., to perform the work. Sit down strikes are illegal. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A management theory stating that different situations call for different leadership styles and that essentially there is no one best way to lead. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven methodology used to eliminate defects and improve processes and cut costs from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The notice that must be given by either party to a collective bargaining agreement when desiring to reopen or terminate the contract. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Ability to perform a mental or motor activity that contributes to the effective performance of a job task. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Internal recruiting method; computerized talent or skill inventories that can furnish a list of qualified people. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A deficiency in basic writing, reading, mathematical or oral communication skills. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Internal recruiting method; computerized talent or skill inventories that can furnish a list of qualified people. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The extent to which the job requires a variety of different activities for successful completion. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A salary differentiation system that bases compensation on an individual’s education, experience, knowledge, skills or specialized training. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A list of skills or competencies possessed by an individual. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Training provided to employees to help them ascertain the skills and knowledge necessary to perform their current jobs; also used as a retraining method when new systems or processes are introduced. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Practice in union-free organizations of encouraging managers to spend time with each employee two levels below him or her on an annual basis. |
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Term
|
Definition
| False defamation expressed as spoken words, signs or gestures, which cause damage to the character or reputation of the individual being defamed. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe individuals with mental disabilities and an IQ of between 75 and 90. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A deliberate attempt by employees to reduce productivity outputs as a means to gain a particular concession from the employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Partial or intermittent strikes that are not protected, and employees who participate in them may be subject to discipline, including discharge. |
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|
Term
| Small Business Job Protection Act (SBJPA) |
|
Definition
| Act that made changes to rules regarding the ability of tax-exempt organizations to institute retirement plans modeled after 401(k) and IRA accounts and the definition of highly compensated employees. |
|
|
Term
| SME (subject matter expert) |
|
Definition
| Person who is well versed in the content of an HRD program. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe a form of alternative work arrangement whereby employees (typically retired individuals) move to warmer climents in the winter months and return to work only during the Spring/summer months. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| As related to international labor relations, legislation pending before the European Union (EU) where employment conditions and practices would be standardized throughout the EU. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Internet sites and services that allows users to generate and exchange content and interact with each other in a variety of ways. Forums, podcasts, bookmarking, blogs and social networking sites are types of social media. These types of interaction can be used for collaboration, communication and entertainment. HR professionals use social media to source candidates and create peer networks. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The building of online communities of people who have common interests. LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace facilitate these interconnected systems. HR departments have begun to incorporate social networking into the recruiting process as a means to attract and evaluate candidates. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A company’s long-term investment in an appropriate cause that does measurable good in society while enhancing the company’s reputation with key audiences. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Social Security Administration program that provides retirement, disability, death, and survivor’s benefits; it is taxed as a percentage of the employee’s salary up to a yearly maximum with employer matching. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A card issued by the Social Security Administration displaying an individual’s full legal name and social security number assigned to the individual. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Skills required to perform a certain job where the job is defined in terms of expected outcomes, but the process to achieve the outcome varies. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A business enterprise in which an individual is fully and personally liable for all the obligations of the business, is entitled to all profits and exercises complete managerial control. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Employers may prohibit solicitation by any organization on company property or on company time. Before implementation counsel should review solicitation policies. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The developing of lists of potential candidates. Also relates to the task of requisitioning, or creating job descriptions, approval workflows and actual job postings. Most e-recruitment software providers include modules for requisitioning. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A management principle expressing that a limit exists to the number of people an individual can effectively and successfully manage; Refers to the number of individuals who report to a supervisor. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A person entitled to disability compensation under laws administered by the Veterans Administration for disability rated at 30 percent or more; or rated at 10-20 percent in the case of a veteran who has been determined to have a serious employment handicap under 38 USC 3106; or a person whose discharge or release from active duty was for a service-connected disability incurred. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A principle stating that, as an organization grows, work within the organization needs to be divided in order to keep jobs from becoming so specialized or complex that they require a greater range of skills that essentially can not be performed by one individual. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Any system designed to increase worker productivity without an increase in wages |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Insurance plans in which the employer and the employee share in the premium payments; death benefits are paid to the employee’s beneficiaries, and the employer receives a cash value over the death benefit. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Cash and noncash awards given to employees for ideas submitted or accomplishments benefiting the organization. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of learning curve in which learning occurs in a series of increasing or decreasing returns; this is usually seen when an employee is attempting to learn a difficult task that also requires specific insight. |
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|
Term
| St. Mary’s Honor Center v. Hicks |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that for a plaintiff-employee to win a lawsuit for discrimination under Title VII, a jury must find that the defendant-employer’s reason for an adverse employment decision was false and that the real reason for the decision was discrimination. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of an employer directly hiring an employee on a temporary basis for an indefinite period of time instead of utilizing the services of a temporary staffing agency. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The function within an organization responsible for recruitment, screening and selection of employees. Oftentimes, this function may also be responsible for other areas of employment, such as orientation, retention, training and termination of staff. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Measures used to determine costs associated with recruitment and hiring, time to fill/start for open positions and recruiter workload/activity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to title 5, United States Code, section 7106(b)(1)’s reference to “the numbers, types, and grades of employees or positions assigned to any organizational subdivision, work project, or tour of duty.” |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to refer to particularly high rates in price increases occurring simultaneously with high rates of unemployment. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Someone with a vested interest in the successful completion or outcome of a project. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A measure of variation that indicates how much the scores are spread out around the mean or average. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Statistical estimate of possible size error present in a test score or other group measure. |
|
|
Term
| Standard operating procedures |
|
Definition
| A prescribed written procedure outlining how recurring tasks, duties and functions are to be performed organization-wide. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Pay adjustment given to employees regardless of their performance or company profitability; usually linked to inflation; also referred to as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A score derived from the mean performance of a group on a test, as well as the comparative performance of all the individuals who took the test. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Design and implementation of consistent specifications for procedures, practices, materials, machinery or other equipment or other types of products and services. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A form of interviewing that uses the same subject matter and identically sequenced questions, then evaluating responses to determine the differences between candidates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A written test, the scores of which are interpreted by referencing the scores of a norm group that has taken the test and which is considered to be representative of the population that takes the test. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| For an operations department, provide the yardstick by which the amount and quality of output are measured. |
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|
Term
| Standards of conduct for labor organizations |
|
Definition
| Standards regarding internal democratic practices, fiscal responsibility, and procedures to which a union must adhere to qualify for recognition. |
|
|
Term
| State (public) employment agencies |
|
Definition
| External recruiting method; agencies that provide employee screening, testing, and referral at no cost to the employer. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Safety and health policies and procedures that states have adopted and have been approved by OSHA. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Laws prescribing deadlines for filing lawsuits within a certain time after events, which are the source of the claim, occur. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A situation in which the NLRB will bar a petition for an election; when a valid election has been conducted within the previous 12 months in the same unit. |
