Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A mandatory uniform standard for health plans to pay claims electronically was adopted in rules issued Jan. 5 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The rules are designed to help health care providers match payments received with the “remittance advice” transactions that plans are already sending them under an existing HHS […]
Drugs, alcohol, and employment generally don’t mix well. Employers face tricky choices when creating policies that address workplace substance use and abuse while still ensuring they stay within the bounds of state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers must decide whether to require drug testing and then craft policies that […]
By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor Christmas experiences with his family, says business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter, have led him to some insights about how to inspire and motivate his employees in the new year. I had a conversation about Christmas the other […]
President Barack Obama’s decision to use recess appointments to keep the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from losing its quorum has ignited a firestorm of opposition among lawmakers and business groups. Obama announced his intent on January 4 to use recess appointments to fill three open NLRB seats. The Board, which is supposed to have […]
Yesterday, we looked at the first 5 of the top 10 hiring mistakes you should be careful to avoid. Today, the rest of the top 10, and an introduction to a webinar that will help clear up a new source of problems and confusion for California employers: medical marijuana.
In yesterday’s Advisor, attorneys Deanna Brinkerhoff and Dora Lane helped us understand DOL’s misclassification crackdown; today, what to do about it, plus some good news—your job descriptions are ADA-compliant and up to date. Classification of workers as employees or independent contractors is a murky area, but there are some safe harbors and some steps every […]
In a CER webinar titled “HR’s Monitoring Rules and Rights In California: Master E-mail, IMs, Blogs, and Social Networking,” Marc Jacuzzi outlined what is included in e-monitoring and explained the employee privacy laws at the federal and state level for California. Here are some basics.
A recent court case highlights two crucial issues in administering COBRA continuation coverage: (1) a plan administrator has the sole legal obligation to prove compliance with COBRA’s notice rules — it cannot pass the buck to third-party administrators; and (2) lack of sufficient evidence on COBRA notice procedures can be a costly mistake. Recently, an […]
What do short stories by O. Henry and independent contractor analysis have in common? You’re left guessing the outcome until the very end, says attorney Deanna Brinkerhoff. DOL is cracking down on classification, and that makes it a good time to evaluate your organization’s classification decisions. DOL estimates that 30 percent of employers misclassify some […]
West, principal at Employment Practices Specialists in Pacifica, California, offered her suggestions at SHRM’s annual conference and exhibition, held recently in Las Vegas. Here are her six scary phrases: 1. ‘You’re overcommitted’ When you say this, the applicant will hear: “Has kids and won’t stay late.” Sounds like discrimination. 2. ‘You lack skills necessary to […]