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A
Absenteeism Abusive discharge Accidental death and dismemberment insurance (AD&D) Accommodation Adverse impact The failure of an employee to report to work when scheduled to do so. Also called wrongful discharge, the termination of an at-will employee for engaging in protected activity or for refusing to commit an illegal act. Insurance coverage for loss of life, limbs, or eyesight resulting from a work related accident. A change in workplace methods, procedures, equipment, schedules, or plant arrangement that facilitates the performance of job tasks by workers with special needs. A situation in which a significantly higher percentage of members of a protected group (African-Americans, Hispanics, Women, Native Americans, and others) in the available population are being rejected for employment, placement, or promotion. Gives preferential treatment in hiring, recruitment, promotion, and development to groups which have historically been discriminated against. Federal antidiscrimination law to protect job applicants and employees age 40 and over from employment discrimination due to their age. This act also includes discrimination involving pay, benefits, and other conditions of employment. Payments to firms that refer prospective job applicants to employers with vacant positions. A situation, specified in a union security agreement, in which all employees pay union dues and fees whether or not they are union members. Refusal to pay results in employee termination. An unproved statement. An employees spouse, child, or other dependent, who pursuant to a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) alternative dispute resolution (ADR) A method used to resolve a dispute out of court. An adr can be beneficial to employers because it usually costs less and is less adversarial than going to court. Federal antidiscrimination law designed to remove barriers which prevent qualified individuals with disabilities from enjoying the same employment opportunities available to those without disabilities. A payment of money that is made yearly for the life of the person who is entitled to the payment. A method of dispute resolution in which the parties agree to present evidence and arguments to a neutral umpire (or team of umpires) and abide by the umpire's decision. Use of an instrument to determine traits, skills, past behaviors in order to relate them to current requirements. A selection technique that uses simulations, tests, interviews, and observations to obtain information about candidates. A questionnaire which has been designed to elicit specific choices or alternatives in order to predict behavior, personality, or skill preferences. A legal doctrine that places responsibility for injury on the injured person because the person knowingly undertook an action involving a risk of harm. A set of written questions and responses completed by employees expressing their reactions to employer policies and procedures.
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Affirmative action Age Discrimination and Employment Act (ADEA) Agency fees Agency shop Allegation Alternate payee

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Annuity Arbitration Assessment Assessment center Assessment instrument Assumption of risk Attitude survey

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Attrition Audit Autonomy Loss of employees (as a result of resignation, retirement, death) who are not replaced by their employer, thus reducing the size of that employer's workforce. An investigation, especially a review of records and procedures, whose purpose is to assess compliance with a legal or practical requirement. The degree to which the job provides substantial freedom, independence, and discretion to the individual in scheduling the work and in determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out.

B
Return to top Backpay Earnings granted to an employee, usually by the court, which represent the difference between wages already, paid the employee and higher wages to which he or she was entitled but did not receive. (back pay is often awarded in cases of proven discrimination.) Insolvency; inability to pay debts. A group of employees which, by reason of the similarity of their jobs, form a unit appropriate for bargaining with management on questions of wages, benefits, and working conditions. Participants learn by observing a role mode behavior. The fundamental characteristic of modeling is that learning takes place by observation or imagination of another individuals experience. A method similar to the BARS that uses the critical incident technique to identify a series of behaviors that describe the job. A 1 (Almost Never) to 5 (Almost Always) format is used to rate the behaviors. A rating scale that uses critical incidents as anchor statements placed along a scale. Typically 6 to 10 performance dimensions, each with 4 6 critical incident anchors, are rated per employee. A program in which employees send their employees to visit other companies to discover other ways to identify and improve practices within the parent company. A specific job-related requirement which is legitimate and considered a precursor to hiring a candidate for a position. Race cannot be a bfoq, but gender, age, religion or national origin may be claimed as a bfoq provided that reasonable proof exists for such a claim. The act of communicating information about a person, particularly information about union activities, that is intended to interfere with the person's ability to find employment. A newspaper or magazine advertisement for employment, requesting replies to any address which does not reveal the hiring company. Good faith; authenticity. A primary boycott finds union members not patronizing the boycotted firm. In a secondary boycott, a supplier of a boycotted firm is threatened with a union strike unless it stops doing business with the firm. Secondary boycotts are illegal under the taft-hartley act. The technique of consolidating salary grades into wider or broader bands to create more flexible pay structures. The reassignment of a senior employee to a position vacated by a junior employee as a result of a reduction in workforce. Department within the Federal Department of Labor which is responsible for collecting and reporting national statistics for wage and salary surveys.
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Bankruptcy Bargaining unit Behavior modeling Behavioral observation scale (bos) Behaviorally anchored rating scale (bars) Benchmarking Bfoq (bona fide occupational qualification) Blacklist Blind ad Bona fides Boycott

Broad banding Bumping Bureau of labor statistics (bls)

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Business necessity Specific job-related requirement which is considered by the employer to be fundamental to the mission of the business; sometimes used as a defense against discrimination claims regarding employee selection.