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Term
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Definition
| Benefits that are mandated by federal or state laws, such as Social Security, unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation. |
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Term
| STD (short-term disability) coverage |
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Definition
| Replaces a portion of lost income for a specified period of time for employees who are ill or have nonwork-related injuries. |
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Term
| Step-rate system with variability-based performance considerations |
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Definition
| Pay system that is similar to the time-based system, but the size or timing of increases may vary if performance is substantially above or below standard. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of interviewer bias; involves forming generalized opinions about how people of a given gender, religion, or race appear, think, act, feel, or respond. |
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Term
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Definition
| An organization of the stewards within a local. Stewards councils take some of the workload from the paid staff of the local and give the stewards an opportunity to compare their experiences and be more involved in the affairs of the union. |
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Term
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Definition
| An organizational program that it that grants employees the option of purchasing a specific number of stock in the company at a future date. |
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Term
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Definition
| A contract established between a self-insured employer and an insurance provider providing for carrier coverage if a claim incurred exceeds a specified dollar amount over a predetermined period of time. |
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Term
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Definition
| Insurance policy that protects employers with self-funded insurance plans by limiting individual and group-wide claims. |
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Term
| Straight piece-rate system |
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Definition
| Refers to a pay system where the employee receives a minimum wage and is awarded additional compensation based on output. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of taking a long-term approach to Human Resource Management through the development and implementation of HR programs that address and solve business problems and directly contribute to major long-term business objectives. |
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Term
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Definition
| Aligning human resource management (HRM) with the strategic goals of an organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| The processes and activities used to formulate HR objectives, practices, and policies. |
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Term
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Definition
| The art and science of formulating, developing, implementing, and evaluating cross-functional decisions that enable an organization to achieve its objectives. |
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Term
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Definition
| The practice of hiring smaller core numbers of permanent employees and utilizing temporary employees to fill more highly specialized positions within the organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| Provide the direction that enables an organization to achieve its long-term objectives. |
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Term
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Definition
| The second phase of the strategic planning process; involves conducting a SWOT analysis, establishing long-term objectives, and identifying strategies. |
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Term
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Definition
| The final phase of the strategic planning process; includes reviewing strategies, measuring performance, and taking the appropriate corrective action. |
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Term
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Definition
| The first phase of the strategic planning process; focuses on composing the organization’s vision, mission, and values. |
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Term
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Definition
| The third phase of the strategic planning process; establishes short-term objectives, develops action plans, allocates resources, and motivates employees to participate. |
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Term
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Definition
| The mental and physical condition that results from a real or perceived threat and the inability to remove it or cope with it. |
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Term
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Definition
| When the interviewer assumes an aggressive posture to see how the candidate responds to stressful situations; used extensively in law enforcement, air traffic control, and similar high-stress industries. |
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Term
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Definition
| The design and implementation of workplace programs and services intended to combat employee stress and improve overall employee morale, effectiveness and productivity. |
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Term
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Definition
| A term used to describe a situation in which employees are required to take on additional work without additional compensation. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when an appraiser believes standards are too low and inflates the standards in an effort to make them meaningful. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when employees deliberately refuse to perform their jobs and/or form picket lines outside the employer’s premises to prevent or discourage others from working in their place or conducting business with the employer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Occurs when employees deliberately refuse to perform their jobs and/or form picket lines outside the employer’s premisses to prevent or discourage others from working in their place or conducting business with the employer; A refusal by employees to work. |
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Term
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Definition
| Payments made by the union to members who are on strike. |
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Term
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Definition
| Volunteer members who have agreed to help picket or leaflet in support of a union organizing campaign, strike, or other effort initiated by a local union. |
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Term
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Definition
| Funds held by an international or local union that have been allocated to pay for costs associated with a labor strike (i.e. legal fees, strike benefits, etc.). |
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Term
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Definition
| The notice which is filed with a state agency or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service informing them that the union has rejected an employer’s latest offer and a strike is imminent. |
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Term
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Definition
| In order for a local union to receive strike benefits from the union's national treasury, the strike must be sanctioned by the union's national executive board. |
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Term
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Definition
| A term used to refer to an individual who is hired by a struck employer to temporarily fill the position of a striking worker. |
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Term
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Definition
| A term to define a product which is produced by an employer during the period of a labor dispute with his employees. An employee who refuses to handle struck work is engaged in a sympathy work action. |
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Term
| Structural intervention strategies |
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Definition
| OD interventions that look how the organizational structure is helping or hindering the progress and function of the organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| A term used to describe joblessness that is a result of major economical changes or sociological factors. |
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Term
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Definition
| A structured interview asks the same questions of each candidate, so that valid comparisons of the quality of responses can be obtained. The questions generally take four job-related forms: situational, observational, personal and behavioral. |
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Term
| SUB (supplemental unemployment benefits) |
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Definition
| Benefits paid to unemployed workers beyond required government unemployment benefits. |
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Term
| Subject matter expert (SME) |
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Definition
| Person who is well versed in the content of an HRD program; An individual who has expertise in a business process or specific area. |
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Term
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Definition
| An appraisal system whereby managerial employees are evaluated by their subordinates. |
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Term
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Definition
| A company having more than half of its stock owned by another company or is completely owned by another company. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defined as a destructive pattern of substance (i.e., narcotics or alcohol) use leading to clinically significant social, occupational or medical impairment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Measures intended to ensure a drug-free workplace. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of identifying long-range needs and cultivating a supply of internal talent to meet those future needs. Used to anticipate the future needs of the organization and assist in finding, assessing and developing the human capital necessary to the strategy of the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Where, as the result of a reorganization, a portion of an existing unit is transferred to a gaining employer, the latter will be found to be the successor employer (thus inheriting, along with the employees, the exclusive representative of those employees and the collective bargaining agreement that applied to those employees) if: (a) the post-transfer unit is appropriate, (b) the transferred bargaining unit employees are a majority in the post-transfer unit, (c) the gaining employer has "substantially" the same mission as the losing employer, (d) the transferred employees perform "substantially" the same duties under "substantially" similar working conditions in the gaining entity, and (e) it is not demonstrated that an election is necessary to determine representation. |
