Month: February 2013

New Bill Would Require DOL to Follow its Own Rules

A newly introduced bill would require the U.S. Department of Labor to follow a rule it wants to impose on federal contractors. DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is in the final stages of a rulemaking that would require federal contractors to aim to have workers with disabilities make up 7 percent of their […]

Phoenix bans sexual orientation discrimination

by Dinita L. James On February 26, the Phoenix City Council voted to amend its human relations ordinance to include lesbian, gay, and transgender persons as well as disabled individuals among the groups protected from employment discrimination. The 5-3 vote came after a nearly five-hour public hearing before an estimated 500 people in the city’s […]

OFCCP toughens rules on compensation audits

by David S. Fortney and Judith E. Kramer Effective February 28, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is changing its approach to compliance audits and enforcement proceedings related to how contractors pay their workers. The changes effectively open nearly every federal contractor’s actions, policies, and practices on compensation to […]

Do Safety Trainers Need Training on Training?

These tips were reported on in our biweekly sister print publication, OSHA Compliance Advisor, whose ongoing “Trainer’s Corner” feature specializes in training trainers to be better at what they do. Today, and in the next Advisor, let’s look at some of these pointers. First, Preparation In training, as in so many other pursuits, “the speed […]

ACA: Expect Flex, Delay, and Some Hassle in 2013

In fact, the delays have already started, says Simon, senior legal editor at BLR. The health insurance exchange notice distribution requirement has been delayed. Specifically, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has stated that the March 1, 2013, deadline for employers to distribute notices about the availability of health insurance exchanges has been delayed until […]

SBT Reader Offers Clever Response

Last week, we shared an SBT reader’s suggestion about what to ask a job applicant. The reader suggested asking, “What’s your favorite fish?”  The interview question is meant to stump the candidate. “Anyone who doesn’t stop and think about the question, but simply comes up with something, may be someone who often jumps to conclusions […]

What Work Activity Just Broke a Guinness World Record?

Communicating on conference calls can be difficult sometimes. Without social cues, it can be hard for a coworker calling in to know when there is an appropriate time to interject? Now imagine a conference call with 10,424 participants at one time. And that’s just the old world record! Broadnet, in partnership with The Contact Group […]

Office Space Still Number 1

What’s your favorite type of movie: A sentimental love story? An insightful documentary? A crime-fighting action flick? What about a film about work? While the latter may not be the first thing that comes to mind, there are some good ones out there.  A recent BLR® poll asked readers to rank their favorite workplace movies.  […]

Survey shows employers staying course while exploring options on benefits

The health care reform law and high insurance costs are giving businesses plenty to think about, but most employers responding to a survey on employee benefits say their 2013 health insurance packages are close to what they offered in 2012. More than 2,000 employers participated in the survey from human resource and benefits information provider […]

The Rise of Lebanon

By Archana Mehta Ali Salaam, SPHR, GPHR, is a pioneer among the growing community of certified HR professionals improving labor conditions in the Middle East. The HR universe has been rapidly expanding around the globe, and Ali Salaam has been on the forefront of this trend in his little corner of the world. He is […]