C
Return to top Cafeteria benefits Cafeteria plan Carpal tunnel syndrome Career Career path Career stages Caveat Central tendency error Certified benefits professional (cbp) Certified employee benefits professional (cbp) Chain of command Civil rights act of 1964 title vii Civil rights act of 1991 (cra) Classification system Closed shop Collective bargaining Coinsurance Compensable factors A benefit plan in which an employee can pick and choose among a number of fringe benefits up to a designated dollar amount in addition to the universal benefits granted to all employees. See cafeteria benefits A painful disorder of the wrist and hand caused by the repeated performance of some manual task such as typing or meat-cutting. Individually perceived sequences of attitudes and behaviors associated with work-related experiences and activities over the span of an individuals work life. A sequence of positions through which an organization moves an employee. The different stages that individuals go through in their careers, normally divided into four stages education (or pre work), initial work, mature work, and retirement (or post work) A warning. A rating tendency to give rated employees an average rating on each criterion. A Compensation and Benefits professional who has met the rigid certification program of the American Compensation Association. A benefits professional who has met the rigid certification program of the International Benefits Association and the Wharton School. The managerial or supervisory reporting function within an organization. The major federal civil rights act which prohibits discrimination in employment due to race, color, religion, gender, or national origin. Federal civil rights law that provides for compensatory and punitive damages for intentional discrimination and also allows jury trials. A job evaluation method which groups jobs together into a specific grade or classification, especially in compensation. A situation in which a new employee must be a union member when hired, primarily used in the construction, maritime, and printing industries. A procedure for attaining agreement with an employer on matters involving wages, benefits, and working conditions by a group of employees or their representative Insurance benefits plans which require that the insured pay some portion of covered claims expenses, for example either a set fee ($25 co-pay) or a percentage of the expense (20% co-pay) A term used in job evaluation as part of the compensation design which denotes criteria for comparing relative between or among jobs. Most frequently used are skill, education, effort, responsibility, working conditions, and hazardous working conditions. Money that is awarded in a judicial proceeding to compensate a party for injury to person or property. The belief that employees in comparable positions should receive equal pay the concept of equal pay for equal work.
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Compensatory damages Comparable worth

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Comparable worth theory Compressed work week (cww) Conciliation Consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1985 (cobra) Construct validity Content validity Contingency plan Contingency search Contributory negligence Core work time Cost of living adjustment Criterion-related validity Critical incident rating A theory of pay structures requiring that jobs, which though not similar in duties, are of comparable economic value to the employer, should carry equal rates of pay. Some states require that comparable worth jobs be paid equally, particularly in the public sector. A work schedule in which a trade is made between the number of hours worked pre day, and the number of days worked per week, for example, four ten-hour work days. The settlement of a conflict in an amicable fashion. A Federal law which covers employee benefits. A major effect of the act is the requirement of employers to provide continuation of employers group health benefits for terminated employees and their eligible dependents under specific conditions. A relationship between the underlying traits inferred from behavior and a set of test measures related to those traits. The degree to which a test, interview, or performance evaluation measures skill, knowledge, or ability to perform. A plan for dealing with emergencies and extraordinary situations of various kinds. A search firm which collects its commission upon the hire of one of its presented candidates. Contingency search firms usually work without a contract. A legal doctrine that places the responsibility for injury upon the injured person because of that person's own negligence. A period of time in a flextime work schedule in which all employees in a particular unit or group must be at work. A salary / wage increase for all employees or for a specific class of employees due to inflation. The extent to which a selection technique is predictive of or correlated with important elements of job behavior. The system of selecting very effective and ineffective examples of job behavior and rating whether an employee displays the behaviors specified in the critical incidents.

D
Return to top Damages Data base Davis-beacon act De facto Decertification election Deductible Defamation Money or other compensation recovered in the courts by any person who has suffered a loss. A collection of information that is stored electronically and that can be retrieved by the use of a computer. A Federal law which applies to employers with government contracts and which mandates that employees be paid at prevailing wages. In fact, in deed, actually. An election in which employees that are represented by a union vote to drop union representation. Amount of money insured must pay before insurance benefits are payable. Any statement that has been communicated to another and that tends to hold a person up to contempt, ridicule, or ill-repute. A defamatory statement forms the grounds for a lawsuit if it is untrue. A defamatory statement is a libel if it is written and a slander if it is communicated orally. A program which allows employees to authorize the employer to make
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Direct deposit

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automatic deposits of their paychecks directly into their savings or checking account in any financial institution. A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities. A statement repudiating or renouncing a claim or representation. A disproportionate adverse effect on a particular disadvantaged group. The overall process of assimilating, training, promoting, managing, and increasing the number of minority personnel into the workforce. A euphemism used for cutting back on the number of employees; a layoff of workers.

Disability Disclaimer Disparate impact Diversity Downsizing

E
Return to top Eap (employee assistance program) also referred to as (employee assistance plan) Early retirement Employer-sponsored program(s) designed to provide counseling to identify and rectify problems concerning health, marital difficulties, alcohol and drug abuse, stress, financial, legal, emotional, or other things that may affect an employee's work performance. Retirement that commences before the designated standard age of retirement, which is usually accompanied by lesser pension benefits. In some cases, however, companies will offer early retirement programs as a way to avoid layoffs, and for purposes or incentive, benefits are not diminished. Form required by the Department of Labor for employers with 100 or more employees. Summarizes workforce by job category, race, and color. A Federal law which regulates private employer pension, retirement, and welfare plans. A type of profit-sharing program where employees receive stock ownership based on a percentage formula relating to annual company profitability. Eligibility is usually determined by length of service, with the actual number of shares being determined by a ratio of the employees annual wage or salary. An employment arrangement that grants employers the right to fire employees for any reason, or for no reason at all, and likewise, allows employees to quit their jobs at any time for any reason with or without advance notice. The act of giving employees more power and authority to make decisions that directly affect their job. An amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 which prohibits gender-based wage discrimination between men and women who are performing essentially similar work. Pertaining to an arrangement of physical tasks in such a way as to accommodate the functions and limitations of the human body. The theory that men and women should be paid equally for performing equal work, made into law by the federal Equal Pay Act. Duties that are basic or fundamental to a position; under ADA, reasonable accommodation must be made in order for a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a position. Requires companies which have federal contracts or subcontracts to
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Eeo-1 form Employee retirement income security act of 1974 (erisa) Employee stock ownership plan (esop)

Employment-at-will

Empowerment Equal pay act of 1963 Ergonomics Equal pay theory Essential functions

Executive order 11246

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implement written affirmative action plans to increase minority and female representation in the workplace. A figure used by workers' compensation insurers and state unemployment authorities in calculating premium rates or contribution rates that make appropriate adjustments to reflect an employer's claims history. Employees who are working in positions which are considered exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). Examples include directors, managers, supervisors, outside salespeople, and contract employees. An interview with an employee who is leaving the company; such a meeting gives employer opportunity to pass along information regarding health care coverage and other benefits. The employer is also able to inquire the employee as to their reason for leaving and their opinion of the company, which may be helpful to the employer regarding future employee policies and relations. Term primarily associated with compensation design, whereby company salary and wages are equivalent with the prevailing salary and wages in the local area.

