The main reason that companies should invest in a simple package such as LA of HR is the fact that failure to understand and comply with the outlined legislation can lead to serious repercussions for individuals involved and organizations.
What is LAHR?
LAHR is a self-learning management workshop or training program that outlines the main legal topics in HR. There are five chapters covered by LAHR, specifically,
(1) OSHA
(2) Americans with Disabilities (ADA)
(3) Employment at Will
(4) Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
(5) Sexual Harassment
LAHR was developed by Gary C. Rees & Associates. Gary is presently the VP of HR for a large Midwestern health care organization.
LA of HR is to assist new managers in comprehending the legal complexities of HR issues. The material was compiled with the intent to show managers the extent, scope and complexity of government legislation. However, experienced managers will also find the material useful for future reference.
One option for receiving LA of HR is by electronic distribution. With this method, there is no packaging and no manual. The main reason for this is its ease of use. Alternatively, William Steinberg Consulting can distribute LA of HR by two other methods:
1) by mailing the software to you as an attachment
2) provide your company with a URL where you can download a copy.
There are many companies that offer similar products and packages. However, for the price, you may not receive as much information on such a broad range of legal HR topics.
As an individual "out-of-the-box" package, the cost is $99.
As a Site License for less than 1,000 employees, the cost is $295.
For more than 1,000 employees, the cost is $495.
Since the material is so easy to understand and install, there is no manual required.
486/66 or better PC
Windows 95, 98
Things that could be improved
This program is intended to offer a general understanding of legal issues pertaining to HR. However, if employees or supervisors need additional information, it is in their best interests to find a supplementary source of information. Therefore, your company needs to decide if it is worth purchasing a:
(1) broadly scoped program such as LA of HR and then purchase specific modules pertaining to, for example OSHA or
(2) to purchase separate specialized programs.
The material presented in LA of HR is not interactive. Actually, in comparison to the training products that are actually available today, some might even consider it boring. There are not graphics, pictures, or diagrams. On the other hand, what this implies is that, as a resource, it provides comprehensive, dense material that can be easily referenced in the future.
The language used in the material although relatively easy to understand, however, there may be some legal terms that are not easy for everyone to understand.
Another improvement to LA of HR would be to design modules specifically targeted to different groups of workers, such as employees and supervisors. Although the legal information is the same covering both groups, it is important to distinguish the impacts and actions that affect the different groups.
LA of HR is not sold as a training program, per se. However, it is difficult to ensure that the material that is being presented has actually been absorbed, understood, and will be practiced by the individual in the future. In not having an evaluation or administration module, it makes it more difficult for companies to see whether or not the material has been learned and how the user performed.
There aren´t many training programs that you can purchase for $99 that offer such a broad scope of information. By covering five of the most important legal topics in HR in a succinct and informative package, you may be saving your company hundreds of dollars. Instead of having to purchase reams of paper-based reference material, for $99, your company can purchase LA of HR.
There are several methods that you can use to obtain the program including receiving the disc in the mail, direct Internet downloading or by email as an attachment. What could be easier?
The first selling point with LA of HR is the price first and foremost. You just can´t beat $99!
The second selling point is the scope of material that is being provided. It covers a broad range of legal issues.
If you´re looking for an inexpensive system to start your company´s legal reference material, LA of HR is an excellent tool and foundation. It´s important to remember to integrate a variety of legal resources to build your company´s legal training program, instead of relying on a single source.
As their website address indicates, William Steinberg Consulting Inc. provides a wide range of services. However as experts in the field of survey software geared towards employees, customers and management, or 360 degree feedback systems, their site provides a wealth of information on their survey products and services. You can also sign up to get reprints of over 8,000 HR articles, subscribe to their Trends newsletter and receive consulting services and obtain technical support. In addition, their HR Power Guide provides a super listing of HR-related products and software that indicate which products have free demos available online. Check out their site at www.notjustsurveys.com.