Month: December 2008

Employee Privacy Challenges & Solutions

M. Lee Smith Publishers and HR Hero have just released a new HR executive special report on employee privacy challenges for HR pros – Employee Privacy Challenges & Solutions: Electronic Monitoring, Health Information, Personnel Files, and More. The report is written by employment law attorney Katherine Novak Townsend. Employee Privacy Challenges & Solutions, is a […]

New Employment Laws and Regulations Going into Effect

While the world has been focused on the U.S. and global economic meltdown, a historic presidential election, and staggering unemployment numbers, some pretty significant changes have been made in federal employment laws and regulations with most going into effect in just a few weeks. A recent issue of HR Hero Line includes a roundup of […]

Guaranteed New Year’s Resolution—Bulletproof FLSA Compliance

Happy New Year, readers. Here’s one resolution that you can easily keep—to audit your exemptions and pay practices (before the feds make good on their resolution to do it for you).  If yours is like most organizations, you’ll get the biggest bang for your New Year’s buck with an FLSA audit. The astounding amounts of […]

Wal-Mart Agrees to Major Class-Action Settlement

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., has announced that it will pay a minimum of $352 million to settle wage and hour lawsuits across the country, possibly the largest such settlement ever. The 63 wage and hour class-action lawsuits that are being settled have been pending for several years, according to a statement from the company. Each of […]

Financial Crisis Should Boost Work-Life Benefits

by Sarah McAdams The global economic crisis is stressing out employees everywhere. Almost half are worried they’re going to lose their jobs, nearly a third are working more hours and taking less time off, 48 percent said that stress makes it hard for them to perform well on the job, and 25 percent are actively […]

Ways Employers Can Reduce Workers’ Comp Costs

The gloom of our current economic circumstances should inspire everyone to look for ways to cut costs and streamline operations. One place businesses can start might be the administration of their workers’ compensation program, where expenses can rapidly get out of hand if employers aren’t careful. Here’s a brief checklist of things to look for. […]

Laid-off Workers Win Some Discrimination Lawsuits, Lose Some

When a company downsizes, it can feel like a civil war, with employees worried about whether they will be next on the chopping block. Such times can be hazardous for employers, which may find themselves tiptoeing through a minefield of explosive discrimination lawsuits. In the case below, recently decided by the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court […]

Ways Employers Can Reduce Workers’ Comp Costs

The gloom of our current economic circumstances should inspire everyone to look for ways to cut costs and streamline operations. One place businesses can start might be the administration of their workers’ compensation program, where expenses can rapidly get out of hand if employers aren’t careful. Here’s a brief checklist of things to look for. […]

Protecting Your Business from Departing Employees

by Derek Knoechel Sophisticated employers in Canada recognize that the potential costs associated with employee turnover extend far beyond the cost of replacing departing employees. Departures can also place critical business assets at risk. A departing employee may engage in the unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information ranging from technological know-how, product roadmaps and […]

Wellness Keys—Dial-in Diabetes? Mind, Body, and Soul Cooking?

As the Principal Financial Group® was conducting its wellness survey (see yesterday’s Advisor), Cornell University was conducting a wellness survey of its own—and demonstrating the importance of assessing needs before implementing. The responses of the 1,400 people who completed Cornell’s survey gave its wellness program clear indicators of where to focus its efforts. It also […]