Experience rating

Exempt employee

Exit interview

External equity

F
Return to top Factor comparison method Physical effort, mental effort, working conditions, responsibilities, and skills. Fair employment practice Fair employment practice agency (fepa) Fair labor standards act of 1938 (flsa) Family and medical leave act of 1993 (fmla) A job evaluation method which uses a factor-by-factor comparison. A factor comparison scale, instead of a point scale, is sed. Five universal job factors used to compare jobs are

Federal insurance contributions act (fica) Fee for service

Feedback

A manner of operating in which there is no discrimination on the basis of factors that do not apply to job performance- for example, race, gender, religion-in employment practices. A state or local governmental agency. Charges of discrimination under Title VII and ADA must be deferred to state or local FEPAs for processing, investigation, and adjudication. A Federal law which mandates minimum wage, overtime pay, equal pay for men and women in the same type of job, establishes record-keeping requirements, and prohibits certain child labor. A Federal law which requires private sector employers with 50 or more employees, and public agencies to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to eligible employees for certain specified family and medical reasons; to maintain preexisting group health insurance during periods of FMLA leave; and, to restore eligible employees to their same or equivalent positions at the conclusion of their FMLA leave. Requires payroll withholding and matching employer contributions to the social security program. Most traditional means of compensating health care professionals for medical / surgical services performed. Fees vary according to procedures performed, or the usual, customary, and/or reasonable fees scheduled by the insurance provider. The degree to which carrying out the work activities required by the job results in the worker receiving direct and clear information about the effectiveness of his/her performance.
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Fiduciary First quartile A trustee; a person to whom money or property had been turned over, to be managed and taken proper care of for the benefit of others. Associated with compensation which is the amount of compensation that falls in the range between the minimum wage and the half-way point between the minimum and the median. This area is where most new hires compensation is derived. An arrangement where employees are permitted under IRS rules to contribute specific percentages of pretax wages to an individual spending account for reimbursement of eligible child care or health care expenses. A flexible working arrangement where the employee is present during core (critical) working hours but has the ability to arrive and/or depart at different times each day, while still meeting the agreed upon number of hours worked each week (usually 40). A document that shows the progression of a product, a piece of information, or a delegation of authority from one person or department to another within an organization. Discrimination is likely to occur if the selection rate for a protected group is less than 4/5ths of the selection rate for a majority group. In compensation, a salary or wage which falls in the range between the maximum and the point which is half-way between the mid-point and the maximum. This range is hardly ever used in hiring new hires and is reserved for performance awards and career progression. An account set up for employees by an employer as a benefit plan, to which employees contribute a portion of their gross earnings each month. Employees can make withdrawals from these accounts to pay for specified expenses (but lose any funds they do not spend at the end of the year). A job analysis method that attempts to identify what a worker does in performing a job in terms of data, people, and things.

Flexible spending account (fsa) Flextime (also flexible work time) Flow chart 4/5ths rule Fourth quartile

Fsa (flexible spending account)

Functional job analysis (fja)

G
Return to top Garnishment Good faith Grading system 'Grandfather' clause Green card Green circle rate Grievance Gross misconduct A legal proceeding that takes property or money from a person to satisfy a debt. (for example, an employee may have money automatically deducted from his or her check until a debt is repaid.) Genuineness; sincerity. See classification system Language in a statute or regulation that exempts an otherwise covered entity because of its status prior to the adoption of the statute or regulation. Another term for an INS Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-151 or I-551), an immigrant visa that allows an alien to become a permanent resident of the U.S. and lawfully secure work A salary rate that is below the minimum for its salary range. A complaint about a job that creates dissatisfaction or discomfort for the worker. Behavior which causes someone to lose their job as the result of actions that are more serious than poor performance or judgment.

H
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Return to top Halo effect or halo error Harshness rating tendency or harshness rating error Honesty test Hostile environment Hot cargo agreement Human resources information system (hris) Human resource planning A rating error that occurs when a rater assigns ratings based on an overall impression (positive or negative) of the person being rated. A tendency to rate everyone low on the criteria being evaluated. Any of a number of psychological surveys that attempt to expose an individual's tendency to be dishonest. A term used for the result of sexual harassment that creates an abusive or intimidating working environment for the person being harassed. The employer permits union members to avoid working with materials that come from employers whose employees are on strike. This type of boycott is illegal. Computerized personnel management and records keeping system which covers all major HR operations, usually encompassing compensation and benefits, manpower planning, payroll administration, timekeeping, training, government required reporting, etc. The process which provides adequate human resources to achieve organizational goals. It includes forecasting future needs for employees of all types, identifying current capabilities and limitations, and determines the numbers of specific types of employees who need to be recruited or phased out of the organization and when.

