Employee-misconduct "Boot Camp"

Upcoming Audio Conference:

Employee Misconduct Boot Camp: The Psychology—and Law—of Managing Difficult Behavior
Are toxic attitudes, manipulative and lying employees, or ineffective workers who aren’t pulling their own weight ruining your workplace culture—or even making it dangerous?

Do you know what to do in awkward situations, like when an employee returns from rehab or has been arrested?

What do you do when an employee is making threats against co-workers or supervisors? When do you talk to them—and when is it time to stop talking and take disciplinary action?

Drug abuse. Harassment. Manipulation. Poor attendance. Threats. Insubordination. Discrimination.

These are just a few of the very expensive and time-consuming problems that give HR professionals nightmares. It’s not just the very real threat of lawsuits—that’s bad enough and can cost you in time and legal fees.

It’s also the sheer frustration of dealing with individuals who have very real problems. How do you deal with the mind games?

And how do you keep problems from escalating before someone gets hurt?

If you’re feeling like your hands are tied and that there must be a better way to nip problems in the bud, then it’s time to attend Dr. Joni Johnston’s Employee Misconduct Boot Camp!

Employee Misconduct Boot Camp is a thorough 5-day series that covers just about every angle of employee misconduct that exists. Joni Johnston, Psy.D., author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Psychology and president and owner of WorkRelationships, shows you how to masterfully handle the misconduct that’s keeping you up at night and making life miserable in the workplace.

If anybody can answer your toughest, most nagging questionspsychological traps that can escalate in an already-difficult situation—expertly and legally.

So many of your most pressing legal and psychological questions answered in one complete series. Sign up today for a riveting week that will make you more confident and change the way you deal with employee misconduct—for the better!

Day 1
July 11, 2011
1:30-3:00 p.m. ET
Dealing with Problem Employees:
When to Coach, When to Counsel and When (and How) to Terminate

Many human resource professionals spend 80% of their time at work dealing with problems created by 5% of their employees. Some of these employees are no longer able to perform duties of a changing job (or perhaps they never were). And then there are the more serious problems, like the truly dysfunctional and destructive employees whose constant disruptions are toxic to the workplace.

In day 1, we’ll talk about how to effectively confront both types of problem employees. We will look at how to build an effective case for progressive discipline, as well as how to use clear communication and explicit expectation to encourage these employees to leave under their own power, with a minimum of conflict and drama.

Learning Objectives:

* How do you manage performance issues that aren't a clear violation of disciplinary policy and aren’t related to attendance or missing deadlines?
* The 5 most common mistakes employers make with progressive discipline
* What do you say at the termination meeting?
* How to avoid bias and retaliation claims by departing employees
* How to decide when to stop coaching and start counseling—and what’s the difference

Day 2
July 12, 2011
1:30-3:00 p.m. ET
Drug Use and Mental Illness:
Telltale Signs and How and When to Act

Johnny has been with the company for going on six years now—but he just hasn’t been the same since his mother died last summer. His numbers are down. His attendance is spotty. He doesn’t hang out with the same friends he did in the break room. He’s been seen more frequently at the bar nearby—and sometimes even goes there on his lunch break.

But does that mean he’s drinking during his break? Is that what’s affecting his performance? Or is he depressed? Something is wrong—but what?

Many employers are at a loss when it comes to responding to an employee with a mental disability or a substance abuse problem. You want to ask—but how do you do that without insulting your employee?

Active drug users can have serious problems that affect attendance, productivity and even overall job performance. Mental disabilities can be just as devastating. The onset of depression or anxiety can cause a formerly stellar employee’s performance to take a nosedive.

And, depending on the circumstances, both can be covered under the ADA, which adds another level of legal complexity.

Whether an employee is suffering from a mental illness or from drug abuse, he or she may be eligible for unique forms of accommodation—but will you know how to grant it if they ask? What if they don’t ask for accommodation—should you bring it up? And what sort of medical information can you request without trampling privacy and GINA laws?

When you want to help but you feel like your hands are tied legally and professionally, there are answers out there that make sense. Make sure to join us for day 2, when Joni tackles the tough questions of mental illness and drug abuse.

Learning Objectives:

* How does the definition of disabled apply to drug users and alcoholics?
* Do your managers know how to approach an employee whom they suspect has a problem—but who may not? How to ask when you’re not sure
* When can you—and should you—require a “fitness for duty” evaluation?
* When is a psychiatric disability “known?”
* 3 common misconceptions that can lead to disability discrimination
* How should you handle any awkwardness around an employee who just got back from rehab?

