Ruth Mayhew

Implementing a performance improvement plan isn't a good sign for the employee or the employer, mainly because it requires additional work and oversight to justify keeping an employee on staff.

Operating a small business and supporting a human resources department is challenging. If your staff resources are limited -- as they are at many small businesses -- you'll need to decide how your in-house HR department can best serve your organization.

It's unlikely that your previous employer is going to discuss your work record with the company you're interviewing with. Doing so takes time from your previous employer's duties and it puts HR in a precarious position.

Insubordination often is a sign of disrespect for one's colleagues, whether they are co-workers or company leaders. It's manifested in a number of different ways, but insubordination is equivalent to defiance and disregard for workplace policies.

Women who were close enough to see higher-level positions on the corporate ladder yet couldn't reach them faced a barrier referred to as a "glass ceiling," according to a 1986 article in The Wall Street Journal.

Labor laws help shape the structure of a workplace, setting limits on what employers can ask of their employees and protecting workers rights.

When it comes to making a hiring decision, there are many reasons not to select a particular applicant.