I
Return to top I-9 form Immigration and reform control act of 1986 Impairment Implied contract Indemnity Independent contractor Indexing Injunction Insolvency Internal equity Interquartile range The employment eligibility form which must be completed by new employees and employers certifying employment eligibility in compliance with U.S. regulations. A Federal regulation which controls illegal immigration to the U.S. and prohibits employment of unauthorized foreign nationals. The state of being physically, mentally, or psychologically damaged or weakened. A legal relation in which mutual obligations may be inferred, without formal agreement, simply from the conduct of the parties and their mutual understandings and expectations. Protection against loss; surety; guarantee; insurance. Verb - indemnify A person who performs work for another person but is not that person's employee. The periodic and automatic adjustment of employee compensation to account for inflation in the economy. A court order to refrain from particular conduct. The state of having insufficient assets to satisfy debts. A term primarily associated with compensation design whereby all jobs / job classifications of a similar nature are compensated at an equivalent rate. In an ordered series of numbers (pay scale or range for example), the distance between the third quartile and the first quartile. It contains the middle 50 percent of data along with the arithmetic mean.

J
Return to top
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Job analysis Job description Job enrichment Job evaluation Job family Job loss Job posting Job ranking Job search Job sharing Job specification The process of defining a job in terms of tasks or behaviors and specifying the education, training, and responsibilities needed to successfully perform the job. A description of what a specific job entails along with employee characteristics necessary to successfully perform it. A method of designing a job so that employees can satisfy needs while performing the job. The formal process by which the relative worth of various jobs are determined for pay purposes. A group of two of more jobs that have similar job duties. A condition in which there is no work and the individual is sent home permanently. A listing of job openings that includes job specifications appearing on a bulletin board or in a company publication. A job evaluation method often used in smaller organizations, in which the evaluator ranks jobs from the simplest to the most complex / challenging. The set of activities a job candidate initiates to seek and find a position which will be comfortable and rewarding. A situation in which two or more part-time employees share on job. The job itself is usually a full time job; however, the position is filled with two or more part-time employees. The traits and experience necessary to perform a job.

K
Return to top

L
Return to top Labor-management relations act of 1947 (taft-hartley act) Labor relations Landrum-griffin act Leave allotment Leave bank Defines labor relations rights of both employees and employers, prohibits unfair labor practices, and specifies collective bargaining rights. The continuous relationship between a defined group of employees (e.g., a union or association) and the employer. A federal labor law passed in 1959 that defines the rights of union members. It regulates and audits the internal affairs of unions. Refers to the total number of weeks of leave eligibility granted to an eligible employee per year under applicable leave laws; i.e., the leave allotment under federal law is 12 weeks per year to eligible employees. (sometimes referred to as a paid time off or PTO bank) 1. A lump disbursement of a certain number of days or hours of leave, from which an employee can draw time and self-designate it as vacation time, sick time, personal leave, etc; 2. A bank maintained by the employer to which employees can "donate" vacation or sick time, to be used by coworkers with catastrophic illnesses requiring extensive time off the job. Some employers maintain leave banks on an ongoing basis; others establish such banks on a case-by-case basis when a particular employee is in need of extended leave. The tendency to rate everyone high or excellent on every criteria. A debt; a disadvantage; vulnerability to a lawsuit. A defamatory statement that is published (i.e., disclosed to another
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Leniency rating error Liability Libel

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Liquidation Lockout person) in writing. Conversion to money; sale of assets. A work stoppage by the employer in connection with a labor dispute; or, the securing of an item of equipment, especially electrical equipment during repair and maintenance, so that the equipment cannot be activated accidentally. Payment of an entire amount due, all at one time (as opposed payment in installments or annuity payments).

Lump-sum distribution

M
Return to top Managed care Management by objectives (mbo) Management by walking around (mbwa) Management development Material safety data sheet (msds) Median Mediation Merit pay A health care delivery system which stresses preventive health care in a group practice environment. Major deliverers include ppo, hmo, and ipa systems. A management technique in which management and employees collaboratively set goals for the ensuing performance review period. A theory that managers cannot possibly do an effective job of supervising unless they leave their office or desk to observe and collect data and impressions by informal visits to worksites. The process by which managers gain experience, skills, and/or attitudes necessary to become or remain successful organizational leaders. A document containing information about the properties and safe handling of a substance, especially, a hazardous substance. The middle number in a set or numbers arranged from highest to lowest. A method of dispute resolution in which the parties present evidence and arguments to an impartial third party, whose obligation is to help bring about an agreed settlement. Method of compensating employees based on established company standards of performance. This system has principally replaced the older step-grade system or systems of automatic promotions based on tenure or seniority. A system used by federal and state governments for hiring and promoting governmental employees to civil service positions, on the basis of competence. The middle pay rate in a compensation system for a specific pay scale, it can be determined by subtracting the minimum wage from the maximum, then dividing by two, and adding the result to the minimum. Political or social philosophy promoting cultural diversity. It generally relates to the contributions of women, non-europeans, asians, africanamericans, and hispanic ancestry. A performance rating technique which includes evaluations from other persons in addition to the employees immediate superior. Input may be solicited from co-workers, subordinates, or even customers.

Merit system Mid point Multiculturalism Multirater assessments

N
Return to top National labor relations act of 1935 (nlra) National labor relations See Wagner Act Federal Agency created to enforce the Wagner Act.
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board (nlrb) National origin Negligence Negligent referral Nepotism No-fault leave policy Non-compete agreement A term that refers to the country in which a person was born or from which his or her ancestors came; discrimination based on national origin is considered a violation of an individual's civil rights. The failure to use proper care. A failure by the former (or soon to be former) employer of an employee to inform future potential employers of job-related negative information regarding that employee, when acting as a reference on their behalf. The employment of relatives and friends of the employer and of other employees. A leave policy in which employees are automatically terminated after they have been on leave for a certain amount of time, regardless of the reason for taking the leave. An agreement between the employer and an employee that if the employee leaves the company, the employee will be barred from working for a competing company, work within a certain distance of the employer, or both, for a specified time. An employee in a position which requires compliance with the overtime and minimum wage requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Non-exempt employee

O
Return to top Occupational safety and health act of 1970 (osha) Old age, survivors, disability, and health insurance program (oasdhi) Open shop Outplacement Outsourcing Federal legislation which prescribes occupational safety and health requirements and standards for employers along with mandatory reporting requirements. Federal legislation which primarily enables the operation of the Social Security and Medicare programs. A work situation where a union is not present and there is not active campaign to keep a union out. Providing help to terminated employees in finding new employment. To subcontract a service or function which may have been performed or conducted internal to the organization at one time.

