Archives

COBRA

Ask the Expert: COBRA Quandary

Question: I just found out that a former employee near the end of his COBRA election period was in an accident and is currently incapacitated. What are my options administratively if the election period ends and he has not yet elected COBRA coverage?

Mississippi

ADA and FMLA Best Practices Pay Off for Cash-Handling Company

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) recently upheld a jury’s verdict in favor of an employer on an employee’s lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The verdict was the result of several things the employer did correctly in response to the employee’s medical issues. This case is worth another look.

Heat

Cal/OSHA Intends to Close the Door on Indoor Heat Illness

The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) has had a heat illness prevention rule in place since 2006; that rule has been revised and updated several times. But, as often as it has been updated and as determinedly as Cal/OSHA has enforced it, the rule has had one huge, gaping hole in coverage: indoor […]

California

Was a California Nurse Able to Defend Retaliation and Defamation Claims?

A registered nurse complained to hospital management about patient safety practices. The hospital fired her shortly afterward, allegedly for improper and dangerous patient care. The nurse sued for retaliation and defamation. The California courts were left to decide if her termination based on a legitimate nonretaliatory reason.

leadership

Gauging HR’s strategic role: Survey shows progress, but more can be done

That elusive “seat at the table” the human resources profession has been craving for years is now a reality in some circles but still a challenge in others, according to HR professionals responding to a recent survey. So what can HR do to make more progress as a strategic partner working side by side with […]

Predicting Success is Hard

How good are you at picking winners? If you’re one of the 70 million Americans who recently filled out a bracket for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, you probably have a sense of how hard it is to predict success. How well did you do?