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Term
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Definition
| Offer individual employees the opportunity to provide management with ideas for improving the workplace or any of its processes. |
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Term
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Definition
| A summarized report containing information on the financial status of an employee benefit plan. |
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Term
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Definition
| The immediate firing of an employee, usually due to an act of gross misconduct. |
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Term
| Summary material modifications |
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Definition
| A summary of modifications or changes made to an employee benefit plan that is not included in the summary plan description. |
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Term
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Definition
| A written statement that contains information regarding participation, coverage and employee rights for any ERISA-covered benefit plan. |
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Term
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Definition
| A type of compressed work week scheduling arrangement which allows employees to work longer hours Monday through Thursday and fewer hours on Friday during the summer months. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the identified time period and ending point that should be identified in incentive pay plans. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of collective bargaining whereby the general public is allowed to attend bargaining sessions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| As defined by the NLRA, “any individual having authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees, or responsibly to direct them, or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend such action, if in connection with the foregoing the exercise of such authority is not of a merely routine or clerical nature, but requires the use of independent judgment.” This definition is read in the disjunctive, the authority to do any one of these functions is sufficient to establish supervisory authority. |
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Term
Supervisory/management
development |
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Definition
| Training provided to employees with the potential for promotion into supervisory or managerial-level positions within the organization or as a remedy for performance-related issues. |
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Term
| Supplemental unemployment benefits |
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Definition
| Typically found in collective bargaining agreements. SUB pay benefits are taxable payments form a fund which can be combined with state unemployment insurance benefits during periods of temporary layoff to provide a higher level of unemployment benefits during the term of layoff. |
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Term
| Supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB) |
|
Definition
| Benefits paid to unemployed workers beyond required government unemployment benefits; Typically found in collective bargaining agreements. SUB pay benefits are taxable payments form a fund which can be combined with state unemployment insurance benefits during periods of temporary layoff to provide a higher level of unemployment benefits during the term of layoff. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to pay beyond base salary or wages such as bonuses and commissions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Involving more than one country or having authority which transcends one country, i.e., the European Union is a supranational organization. |
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Term
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Definition
| Often referred to as a perfunctory tactic whereby an employer meets with the union, but only goes through the motions of bargaining. |
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Term
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Definition
| A data collection method used to assist organizations with problem identification, measuring employee morale or expectations and determining areas of concern. |
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Term
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Definition
| Monthly benefits paid under Social Security to eligible dependents of deceased workers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of disciplinary action resulting in an employee being sent home without pay for a specified period of time (the Fair Labor Standards Act contains stricter rules relating to suspending salaried exempt employees without pay). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to workplaces where working conditions (i.e. environment, pay, etc.) are significantly below adequate standards. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Term of disdain for an agreement negotiated by an employer and a union with terms favorable to the employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used to collect and evaluate information on an organization’s current Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a specific project or business venture. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Work stoppage by a group of employees as an act of sympathy for or solidarity with another group of employees who are on strike. Sympathy strikers do not themselves have to be represented by a labor organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A strike by employees of a bargaining unit who refuse to cross picket lines made up of employees who are not members of their bargaining unit. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A pattern of discrimination that on the surface appears neutral but in reality is systemic or through its application of policies and practices. |
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Term
|
Definition
| People who learn best through a hands-on approach; also called kinesthetic learners. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Provides a balance of power between union and management by making union unfair labor practices unlawful; also known as Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Also known as the Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA), the act establishes control of labor disputes on a new basis by enlarging the National Labor Relations Board and providing that the union or the employer must, before terminating a collective-bargaining agreement, serve notice on the other party and on a government mediation service. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to signs or labels attached to equipment to warn others not to activate it. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Broadly defined as the implementation of an integrated strategies or systems designed to increase workplace productivity by developing improved processes for attracting, developing, retaining and utilizing people with the required skills and aptitude to meet current and future business needs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Rewards that can be physically touched or held (i.e., a gift certificate, gifts in the form of merchandise or a savings bond.) |
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Term
|
Definition
| Refers to time lost when employees report to work late. |
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Term
|
Definition
| When the interviewer asks each applicant questions from the same knowledge, skill, or ability area; the questions, however, are not necessarily the same; also called a patterned interview. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Involves defining standards and conditions of a particular task and identifying the distinguishing factors between tasks. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Starts with job requirements and compares employee knowledge and skills to identify areas in need of improvement. |
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Term
|
Definition
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Temporary grouping of personnel and resources for the accomplishment of a specific objective, generally important, long-term strategic issues. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The extent to which the job requires a “whole,” identifiable unit of work. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The extent to which the job has a substantial impact on other people. |
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Term
| Tax and Trade Relief Extension Act |
|
Definition
| Act that amends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to reduce employer federal tax liability. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Act that made significant changes in employee benefit programs, especially retirement plans. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Includes all remuneration for services (including noncash benefits) and wages, which are taxable when paid. |
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Term
| Taxman v. Board of Education of Piscataway |
|
Definition
| Court ruling that a nonremedial affirmative action plan cannot form the basis for deviating from the antidiscrimination mandate of Title VII. |
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Term
| Taxpayer Relief Act (TRA) |
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Definition
| Act that created tax-advantaged savings mechanisms, including Roth IRAs and Education IRAs, for individual taxpayers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An airborne contagious disease caused by a bacterial infection. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A set of two or more people who are equally accountable for the accomplishment of a purpose and specific performance goals. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A training program designed to assist a group of people to work together as a team while they are learning. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Methods of reorganizing work in ways which blur the traditional lines of distinction between union work and management work. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Described as the practice of individuals working together in order to bring a variety of talents and experiences to achieve a common goal. |
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Term
| Technological intervention strategies |
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Definition
| OD interventions that are targeted at improving the processes used to achieve the organization’s goals. |
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|
Term
| Technological unemployment |
|
Definition
| A term used to refer to joblessness that occurs as a result of the introduction of labor saving technology devices. |
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Term
|
Definition
| People who either work from home or from a remote location; a general mode of operation encompassing many job categories (e.g., computer programmers, writers, editors, graphic artists, salespeople). |
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Term
|
Definition