P
Return to top Part-time employee (employment) Pay class Percentile Pecuniary Peer review Per diem A job in which the employee works less than 35 hours per week A convenient grouping of a variety of jobs that are similar in their work difficulty and responsibility requirements. A numerical value which defines the value below which a given percentage of the data fall. It is primarily used in wage and salary surveys and ranges. Monetary, financial, and usually used to identify the type of damages awarded to a plaintiff. A procedure for handling employee grievances in which a committee consisting of representatives of employees and management hear and decide all grievances. Per day; an amount of money that is payable per day.
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Performance analysis People principle A systematic procedure that is used to determine if training is needed to correct behavior deficiencies. Principle practiced by a company when it shows genuine respect for its employees and recognizes dignity of work as well as the dignity of the individual. Employees, even in our modern era of eroding employee loyalty, will still respond favorably to a management that demonstrates sincere concern for their welfare. The activity used to determine the extent to which the employee is effectively performing the job. The entire collection of performance analysis, evaluation, goal setting, deficiency correction, and rewards for outstanding performance in an organization. A method of employee compensation in which the employee is paid for output (by the "piece") rather than for time (by the hour). A job evaluation system which uses numerical values to compare and evaluate the relative worth of different positions. A health insurance plan which enables the insured to have the option of either managed care services or out-of-network care. Out-of-network services may require either coinsurance or deductibles since they are usually more expensive. The most widely used job evaluation method. It requires evaluators to quantify the value of the elements of the job. The right of an employee to transfer pension credits from one employer to another. The responsibilities and duties performed by an individual, along with the budgeting of sufficient dollars to pay employee compensation and benefits. An automated computer-based system which enables management to plan, budget, and control staffing. An electrical apparatus that purports to identify untruthful responses by measuring various physiological functions during questioning. Short for the Portal-to-Portal Act, which relieved employers of the obligation to pay employees for time spent traveling to and from the worksite. A condition (usually physical) of an employee that exists prior to the commencement of health care under a group medical plan, which is oftentimes refused coverage. The union is recognized and union members are given preference in some areas. This action is a violation of the taft-hartley act. An amount of money paid for the purchase of an insurance policy, usually calculated in proportion to the risk insured against. Employees share a percentage of the cost of group monthly premium costs with their employer. This is primarily used in covering eligible dependents. The wage, as determined by the government, that prevails among workers in a particular occupation and geographical area and that must be paid to workers in similar occupations on projects that are performed under government contracts. A program within an organization to achieve a high level of employee wellness and to decrease health impairment / maintenance costs. Programs typically involve health exams, stress management, stop smoking programs, and physician recommendations, and may include a
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Performance evaluation Performance management system Piecework Point factor evaluation Point of service plan (pos) Point system Portability Position Position control system (pcs) Polygraph 'Portal-to-portal' Preexisting condition Preferential shop Premium Premium sharing Prevailing wage

Preventive program

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Prima facie Professional in human resources (phr) Progressive discipline physical exercise program. Sufficient, in terms of evidence, to establish a fact. A certification awarded to HR professionals who pass a comprehensive examination and meet the stringent requirements for both education and experience specified by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). A specific set of procedures regarding employee discipline in which disciplinary actions "progress" in their severity at each instance where it becomes necessary to impose it. For example, the first step could be one or more verbal warnings, followed by one or more written warnings, followed by suspension, and finally termination. Practicing consistently applied progressive discipline thwarts both hasty terminations and/or playing favorites on the part of management as well as claims of discrimination on the part of employees. That which cannot be used as criterion for making an employment decision, such as the race, gender, or religion of the candidate. That which belongs exclusively to a person or company. A group that is covered by antidiscrimination or fair employment practices laws, such as minorities, women, the disabled, etc. Section 9(a) of the National Labor Relations Act that provides that any employee or group of employees has the right to present grievances to the employer whether or not that employee is represented by a labor union. A societal objective or interest; a legal right or obligation, expressed in a constitution, statute, regulation, or judicial decision, that benefits the general public. Money that is awarded to a plaintiff in a judicial proceeding to punish a defendant for a wrongful act.

Prohibited factor Proprietary information Protected class Protected concerted activity 'Public policy' Punitive damages

Q
Return to top Qualified beneficiary A term used by COBRA that refers to an employee or his/her spouse and/or dependent children when they are eligible to receive coverage under COBRA because health care coverage was lost as the result of a qualifying event. A term used by COBRA that refers to specific events that result in an employee or his/her spouse and/or dependents children's loss of health coverage, such as divorce, layoff, or termination. Such events "qualify" that individual or individuals to be covered under COBRA.

