Month: February 2012

The Power of Words

Most people would agree that strong communication skills — written or verbal — are an asset for any manager. The ability to communicate effectively can be a profound advantage in business. Words can be used to motivate, negotiate, intimidate, and validate. Words are powerful weapons and, when wielded by someone who is adept in their […]

So You Provide Meals for Your Employees. Is the Chef’s Salary Part of the ‘Direct Cost’?

One of the keys to this determination is comparing the cost of providing the meals to the revenue the operation brings in. There are “direct” and “indirect” costs, the latter of which do not go toward the calculation of the cost-to-revenue ratio that determines whether you are providing a de minimis benefit (and therefore one […]

Tighten Your Saddles

Litigation Value: Cathy showing Jim the “Talla-Nasty” = yet more fodder for Jim’s sexual harassment lawsuit; five dots = a murky texting area and potential lawsuit for Darryl; and watching Dwight work himself into a human bedbug trap = priceless. This After Hours episode has the gang engaging in conduct that should make any human resources […]

Our Week in Tweets: February 20th – 24th 2012

These tweets are pulled from our @HRDailyAdvisor account. Please follow us on twitter for more updates! RT @CalEmployer Just posted our 2012 Strategic HR Leadership Summit on LinkedIn. Join us in Vegas in May! http://linkd.in/xNlplc Thanks! RT @ebchampion: VERY INTERESTING STATISTICS: Health Costs Boggle, But Employers Won’t Cut Coverage: http://bit.ly/xeHPjX RT @weknownext: Pyrrhic Victory: Judge […]

Lessons Learned from Fight over Off-the-Clock Work

The story of a Chicago woman fired from her job after she was caught working on her lunch break made national news earlier this year. It struck a chord with the general public because people were questioning why an employer would fire an employee for seemingly going the extra mile. If an employee is punished […]

SCOTUS to Review Affirmative Action, OFCCP Wants Disability ‘Goals

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case concerning affirmative action in higher education. Meanwhile, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has issued a proposed rule that would set goals for disability hiring. Affirmative Action is getting interesting. Supreme Court Review While the […]

Four Tips on Reviewing and Updating COBRA Notice Procedures

The failure to administer COBRA continuation coverage notices correctly can cost employers and plan administrators money, time and aggravation, says COBRA expert Paul M. Hamburger, Esq. of Proskauer Rose LLP. He provides four tips they can use to help avoid COBRA notice missteps: (1) prepare clear, accurate and complete COBRA notices; (2) be sure to […]

Should Incentive Plans Be a Component of Your Compensation Program?

In a BLR webinar titled “Smart Compensation Strategies for Small Employers: How to Maximize Your Budget and Reduce Legal Risks,” David J. Wudyka outlined some tips on implementing effective incentive plans. Why Implement an Incentive Plan? Incentive plans can be an effective part of a company’s compensation strategy. However, it is important to analyze whether […]