| Working from a remote location (often one’s home workstation) using computers, telephones, facsimile machines and other remote capabilities, rather than commuting via automobile or other mode of transportation to and from an employer's work site to perform equivalent work. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A conference established between two or more people or groups of people who are in different locations; made possible by the use of such telecommunications equipment as closed-circuit television. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who works on either short- or long-term assignments with an employer without being treated as a permanent employee and lacking the benefits of permanent employees. Normally utilized by employers to meet seasonal or other demands that they do not have the internal resources to meet. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Individual hired to temporarily replace an employee engaged in a strike. At the end of the strike, temporary replacements are released from work to permit strikers to return to their jobs. Unions refer to all replacement employees as “scabs.” |
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Term
| Temporary restraining order |
|
Definition
| Restraining and/or protective orders are examples of orders issued by a court restraining the conduct of an individual and protecting a victim from the activities of an abusive person. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of hiring employees on a temporary basis, usually through a temporary staffing agency, with the understanding that if the individual’s performance meets or exceeds expectations, he or she will be offered a permanent position within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of job security typically limited to employees of educational institutions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Products that affect a fetus but not the pregnant mother. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Separation from employment due to a voluntary resignation, layoff, retirement or dismissal. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Normally the last date actually worked by an employee; however, for employers with accrued leave programs, paid leave programs, benefit continuation programs or severance pay programs which go beyond the last day worked, the termination date would be the date at which accruals, paid leave, benefit continuation or severance continuation ceases. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A rule allowing an employee or employer to terminate the employment relationship at any time for any or no reason at all. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual’s right to privacy, as it relates to information regarding test results, providing for informed consent of how test results are used. |
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|
Term
| Theory of constraints (TOC) |
|
Definition
| Systems management philosophy designed to help improve organizations that states that every organization is hindered by constraints that come from its internal policies. |
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Term
|
Definition
| States that some people have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible. These people need to be controlled and coerced by their managers to achieve production. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Assumes that people have a psychological need to work and want achievement and responsibility. A manager's role with these people is to help them achieve their potential. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A group organized for the purpose of intensive research and problem solving, especially in the areas of technology, social or political strategy, or demographics. |
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Term
| Third-party administrator (TPA) health-care plan |
|
Definition
| Health-care plan in which the employer assumes the risk of high health-care costs and hires an independent claims department to handle claims. |
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|
Term
| Third-party sexual harassment |
|
Definition
| Harassment of an employee by someone other than another employee, such as a client, customer, vendor or service provider. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Any threat, whether overt or subtle, that is intended to or can reasonably be construed to intimidate or coerce employees to act in a certain way or punish them for not acting in a certain way. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The discipline of utilizing time efficiently and well in order to achieve professional, personal or organizational objectives. |
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|
Term
| Time-based differential pay |
|
Definition
| Refers to pay rates that are affected by when an employee works. |
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|
Term
| Time-based step-rate pay systems |
|
Definition
| Pay is based on longevity in the job, and pay increases occur on a predetermined schedule. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Acronym used by many labor management attorneys and consultants that covers most of the unfair labor practice pitfalls a supervisor can run into—don’t Threaten, Interrogate, Promise, or Spy. |
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|
Term
| Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 |
|
Definition
| Title VII is a provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination in virtually every employment circumstance on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy or national origin. In general, Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees. The purpose of Title VII's protections is to "level the playing field" by forcing employers to consider only objective, job-related criteria in making employment decisions. Title VII must be considered when reviewing applications or resumes, when interviewing candidates, when testing job applicants and when considering employees for promotions, transfers or any other employment-related benefit or condition. |
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|
Term
| TOC (theory of constraints) |
|
Definition
| Systems management philosophy designed to help improve organizations that states that every organization is hindered by constraints that come from its internal policies. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Nonqualified deferred compensation plan designed to provide retirement benefits to a select group of management or highly compensated employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A wrongful act, damage, or injury done willfully, negligently, or in circumstances in which a person, their property, or their reputation is harmed. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The complete pay package awarded employees on an annual basis, including all forms of money, benefits, services and in-kind payments. |
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|
Term
| Total quality management (TQM) |
|
Definition
| A structured system that satisfies internal and external customers and suppliers by integrating the business environment, continuous improvement and breakthroughs with development, improvement and maintenance cycles. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The amount of monetary and nonmonetary value to an employee of all the elements in the employment package, as well as any other intrinsic or extrinsic rewards of value to the employee. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Bilateral social security agreements that coordinate the U.S. Social Security program with the comparable programs of other countries; eliminate dual social security taxation and help fill gaps in benefit protection for workers who have divided their careers between the United States and another country. Also known as international social security agreements. |
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|
Term
| TPA (third-party administrator) health-care plan |
|
Definition
| Health-care plan in which the employer assumes the risk of high health-care costs and hires an independent claims department to handle claims. |
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|
Term
| TQM (total quality management) |
|
Definition
| Strategic, integrated management system for achieving customer satisfaction that involves all managers and employees and uses quantitative methods to continuously improve an organization’s processes. |
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|
Term
| TRA (Taxpayer Relief Act) |
|
Definition
| Act that created tax-advantaged savings mechanisms, including Roth IRAs and Education IRAs, for individual taxpayers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A trade secret consists of any formula, pattern, device or compilation of information used in one's business, which gives the business an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not know or use it. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe the spouse of an employee who has been transferred or relocated. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Concerned with the readiness to learn, combining participants’ level of ability and motivation with their perceptions of the work environment. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Involves a process of providing knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) specific to a task or job. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Any form of audio or visual materials used for training purposes. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A process dealing primarily with transferring or obtaining knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to carry out a specific activity or task. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A method used to determine what people need to learn and which training programs may be beneficial. The result of the analysis is a training needs report identifying training needs and the interventions needed to reduce key performance gaps. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Leadership approach that offers the promise of reward or the threat of discipline to motivate employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Moving an employee from one position, shift or department to another within the organization. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Refers to the effective and continuing on-the-job application of the knowledge and skills gained during a learning experience. |
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|
Term
| Transformational leadership |
|
Definition
| Leadership approach that motivates employees by inspiring them to join in a mutually satisfying achievement. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. The term may include, but is not limited to, transsexuals, cross-dressers, and other gender-variant people. Transgender people may identify as female-to-male (FTM) or male-to-female (MTF). They may be heterosexual, lesbian, gay, or bisexual. For example, a man who becomes a woman and is attracted to other women would be identified as a lesbian. Transgender people may or may not decide to alter their bodies hormonally and/or surgically. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A complex process altering one's birth sex that occurs over a long period of time. Transition includes some or all of the following cultural, legal, and medical adjustments: Telling one's family, friends and/or co-workers; Changing one's name and/or sex on legal documents; Hormone therapy; and possibly (though not always) some form of surgical alteration. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Provides alternative work arrangements, such as temporary light or modified duty, for employees who have been absent from the workplace as a result of illness or injury and who have been released by their medical provider to return to work. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An older term that originated in the medical and psychological communities. Many transgender people prefer the term "transgender" to "transsexual." |
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Term
|
Definition