Day 3
July 13, 2011
1:30-3:00 p.m. ET
Curbing FMLA Abuse:
How to Manage Manipulative Employees

How can employers stop being victims of FMLA abuse? Think you would recognize it if it happened to you? Even if you spot it, how do you approach this delicate situation without starting a legal mudslide?

FMLA regulations are very employee friendly, and many employees have figured out how to play the FMLA game to avoid working and to avoid being held accountable for their absences—wreaking havoc on productivity, scheduling and cohesion in the workplace.

This live audio conference will help you understand what you can do to use FMLA regulations to curb FMLA abuse. This program will explain how to ensure that employees meet all of their obligations under the FMLA. While you cannot stop the use of FMLA leave, you can work to eliminate the types of abuse that interfere with work and waste your time and money.

Learning Objectives:

* Do you know the 5 questions your supervisors should be asking every employee who calls in absent?
* The 3 policies that significantly reduce FMLA abuse temptation
* 4 tips for certifying intermittent leave
* A step-by-step plan for handling suspicious requests
* 4 changes to FMLA leave you must comply with

Day 4
July 14, 2011
1:30-3:00 p.m. ET
Handcuffs and Hand Grenades:
Workplace Violence, DUIs and Other Legally Challenged or Arrested Employees

Homicide is the third leading cause of death on the job in the U.S., topped only by motor vehicle accidents and falls. More than 1.8 million work days and $55 million in wages are lost every year due to workplace violence, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Although workplace violence might seem to happen at random, there are often patterns and warning signs that indicate when violent reactions are imminent.

But workplace violence isn’t the only issue that can get your employees in legal hot water. What do you do when one of your employees has been arrested and charged with a crime? Under our legal system, an arrested person is innocent until proven guilty. So, what can you do to address situations where an employee has been arrested, charged, or incarcerated for a crime but has not yet been convicted?

Join us for day 4, when we address the legal issues— and practical solutions—for addressing all these problems.

Learning Objectives:

* The 4 types of workplace violence
* Do you know how to identify and respond to threats?
* 5 steps to protect your workplace from violence
* 3 steps that employers should take before disciplining an employee who is charged with a crime
* Do you know the legal difference between a felony and misdemeanor—and the impact this difference should have in potential discipline against an arrested or charged employee?
* What is the potential for legal action, when an employer takes action against an arrested employee before they are actually convicted of a crime?

Day 5
July 15, 2011
1:30-3:00 p.m. ET
The Psychology and Law of Investigating Complaints

When companies don’t handle sexual harassment claims properly, it can cost them big. For instance, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store recently paid out $255,000 to settle a sexual harassment suit, and Marshalls settled a similar case for $110,000.

These cases and others share a common thread: The plaintiffs claimed that their employers knew or should have known about the sexual harassment but failed to take prompt and effective corrective action to stop it.

Time and time again, employers make errors in judgment when sexual harassment claims surface. As the Cracker Barrel and Marshalls cases show, those mistakes can cost them dearly. Don’t wait for a sexual harassment lawsuit to come knocking at your door before you evaluate whether the steps you’re taking are sufficient to meet your legal obligations and avoid a legal minefield. The best time to prepare is before a crisis hits.

Learning Objectives:

* Do you know how to choose the best investigator?
* 8 traps to avoid when investigating sexual harassment complaints
* Do you know how to handle he said/she said complaints?
* 5 steps to effective documentation
* How to effectively communicate the results of the investigation

Presented by:

Joni E. Johnston, Psy.D.

Dr. Joni E. Johnston is a forensic psychologist, licensed private investigator, and president/owner of WorkRelationships(www.workrelationships.com), an employee relations consulting firm. Since 1991, she has personally trained over 50,000 managers and HR professionals on topics including how to investigate harassment complaints, legal and effective discipline and termination, workplace violence, and dealing with mental illness and substance abuse in the workplace. She is a former columnist for LexusNexus and HR.Com and is the author of three books. She has also conducted over 100 workplace investigations and is an active member of the California Association of Workplace Investigators.

Product Options:

Audio Conference Only: $359.00
Audio Conference CD Only: $379.00 (includes S&H)
Audio Conference + CD: $499.00 (includes S&H)


To register or learn more, please visit:
http://www.workplacetrainingcenter.com/Prod-2524.aspx?sourceCode=WHGG11
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