Qualifying event

R
Return to top Realistic job preview A briefing that provides a job candidate with accurate and clear information about the attractive and unattractive features of a job. Rjps are as realistic as possible in order to honestly establish realistic job expectations. A change in workplace methods, procedures, equipment, schedules, or plant arrangement that facilitates the performance of job tasks by workers with special needs, without exorbitant cost. The act of bringing employees back to work after a temporary layoff. Usually, recall will proceed on the basis of seniority- those with the most seniority will return to work first- or on a "last to be fired, first to be hired"
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Reasonable accommodation Recall

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Recency error Red circle rate Reengineering Rehabilitation act of 1973 Release Reliability Remuneration Repetitive motion injury Representation Representation election Respondent superior Restraining order Restricted shop Restructuring Retained search basis. A rating tendency to use the most recent events to evaluate an employees performance instead of considering the whole rating period. A salary above the maximum for the salary range. A procedure whereby a company reorganizes its work process to more effectively create its product or service for the customer. Reengineering often eliminates layers of jobs. Federal legislation which prohibits employers with federal contracts from discriminating against the handicapped. It requires employers to have written affirmative action plans for hiring the handicapped. A document that relieves a party of legal responsibility toward the signer. Refers to a selection techniques freedom from systematic errors of measurement and its consistency under varying conditions. Payment for goods provided or services rendered; compensation. Any bodily injury sustained as a result of repetitive motions over a long period, particularly those performed in connection with employment. A statement which induces a party to undertake an obligation. A secret ballot vote to determine if a particular group will represent the workers in a collective bargaining relationship. It is monitored by the national labor relations board (nlrb). A legal doctrine that holds the employer responsible for acts committed by employees in the course of their employment. A court order to refrain from particular conduct; an injunction. A practice initiated by management to keep a union out without violating labor laws. A restricted shop an attitude rather than a formal arrangement. A process of reorganizing businesses and/or getting rid of unnecessary operations. When a search firm is granted exclusive rights to fill a particular position. Company is paid a portion in advance, and presents, in its opinion, the five highest qualified candidates for the company to choose from. The search firm takes responsibility for everything up to the final interview. Usually, it may also involve a satisfaction guarantee for one year, to fill the position should the selected candidate vacate the position. An action taken by an employer that has a negative impact on an employee because the employee has complained about or claimed wrongdoing against the employer. Prejudice exercised against a person or class for the purpose of correcting a pattern of discrimination against another person or class. A classification of employment determined by law by the state of employment, which allows any employee to work for the organization without regards to union membership. 19 states (including texas) have right to work laws. Eliminating or scaling back unnecessary or outdated jobs to achieve more efficient operations.

Retaliation Reverse discrimination Right to work

Rightsizing

S
Return to top Salary midpoint The rate of pay half way between the minimum and maximum salaries for a specified range.
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'Same actor' inference Scab Second quartile The claim that if the person who fires an employee was the same person who hired that employee, then it logically follows that there is no basis for a complaint of discrimination against the employer. Slang term for a worker who replaces a striking employee. In compensation any wage or salary which falls in the range between the middle point of the salary range down to the point which is half-way between the minimum and the middle point. Some new hires with exceptional experience or high performance expectations may be hired in this area. The process by which an organization chooses from a list of applicants the person or persons who best meet the selection criteria for a position available, considering current environmental conditions. A document that explains the claims procedure and other benefit information of a health care insurance plan to employees. Relative duration of service. Certification awarded to HR professionals who pass a comprehensive examination and meet the stringent experience and educational requirements specified by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). A letter provided to an employee by a former employer, describing the nature and duration of the employment and the reason for termination. A proportion of government contracts that are reserved for businesses owned by members of disadvantaged groups. Money offered by employers to workers who have been terminated or laid off. Unwelcome sexual advances or conduct on the job, which can ranges from offensive jokes to pornography to outright sexual assault. Sexual harassment is prohibited by the federal civil rights act of 1991. The occupation of an employer's facilities by striking employees. The degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities in carrying out the work. A list of the names, characteristics, skills, and knowledges of employees. It provides a way to acquire data and make it available where needed in an efficient manner. A defamatory statement that is published (i.e., disclosed to another person) orally. Term coined by several states to refer to certain family obligations of workers, such as attending to children's school conferences and pediatrician visits, and/or assisting elderly relatives with doctors visits and personal care. Several states now mandate that employers give time off to attend to those matters pursuant to small necessities leave laws. The legal requirement that certain contracts (e.g., for the sale of land, for services that cannot be performed within a year) be in writing. Laws that establish deadlines for the institution of various kinds of legal actions. Legal responsibility for injury, without regard to fault. A work stoppage by employees in connection with a labor dispute. An individual or company that takes on a portion of a contract originally assigned to a primary contractor. Government grants given to businesses, which can occur in a number
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Selection Spd (summary plan description) Seniority Senior professional in human resources (sphr)

Service letter Set-asides Severance pay Sexual harassment Sit-down strike Skill variety Skills inventory Slander Small necessities

Statute of frauds Statutes of limitations Strict liability Strike Subcontractor Subsidies

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of ways and for a number of reasons. Generally, the government grants subsidies when they have a vested interest in the company or organization or believe it to be beneficial to the public.

T
Return to top Taft-hartley act Tagout Task Task identity Team building Telecommuter Telemarketing Tenure Termination for cause Third quartile See Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947. The tagging of a piece of equipment, especially electrical equipment during repair or maintenance, that prevents the equipment from being activated accidentally. A coordinated and aggregated series of work elements used to produce an output. The degree to which the job requires completion of a whole an identifiable piece of work. A development method which attempts to improve the cooperation between team members or among various teams. An employee who works at home and communicates with the employer by telephone, often including the transfer of computerized data. Sales via telephone. Incumbency in a job; in academic employment especially, an entitlement to "lifetime" employment that is granted to faculty members who satisfy certain criteria. Termination of an employee on grounds that any reasonable person would view as justified. In compensation, a salary or wage which falls in the range between the mid point and the point which is half-way from the mid-point to the maximum. This range is usually not paid to new hires and is reserved for career progression and performance awards. A wrongful act for which a person can be sued. Attempt by employee teams to find ways to improve their own productivity and the quality of their product or service. The systematic process of altering the behavior of employees in a direction to produce organizational goals. A worksite that occupies workers who are recovering from illness or injury with "light" duties until they regain their ability to resume their regular jobs. An action-emotion complex that can be observed in a person who is aggressive, in a struggle against time, competitive, and chronically impatient.