| Typically paid to nonexempt workers for the time they spend traveling to or between work assignments; A systematic form of leadership focusing on change and innovation. According to Bernard Bass, it is a form of leadership occurring when leaders “broaden and elevate the interests of their employees, when they generate awareness and acceptance of the purposes and the mission of the group and when they stir their employees to look beyond their own self-interest for the good of the group” |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of forecasting an organization’s staffing needs by analyzing past employment patterns in order to identify trends that may be expected to continue. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Using statistics to determine whether relationships exist between two variables. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An official who presides at administrative trial proceedings to hear facts and issue decisions regarding unfair labor practice cases (also known as an Administrative Law Judge). |
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Term
|
Definition
| A three-member arbitration board; one member represents management, one represents the union, and one is a neutral arbitrator. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An elected union official whose duty is to monitor the finances of a local union, joint council, conference, or international union. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The assumption of control over a local union by an international union, or by the federal government under the RICO Act. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An airborne contagious disease caused by a bacterial infection. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A program designed to provide financial assistance to employees taking educational courses at an accredited college or university. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to describe the practice of transferring problem or performance-challenged employees from one position or department to another with the expectation that the employee may improve under a new supervisor or in a different work atmosphere. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Describes changes in the work force resulting from voluntary or involuntary resignations. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Costs associated with a separation of employment, including items such as unemployment compensation, COBRA benefits continuation costs, the cost of conducting exit interviews, as well as costs associated with replacing an employee, such as advertising, preemployment testing, time and materials for new hire orientation, training and lost productivity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The number of separations during a month, including both voluntary and involuntary terminations (excluding layoffs). The turnover rate is calculated by taking the number of separations during a month divided by the average number of employees on the payroll multiplied by 100. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A type of compensation arrangement whereby wages paid to newly hired employers is significantly lower than wages being paid to other employees performing the same or similar jobs. |
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Term
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) |
|
Definition
| On March 1, 2003, service and benefit functions of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transitioned into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS is responsible for the administration of immigration and naturalization adjudication functions and establishing immigration services policies and priorities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Act that established U.S. Patent Office. |
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Term
| UCA (Unemployment Compensation Amendments) |
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Definition
| Imposed a mandatory 20% federal income tax withholding requirement on qualified retirement plan proceeds that a recipient intends to roll over into another qualified retirement plan or individual retirement account. |
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Term
| ULP (unfair labor practice) |
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Definition
| A violation of a statutory right under labor-relations statutes. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A situation in which a worker is employed, but not in the desired capacity, whether in terms of compensation, hours, or level of skill and experience. While not technically unemployed, workers are often competing for available jobs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| As part of the affirmative action process, this report is used to determine whether certain members of protected groups are being inadequately represented within the workforce. The report uses information based on the geographic area and positions within the organization. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A person or organization that ensures money will be available to pay for losses that are insured. An insurance company can be considered an underwriter. |
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Term
|
Definition
| For an employer to legally refuse to accommodate an applicant's or an employee's disability or religious beliefs, the employer must be able to show that such an accommodation would place a severe burden on the operation of the business. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Is the state of an individual looking for a paying job but not having one; does not include full-time students, the retired, children, or those not actively looking for a paying job. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Unemployment does not include full-time students, the retired, children, or those not actively looking for a paying job. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A statutory benefit. Unemployment insurance is designed to provide workers who have been laid off a weekly income during short periods of unemployment. The system is run and funded by state and federal taxes paid by employers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The number of individuals unemployed as a percentage of the labor force. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A common-law tort dealing with employment contracts or employment agreements that contain covenants not to compete after the termination of the employment relationship. |
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Term
| Unfair labor practice (ULP) |
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Definition
| An unfair labor practice (ULP) is a violation of a right protected by the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. The ULP procedures provided by the Statute are part of the basic mechanisms by which the parties are protected in the exercise of their rights. |
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Term
| Unfair labor practice strike |
|
Definition
| Work stoppage called by a union to protest the unfair labor practices of an employer. In order for a strike to be an unfair labor practice strike, the NLRB must agree that the work stoppage was caused by or prolonged by the unfair labor practices of the employer. Unfair labor practice strikers cannot be permanently replaced. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The basis for placement of an employer on an Unfair List is anti-labor conduct including, but not limited to, the following: failure to sign a labor agreement; commission of an unfair labor practice; violations of state or federal laws or rules; utilization of non-union labor; utilization or promotion of non-union goods or services; anti-union practices; or failure to provide workers with fair and equitable wages and benefits, decent hours and working conditions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An action or policy resulting in members of protected groups becoming disadvantaged in relation to the employer’s selection, hiring, promotion, pay and training opportunities, when said person(s) are as equally qualified and have the same potential to be successful. |
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Term
| Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures of 1978 |
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Definition
| The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures address the use of interviewing, testing, training and other employee selection tools and their impact on discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Specifically addressed is adverse impact, measured by the 80% test, which states that if a selection practice yields less than 80% of a protected group, as compared with the most frequently selected group, there may be evidence of discrimination. The guidelines also require employers to maintain records, for an unspecified period of time, on their selection procedures and any adverse impact noted, as well as records of the employer's workforce broken down by race and ethnic groups. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A term used to refer to public service employees (i.e. police officers, firefighters, etc.) |
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Term
| Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 |
|
Definition
| Act that requires benefit continuation and crediting of service while an employee is on military active duty; The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA, or the Act), signed into law on October 13, 1994, clarifies and strengthens the Veterans’ Reemployment Rights (VRR) Statute. USERRA is intended to minimize the disadvantages to an individual that can occur when that person needs to be absent from his or her civilian employment in order to serve in the uniformed services. USERRA makes major improvements in protecting service member rights and benefits by clarifying the law and improving enforcement mechanisms. USERRA expands the cumulative length of time that an individual may be absent from work for uniformed services duty and retain reemployment rights. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Actions taken directly by management, without discussions with the union, during labor organizing situations or where a union is recognized or certified. These actions may or may not constitute unfair labor practices. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A formal organization certified by the National Labor Relations Board and authorized to act on behalf of employees regarding wages, benefits, working conditions, conditions of employment and job security. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A formal organization certified by the National Labor Relations Board and authorized to act on behalf of employees regarding wages, benefits, working conditions, conditions of employment and job security. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A professional consultant which provides tactics and strategies for employers trying to avoid unionization or decertify unions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A no-risk procedure for combining existing units into one or more larger appropriate units. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A stamp or tag on a product or card in a store or shop to show that the work is performed by members of a labor union. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An individual who is a member of a local or international union’s staff whose primary job responsibility is to recruit new members. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Clause in a collective bargaining agreement compelling a unit employee to become and retain membership in the union (which is ultimately restricted to the payment of dues and initiation fees) as a condition of employment. This is a mandatory subject of bargaining. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of union security provided in the collective bargaining agreement which requires employees to belong to or pay dues to the union as a condition of retaining employment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of union security that requires employees to join the union, within a certain time after they are hired or after a compulsoryunionism contract is executed, and to maintain their membership as a condition of employment. |
