Supervisors commit actionable employment violations with alarming frequency, opening their employers (and themselves) to lawsuits. Instead of just dealing with the aftermath, HR can help prevent such violations with help from a good HRIS system.

Often while reviewing posts in Linked In groups and elsewhere, I run across situations where supervisors have created a liability for their employer because they failed to act appropriately, or failed to notify HR when an incident occurs. These issues hit all the alphabets laws: FLSA, FMLA, ADAAA, USERRA, and EEOC, to name a few. HR gets handed the problem only after the fact and is left dealing with the aftermath. By then it’s often too late, and before you know it there’s a bullet finding its target in the form of a lawsuit – and nobody’s wearing Kevlar.

Supervisors frequently don’t understand that their actions can make them personally liable for violations of federal regulations. This situation puts added weight on the HR department, but also creates an opportunity for HR professionals to show their true value to an organization. HR should be the first people consulted when personnel issues arise.

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