Tort Total quality management (tqm) Training Transitional workplace Type a behavior

U
Return to top Undue hardship Unemployment insurance Union A term which refers to unreasonable or excessive expense or inconvenience that would be necessary on the part of an employer to accommodate an employee. Established by the Social Security Act of 1935 to provide a subsistence payment to employees when they are between jobs. Both employer and employee contribute to a fund from which the subsistence allowance is drawn. A group of employees who have joined together to achieve present and future goals that deal with employment conditions.
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Union avoidance Either the acts of a company to quickly resolve employee concerns and ensure an attractive workplace environment in order to not attract an organizing campaign or the hiring of a third party organization to meet with employees during the six week period between employees filing the petition with the NLRB and the election. A collective bargaining agreement that requires all employees in the bargaining unit to be union members or to pay union dues. A situation in which the employee is required to join a union after being hired. A union representative who works at the job site to solve disputes in connection with the labor-management labor contract.

Union security agreement Union shop Union steward

V
Return to top Vest Vested benefits Vietnam era veterans readjustment act Voucher Vocational rehabilitation To give an immediate right of present or future ownership. Benefits that have been accrued and are, therefore, owned by an employee; not conditional or contingent in any way. Under erisa, all retirement plans must offer vested benefits. Federal legislation which requires employers with federal contracts or subcontracts to take affirmative action in hiring Vietnam era veterans. A document that bears witness to a payment made. Occupational training to facilitate the reassignment of a disabled worker.

W
Return to top Wage and hour law Wagner act (national labor relations act of 1935) Waive Waiver Warrant Warranty Weighted average Whistle-blower Willful Worker adjustment and retraining notification act (warn) Workers' compensation See Fair Labor Standards Act Legislation that essentially gives employees the right to join a labor organization of their choice. Also created the national labor relations board to control and administer the legislation. To forego a legal right. A written or oral acknowledgment that a person has given up a legal right. To promise. A representation regarding the quality or fitness of particular goods or services. A numerical value which is calculated by weighting each individual average by the number of salaries in the set. May also be referred to as the weighted mean. A person who reports illegal or improper conduct, especially improper conduct on the part of the whistleblower's employer. Intentional, deliberate. Federal regulation which requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide advance warning of plant closings or significant reductions in force. A program that provides fixed payments for wages lost and medical expenses to employees who are injured on the job. Usually, such payments can be extended to a worker's spouse and dependents. This benefits both employees and employers, because incapacitated employees continue to receive income and employers are protected from law suits resulting from injured workers.
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Wrongful discharge Also referred to as an abusive discharge, a reason for termination of an employee that is not legitimate. A wrongful discharge is usually in violation of law (or the employee handbook).

Y
Return to top Yellow-dog contract 401(k) plan A promise by an employee or group of employees not to join a labor union. An employee savings plan based upon section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows eligible employees to contribute a percentage of their salary on a tax-deferred basis into a companyadministered investment plan. Same as 401(k) except for non-profit organizations.

403(b) plan

Acronyms & Abbreviations

return to top AA Affirmative Action AAA American Arbitration Association AAC affirmative action clause AAI ASPA Accreditation Institute AAOHN American Association of Occupational Health Nurses AAP Affirmative Action Program AARP American Association of Retired Persons ABC American Benefits Council ABO accumulated benefit obligation ACA American Compensation Association now known as World at Work ACCC
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Associate Certified Career Coach certification granted by the Career Coach Institute AD&D accidental death and dismemberment ADA Americans with Disabilities Act ADEA Age Discrimination in Employment Act ADEC accumulated deductible employee contributions ADR alternative dispute resolution AFL CIO American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations AFSC Air Force Air Force Specialty Classification (Job Title) AFSCME American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees AHA American Hospital Association AIDS acquired immune deficiency syndrome AIHA American Industrial Hygiene Association AMA American Management Association ANSI American National Standards Institute APA American Payroll Association, also American Psychological Association ARC AIDS related complex ASA American Statistical Association ASHPA American Society for Hospital Personnel Administration ASIS American Society for Industrial Security ASSE American Society of Safety Engineers ASTD American Society for Training and Development B

return to top BAT

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Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training BFOQ bona fide occupational qualification BLR Business & Legal Reports, Inc., Old Saybrook, CT 06475 (800 727 5257) BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor) BPI Business Periodicals Index C

return to top CBP Certified Benefits Professional certification granted by World at Work CCC Certified Career Coach certification granted by Career Coach Institute CCP Certified Compensation Planner certification granted by World at Work CCR Commission on Civil Rights CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CEBS Certified Employee Benefits Specialist certification granted by Wharton School and International Benefits Society CEO Chief Executive Officer CFO Chief Financial Officer CFR Code of Federal Regulations CIO chief information officer CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services COBRA Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 COLAcost of living adjustment COOChief Operating Officer CPAcertified public accountant

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CPCchemical protective clothing CPIConsumer Price Index CRACivil Rights Act of 1991 CSRACivil Service Reform Act of 1978 CTDcumulative trauma disorder (see also RSI) CWPSCouncil on Wage and Price Stability D

return to top DDBdefined dollar benefit DEP.dependent D&Odirectors and officers (liability insurance) DHHSDepartment of Health and Human Services DHSDepartment of Homeland Security DODDepartment of Defense DOEDepartment of Education or Department of Energy DOJDepartment of Justice DOLDepartment of Labor DOTDepartment of Transportation E

return to top EAPEmployee Assistance Program EAPAEmployee Assistance Professionals Association EBRIEmployee Benefit Research Institute