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Term
|
Definition
| NLRA procedure to determine whether or not new employee classifications should be covered under a collective bargaining agreement. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A procedure by which a labor relations agency makes a finding as to the appropriateness of including certain employees within a group for collective bargaining purposes. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Grouping of employees being sought for union representation. NLRB looks at community of interest factors when determining unit questions, including: rates of pay, benefits, work areas, working conditions, skill levels, work interactions, supervision, nature of work being performed, etc. |
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|
Term
| United Airlines v. Sutton |
|
Definition
| Case in which the Supreme Court ruled that a person may not have a disability if the individual’s condition is controlled or corrected by medication or mitigating measures. |
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|
Term
| United Steelworkers v. Weber |
|
Definition
| Court ruling in the private sector dealing with reverse discrimination charges; upheld that Title VII allows for voluntary, private, race-conscious programs aimed at eliminating racial imbalance in traditionally segregated job categories. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Firing an employee in a way that the courts do not find justifiable (i.e. unfairly or in violation of the employment contract). |
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Term
| Unlawful employment practice |
|
Definition
| Any policy or practice that has discriminatory intent or effect and cannot be shown to be essential to the successful performance of the job in question. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The practice of hiring retired former employees whose skills or qualifications are in need. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Incidents that result from unsafe behavior on the part of the employee, such as operating equipment at high speeds; Any action, such as horseplay, fighting, failing to abide by a safety rule, etc., that results in accident or injury to another. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Hazards, such as faulty equipment or tools, improper safety procedures, failure to improperly guard equipment, etc., that result or have the potential to result in an accident or injury to another. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Someone who is not required to use reasoning in their work: Examples: packager, assembler, laborer, hand, apprentice |
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Term
| Unwelcome behavior/conduct |
|
Definition
| Conduct or behavior by peers, subordinates or supervisors that is objectionable or unacceptable to an individual. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The process of preparing minorities for promotion into higher-level jobs, such as managerial positions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Act that requires benefit continuation and crediting of service while an employee is on military active duty. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Affirmative action plan term referring to the difference between the availability of members of a protected class and an organization’s job group makeup; underutilization is having a smaller proportion of women or minorities than is indicated by their availabilities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Part of an affirmative action plan that compares the percentages of minorities and women in each job group with the rates of availability for each group. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Review and analysis of health care programs to determine cost control methods. Involves reviewing claims for potential utilization problems. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Audit of health-care use and charges to identify which benefits are used and to make certain that care is necessary and costs are in line. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A program that allows an employee to sell back to the employer any unused vacation time balances. |
|
|
Term
| Vacation buying/selling/trading |
|
Definition
| A program that allows employees to buy additional vacation time from another employee or sell additional time they may have available to another employee. Some programs also allow for trading of future vacation time. Vacation |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A policy allowing employees to transfer a portion of their current year vacation balances for use in the next year. The amount of time that can be carried over is based on the employer’s policy. |
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Term
|
Definition
| The study of an employer's test or selection standards that proves that they are significant predictors of successful job performance (those who score high turn out to be successful on a job and those who score low turn out to be unsuccessful). The study requires a large sample of applicants and must include representatives of groups--such as minorities and women--who may be suffering adversely from such standards. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The general concept of validity is traditionally defined as "the degree to which a test measures what it claims, or purports, to be measuring." Validity is normally subdivided into three categories: content, criterionrelated and construct validity. Validity is an essential characteristic for all tests and test ratings. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A document outlining and representing the core priorities in the organization’s culture. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Work that increases the value of a service or product to the employer’s customers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Describe what is important to an organization, dictate employee behavior, and create the organization’s culture. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Pay that is based on when the employee works (i.e., overtime pay, shift-pay differential) or where the employee works; also called differential pay. |
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Term
|
Definition
| A measure that utilizes a demand and availability forecast to determine whether an organization has the ability to meet future manpower needs. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Used to describe organizations that over time shed layer after layer of full-time permanent employees and replace them with temporary workers until their workforce primarily consists of temporary employees. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Increases the depth of a job by adding responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, and evaluation; also known as job enrichment. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A traditional organizational structure consisting of primary functions (i.e., engineering, manufacturing, finance, etc.), with each function having its own manager. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| An organizational structure consisting of many layers of management or other positions of authority. Vesting |
|
|
Term
| Vertical union organization |
|
Definition
| An industrial union is one which, for organizational purposes, includes all workers in a particular industry regardless of whether they are skilled or unskilled (also known as an industrial union). |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Consists of offline, instructor-led training designed to bring the learner up to production standards before assuming online responsibilities. |
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Term
|
Definition
| An employee’s right to receive present or future pension benefits, even if the employee does not remain in the service of the employer. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Process by which a retirement benefit becomes nonforfeitable; An employee’s right to receive present or future pension benefits, even if the employee does not remain in the service of the employer. |
|
|
Term
Veterans Benefit Improvement
Act of 2004 |
|
Definition
| An act signed into law by President Bush on December 10, 2004 that amended portions of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), imparting certain reemployment and benefit protections to individuals who are and employees engaged in military service. The act requires that employers extend the period for continuation of health care coverage and requires employers to provide covered employees with appropriate notice of their rights, benefits and responsibilities under USERRA. |
|
|
Term
Veterans Employment
Opportunities Act |
|
Definition
| This statute extended the affirmative action and reporting responsibilities of federal contractors and subcontractors, which previously protected veterans of the Vietnam era and special disabled veterans, to include any other U. S. veteran who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge was authorized. It also raised the reporting threshold from $10,000 to $25,000 and added the requirement to report the maximum and minimum number of persons employed on the VETS- 100 report. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The action of canceling or postponing a decision or bill. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Legal doctrine that holds an organization responsible for the wrongful acts of another; means that employers are legally responsible for the discriminatory acts of their employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Defined as an individual who served on active duty for more than 180 days, any part of which occurred during the period between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, and who received other than a dishonorable discharge, as defined in the regulations implementing the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. |
|
|
Term
| Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VERA) of 1974 |
|
Definition
| Prohibits discrimination against certain veterans by the U.S. government and federal contractors; Federal law requiring federal contractors or subcontractors with contracts of $10,000 or more to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment disabled veterans or those who served during the Vietnam era. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Any marketing technique that induces people (or web sites) to pass on a marketing message to other people or sites, creating a growth in the message's visibility and effect. A classic example of this concept was Hotmail whereby each email sent via Hotmail included Hotmail's own advertisement in the footer (Get your Free Email...."). |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| The use of technology to provide HR programs via an employee self-service platform. Typically includes use of such items as voice response systems, employee kiosks, etc. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| A form of mentoring whereby the mentor and mentored communicate from a distance, utilizing either e-mail or other forms of electronic conferencing. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The work site of employees such as sales reps or other types of employees who work off company premises and communicate with their respective workplaces via telephone or computer. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| A vision statement is a description of what an organization wants to become or hopes to accomplish in the future (typically in the next 10 years). |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| People who learn best by relying on their sense of sight. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| An agency may be obligated to bargain with a union over matters that directly affect individuals other than unit employees insofar as such matters involve or “vitally affect” the terms and conditions of employment of unit employees. |