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EBSAEmployee Benefits Security Administration (DOL) EEOEqual Employment Opportunity EEOCEqual Employment Opportunity Commission EMAEmployment Management Association EMTALAEmergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act EOexecutive order EOEequal opportunity employer EOSequal opportunity specialist EPAEqual Pay Act or Environmental Protection Agency EPLIemployment practices liability insurance ERISAEmployee Retirement Income Security Act (1974) ERTAEconomic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 ESAEmployment Standards Administration (DOL) ESGREmployer Support of the Guard and Reserve ESOAEmployee Stock Ownership Association ESOPemployee stock ownership plan ETAEmployment and Training Administration (DOL) E&OErrors and Omissions F

return to top FASBFinancial Accounting Standards Board FCRAFair Credit Reporting Act FDAFood and Drug Administration FEPfair employment practice FEPA fair employment practice agency
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FICAFederal Insurance Contributions Act FLRAFederal Labor Relations Authority FLSAFair Labor Standards Act FMCSFederal Mediation and Conciliation Service FMLAFamily and Medical Leave Act FPCAFederal Pay Comparability Act of 1970 FSAflexible spending account FSBFederal Supplemental Benefits (Program) FSIPFederal Services Impasses Panel FTFull time FTCFederal Trade Commission FTEfull time equivalent FTRfull time regular FTTfull time temporary FUTAFederal Unemployment Tax Act G

return to top G&Rguards and reserve GAOGeneral Accounting Office GICguaranteed investment contract GSAGeneral Services Administration H

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HIAAHealth Insurance Association of America HIPAAHealth Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 HIVHuman Immunodeficiency Virus HMISHazardous Materials Identification System HMOhealth maintenance organization HMOAHealth Maintenance Organization Act of 1973 HRCIHuman Resource Certification Institute HRISHuman Resources Information System HSAHealth Savings Account HUDDepartment of Housing and Urban Development I

return to top I 9 IAWPInternational Association of Workforce Professionals IBSInternational Benefits Society ICCInterstate Commerce Commission IFEBPInternational Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans IHFIndustrial Health Foundation ILRindustrial and labor relations IMEindependent medical examination INSImmigration and Naturalization Service now part of Department of Homeland Security IPMA HRInternational Public Management Association for Human Resources IRIndustrial relations, investor relations IRAIndividual retirement account IRCAImmigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 IRRAIndustrial Relations Research Association
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IRSInternal Revenue Service ISOincentive stock option ISPI International Society for Performance Improvement ISRInstitute for Social Research J

return to top JANJob Accommodation Network JIMSjob information matrix system JTPAJob Training Partnership Act L

return to top LMRALabor Management Relations Act LMRDALabor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act M

return to top MCCCMaster Certified Career Coach certification granted by Career Coach Institute M/Fmale or female MFBEminority/female business enterprise MHPAMental Health Parity Act MISmanagement information systems MOS army military occupational specialty job title
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MROMedical Review Officer MSDSmaterial safety data sheet (OSHA) N

return to top NCPENational Committee on Pay Equity NIOSHNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NLRANational Labor Relations Act NLRBNational Labor Relations Board NMBNational Mediation Board NQSOnonqualified stock option O

return to top O*NETOccupational Information Network OASDHIOld Age, Survivors, and Disability Health Insurance (Act) OBRAOmnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (1987) OFCCPOffice of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (DOL) OLMSOffice of Labor Management Standards (DOL) OMBOffice of Management and Budget OPMOffice of Personnel Management OSHOccupational Safety and Health (Act) OSHAOccupational Safety and Health Administration OSHRCOccupational Safety and Health Review Commission OWBPAOlder Workers Benefit Protection Act

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OWCPOffice of Workers Compensation Programs (DOL) P

return to top PBGCPension Benefit Guaranty Corporation PCCCProfessional Certified Career Coach certification granted by the Career Coach Institute PCS Position Control System also Permanent Change of Station PDAPregnancy Discrimination Act PHIprotected health information PHRprofessional in human resources PPEpersonal protective equipment PPIProducer Price Index PPOpreferred provider organization PROpeer review organization PTpart time PTR part time regular PTT part time temporary Q

return to top QAquality assurance QCquality control QDROqualified domestic relations order
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QJSAqualified joint and survivor annuity QPSAqualified pre retirement survivor annuity R

return to top R&Dresearch and development REARetirement Equity Act (1984) Rev.Revised RIFreduction in force RSIrepetitive stress injury RTKright to know S

return to top SARSummary Annual Report (benefits) SHRMSociety for Human Resources Management SIMPLESavings Incentive Match for Employees of Small Employers SOCstandard occupational classification SPDsummary plan description (benefits) SPHRsenior professional in human resources SPRWSenior Professional Resume Writer certification granted by Association of Professional Resume Writers SSASocial Security Act or Social Security Administration SSANSocial Security Account Number SSDSocial Security Disability (Insurance)

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SSISocial Security Income or Supplemental Security Income Stat.statute SUBsupplemental unemployment compensation benefit trust T

return to top TAD military temporary duty TDY military temporary duty TRA Tax Reform Act (1986) TRASOP Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan TRO temporary restraining order U

return to top UC unemployment compensation ULP unfair labor practice URL uniform resource locator USC U.S. Code USCIS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security. Formerly the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) and before thatthe Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). USDOL U.S. Department of Labor USERRA Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act V

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VA Department of Veterans Affairs VDT video or visual display terminal VEBA Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association VETS Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL) VEVRAA Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 W

return to top WARN Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (Act) of 1988 WAW World at Work WC workers compensation WFPMA World Federation of Personnel Management Associations WHD Wage and Hour Division (DOL) WIA Workforce Investment Act WPM words per minute W&S wage and salary

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