|
|
Term
| Vocational rehabilitation |
|
Definition
| Refers to the process of rehabilitating and returning disabled individuals to the mainstream of economic and social life activities. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| When both parties willingly submit differences to the arbitration process. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Benefits that are paid for by the employee through payroll deductions. The employer pays for administration. Examples of these benefits include life insurance, dental, vision, disability income, auto insurance, long-term care coverage, medical supplement plans and homeowners insurance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Payroll deductions selected by the employee such as charitable contributions. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Leave without pay that is taken on a voluntary basis by employees for specified duration. Often used as an alternative to layoff. |
|
|
Term
| Voluntary protection program (VPP) |
|
Definition
| A voluntary group of employers that promotes and recognizes effective safety and health programs. |
|
|
Term
| Voluntary reduction in hours |
|
Definition
| Allows employees to voluntarily reduce their working hours as well as their pay for a specified duration. Also used as an alternative to layoff. |
|
|
Term
| Voluntary subject of bargaining |
|
Definition
| Subjects of bargaining other than those considered to be mandatory. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Those collective bargaining items that may be bargained but are not obligatory; also referred to as permissive subjects. |
|
|
Term
| Voluntary-recognition bar |
|
Definition
| A situation in which the NLRB will bar a petition for an election; when a reasonable period after the union has been informally recognized by the employer has not elapsed. |
|
|
Term
| Volunteer Organizing Committee |
|
Definition
| A term used to describe union members who volunteer for the union during organizing campaigns. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Organizational support, often in the form of paid leave or sponsorship, for employees pursuing volunteer opportunities or performing community services. |
|
|
Term
| VPP (voluntary protection program) |
|
Definition
| A voluntary group of employers that promotes and recognizes effective safety and health programs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An alternative work schedule that allows employees to voluntarily agree to reduce their work time and pay. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Wage and salary administration |
|
Definition
| Procedures used for planning and administering organization-wide compensation programs for all levels of employees. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A benchmark report consisting of market pay data for a variety of jobs conducted either on a local or nationwide basis. Used to evaluate an organization’s own current pay structures and as a future compensation planning tool. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Depicts pay rates currently being paid for each job within a pay grade in relation with the rankings awarded to each job during the job evaluation process. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Differences in wage rates for similar jobs occurring either due to the location of company, hours of work, working conditions, type of product manufactured or other circumstances. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The difference between basic pay and total earnings, due to a variety of possible factors such as overtime, bonuses, gender, age and performance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The difference in pay between female employees and male employees who are performing the same or comparable jobs. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Usually in the form of a court order, a garnishment requires withholding a portion of an employee’s earnings for repayment of a debt. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Prohibits employers from terminating an employee for one single indebtedness, even if that single debt results in repeated garnishments from the creditor. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| Depicts the range of pay rates to be paid for each grade for various positions within the organization. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Also known as The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), passed in 1935, provides that all employees have the right to form, join and assist labor organizations and to bargain collectively with their employers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Protects the rights of employees to organize unhampered by management; also known as National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An agreement reached between union and management whereby one party voluntarily gives up rights afforded to it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Clause in a contract which, variously, states all issues have been or could have been discussed; all items that were agreed to are in the agreement; and the union has waived its right to bargain over any item not contained in the agreement. NOTE: the standard adopted by the NLRB for an effective waiver of a union’s right to demand bargaining, even during the term of an agreement, is clear and convincing evidence that the union agreed to waive its right to negotiate, which may be more strict than waiver language. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A term used to refer to a general, quickie or wildcat strike. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Act that extended the concept of prevailing wage to employers who manufacture or supply goods under government contracts and required time and a half. |
|
|
Term
| WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) |
|
Definition
| Requires some employers to give a minimum of 60 days’ notice if a plant is to close or if mass layoffs will occur. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Court ruling that even though a test has an adverse impact against a protected class, the test is legal if it is job-related. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Average of data that takes other factors such as the number of incumbents into account. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a decision by the Labor Board that employees have a right, protected by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, to insist upon union representation during an investigatory interview by the employer, provided the employee "reasonably believes" the interview "might result in disciplinary action." This right arises from Section 7's "guarantee of the right of employees to act in concert for mutual aid and protection." The right applies to unionized employees and is limited to situations where the employee specifically requests representation. The employer is not legally required to advise the employee of this right, and it applies only to investigatory meetings. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An employee’s right to have a union representative or coworker present during an investigatory interview. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a decision by the Labor Board that employees have a right, protected by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, to insist upon union representation during an investigatory interview by the employer, provided the employee "reasonably believes" the interview "might result in disciplinary action." This right arises from Section 7's "guarantee of the right of employees to act in concert for mutual aid and protection." The right applies to unionized employees and is limited to situations where the employee specifically requests representation. The employer is not legally required to advise the employee of this right, and it applies only to investigatory meetings. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A fund developed through the collective bargaining process that provides employees for several employers with particular welfare benefits. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A plan designed to provide employees with coverage for medical or hospital care and surgical procedures. May also include other benefits, such as vacation or scholarship programs. |
|
|
Term
| Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit |
|
Definition
| Income tax credit to encourage employers to hire long-term welfare recipients; The Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit is a federal income tax credit that encourages employers to hire long-term family assistance recipients, who begin to work any time after December 31, 1997, and before January, 2004. Established by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, the tax credit can reduce employers' federal tax liability per new hire. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Health care benefits that provide payment for routine office visits and physical examinations, immunizations and laboratory tests for dependent children. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Preventive health programs offered by employers designed to improve the health and physical well-being of employees both on and off the job. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A union bargaining strategy whereby the union bargains with a succession of individual employers using each negotiated gain as leverage against another employer in order to secure even greater concessions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A work stoppage against a single member of a bargaining unit composed of several employers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Occurs when employees disclose allegedly illegal or illegitimate practices under the control of their employers to persons or organizations that might be able to take corrective action. |
|
|
Term
| Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 |
|
Definition
| Whistleblower protection is the federal law that provides protection to employees against retaliation for reporting illegal acts of employers. An employer may not rightfully retaliate in any way, such as discharging, demoting, suspending or harassing the whistle blower. Employer retaliation of any kind may result in the whistle blower filing a charge with a government agency and/or filing a law suit against the employer. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Employees who are paid on a salaried basis and whose jobs do not require the performance of work of a manual nature. Such individuals are normally employed in the capacity of managers, supervisors, salespeople, clerical or technical workers and meet the criteria of the FLSA white collar exemption test. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Employees who are paid on a salaried basis and whose jobs do not require the performance of work of a manual nature. Such individuals are normally employed in the capacity of managers, supervisors, salespeople, clerical or technical workers and meet the criteria of the FLSA white collar exemption test. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Also know as an outlaw strike, it is an unauthorized work stoppage while a labor contract is still in effect. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Work stoppages involving the primary employer-employee relationship that are neither sanctioned nor stimulated by the union. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Willful misconduct is defined as any action, taken by an employee consciously and willfully, that is deliberately malicious or violates a company policy. Willful misconduct can include such things as: willful or deliberate behavior inconsistent with the continuation of employment; conduct causing imminent and serious risk to a person’s health, safety, reputation or the viability or profitability of the employer’s business; theft, assault or fraud; being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work; or refusing to carry out a lawful and reasonable instruction consistent with an employment policy. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A violation of an OSHA standard that is considered intentional; most serious OSHA violation. |
|
|
Term
| Women-owned business enterprise |
|
Definition
| A woman-owned business is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, located in the United States or its trust territories, that is owned, operated and controlled by women. Ownership by women means the business is at least 51% owned by such individuals or, in the case of publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. Further, women control the management and daily operations. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Work programs and benefits, such as adoption benefits, dependent care assistance, leave programs, flextime, compressed workweeks, telecommuting, etc., implemented to provide employees with greater flexibility to meet both work and family demands. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| As related to international labor relations, groups of workers and management representatives charged with examining how to improve company performance, working conditions, job security, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A program, typically lasting four to six weeks, that provides workers who were injured on the job and who have undergone physical or occupational therapy the strength to be able to resume normal work functions and therefore getting them back to work. |
|
|
Term
| Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) |
|
Definition
| Income tax credit to encourage employers to hire people from targeted groups. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Reflects management decisions regarding specific actions to be taken—or avoided—in a given situation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The measurement of how employees spend their time and the number of work units being produced by employees over a specific period of time. This is accomplished by randomly observing employees while they are performing their jobs and then using mathematical formulas to determine the sample size. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of making a job easier and simpler to perform. Involves analyzing various job tasks by compiling work process, work flow and work distribution charts. The information is then reviewed, and new methods are introduced and tested to determine the most suitable and efficient method to be implemented. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A work stoppage occurs when employees cease to perform their jobs as a means of showing their support for a specific cause or as a way of voicing a grievance. |
|
|
Term
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Definition
| A group of employees responsible for a given end product. |
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Term
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Definition
| A form of labor dispute where employees continue to work, but do only what the rules or their orders require them to do. The purpose is to make work so difficult, that the employer will accede to the union’s demands in negotiations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Having a measure of control over when, where and how individuals work, leading to their being able to enjoy an optimal quality of life. Work/life balance is achieved when an individual’s right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society. |
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Term
| Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) of 1988 |
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Definition
| WARN requires employers (with 100 or more employees) that are planning a plant closing or a mass layoff to give affected employees at least 60 days' notice of such an employment action. While the 60-day period is the minimum for advance notice, this provision is not intended to discourage employers from voluntarily providing longer periods of advance notice. Not all plant closings and layoffs are subject to the Act. WARN sets out specific exemptions and provides for a reduction in the notification period in particular circumstances. |
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Term
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Definition
| State laws enacted to provide workers with protection and income replacement benefits due to an illness or injury suffered on the job. Employers must carry appropriate workers’ compensation insurance, as required by state law, or have a sufficient source of funding for claims incurred. |
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Term
| Workers’ compensation programs |
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Definition
| State laws enacted to provide workers with protection and income replacement benefits due to an illness or injury suffered on the job. Employers must carry appropriate workers’ compensation insurance, as required by state law, or have a sufficient source of funding for claims incurred. |
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Term
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Definition
| A listing of each job title as the title appears in applicable collective bargaining agreements or payroll records ranked from the lowest paid to the highest paid within each department including department or unit supervision. For each job title, the following information must be given: the total number of male and female employees; the total number of male and female employees who are Black (not Hispanic), Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native and Asian/Pacific Islander; and the wage rate or salary range. |
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Term
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Definition
| The assessment of current workforce content and composition issues used to determine what actions must be taken to respond to future needs. |
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Term
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Definition
| Persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating or insulting behavior or unfair actions directed at another individual, causing the recipient to feel threatened, abused, humiliated or vulnerable. |
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Term
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Definition
| Defines workplaces who provide employees with flexibility in matters such as scheduling of hours worked, as well as providing the ability to address unanticipated family and personal needs as they arise. |
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Term
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Definition
| Assaults and other violent acts or threats that occur in or are related to the workplace and entail a substantial risk of physical or emotional harm to individuals or damage to company resources or capabilities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Physical condition (accident or illness) that is caused, aggravated, precipitated, or accelerated by a work activity or the work environment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Any fixed, recurring period of 168 hours (7 days × 24 hours = 168 hours). |
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Term
| WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax Credit) |
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Definition
| Income tax credit to encourage employers to hire people from targeted groups; The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), authorized by the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-188), is a federal tax credit that encourages employers to hire nine targeted groups of job seekers by reducing employers’ federal income tax liability by as much as $2,400 per qualified new worker; $750, if working 120 hours or $1,200, if working 400 hours or more, per qualified summer youth. |
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Term
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Definition
| Written documentation given to an employee describing specific disciplinary infractions, such as inappropriate conduct, poor performance or violation of work rules/policies. Such documentation normally includes information regarding past infractions and what action will be taken if employee fails to improve. |
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Term
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Definition
| An exception to the at-will employment doctrine, wrongful discharge/termination is the unjust or unfair termination of an employee based on breach of a written or oral implied contract or a violation of public policy. |
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Term
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Definition
| Extensible Markup Language. A common system used for defining data. Unlike HTML, XML is not a fixed set of elements. XML allows information creators to apply descriptive markup (or "tags") around each discrete element of data. The HR-XML Consortium strives to spare employers and vendors the risk and expense of having to negotiate and agree upon data interchange mechanisms on an ad-hoc basis. By using XML, the Consortium provides the means for any company to transact with other companies without having to establish, engineer, and implement many separate interchange mechanisms. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employment contract or agreement, either oral or in writing, that forbids employees from joining or continuing membership in any labor union as a condition for continuing or obtaining employment. |
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Term
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Definition
| An employment contract or agreement, either oral or in writing, that forbids employees from joining or continuing membership in any labor union as a condition for continuing or obtaining employment. |
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Term
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Definition
| A plan design feature that establishes a preassigned class, ratio, or ranking for a specified class of employees who will receive zero bonus awards. |
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Term
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Definition
| Form of budgeting that requires that expenditures be justified for each new period and budgets start at zero; A budgeting system that starts with no authorized funds as a starting point. In a zerobased budget, each activity or program to be funded must be justified every time a new budget is prepared and resources are allocated accordingly. |
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Term
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Definition
| A provision in a collective bargaining agreement that specifically states that the written agreement is the complete agreement of the parties and that anything not contained therein is not agreed to unless put into writing and signed by both parties following the date of the agreement. |
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Term
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Definition
| Contract stipulation in which both parties waive the right to demand bargaining on any matter not dealt with in the contract, whether or not that matter was contemplated when the contract was negotiated or signed. |
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