Month: March 2012

Succession Planning—Different Ballgame in 2012

Traditionally, succession planning focused on an orderly transition at the top of the company. Today the focus is on dealing with the coming “brain drain” most companies will experience as baby boomers begin to retire. To get a better handle on what’s new in succession planning, we turned to BLR’s newly-published Top 10 Best Practices […]

Risk Is Your Business

It’s March. Chances are there’s an NCAA men’s basketball tournament pool being conducted in your office right now. If you’re in it, good luck! There are a number of them here in our office. (You want to see my picks click here.) It’s estimated that $2.5 billion changes hands over this single event. That’s quite […]

Free Report Friday—CFRA and FMLA Notice Requirements: California Labor Laws

Getting the notice requirements right is one of the trickiest aspects of CFRA compliance. CER’s free White Paper, Notice Requirements for CFRA and FMLA: California Labor Laws, explains what you need to know, courtesy of Marjorie Fochtman, Esq., and Deborah Schwartz, Esq., attorneys at the San Francisco office of Nixon Peabody, LLP. The White Paper […]

When FMLA Intermittent Leave Leads to Suspicious Attendance Patterns

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows leave to be taken “intermittently” in certain situations. Intermittent leave often presents both logistical and employee relations challenges for employers, which must minimize the effect of intermittent leave on operations and address possible employee abuse while ensuring legal compliance. This article will discuss intermittent FMLA dilemmas and […]

Armchair Manager: What Sports Can Teach Us About Management

One of the reasons I enjoy sports is the human dynamic at work in every sporting endeavor, says business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald. At different times and in different sports, an athlete may do battle with another competitor, the elements, or even with himself and his will. This fascinates me, says Oswald, CEO of […]

Use Outcome Not Method to Describe Essential Functions

Yesterday’s Advisor covered the two big not-required-but-necessary HR tasks—policies, and job descriptions. Today, specifics on essential functions, plus an introduction to a popular digital collection of pre-written job descriptions. [Go here for yesterday’s tips on job descriptions] Outcomes over Methods Describe an essential function more as an outcome than a method, BLR’s experts say. That […]

401(k) Disclosures: How to Answer Employee Questions

Preparing Staff to Handle Questions/Concerns Preparing staff to handle participant questions and concerns is of paramount importance because ineffective answers can lead to mistrust, morale issues, and compliance scrutiny. It may even lead to legal challenges under ERISA. To avoid these problems, prepare supervisors and staff. Invite your investment advisor or a representative of the […]

Backburner Job Descriptions? Don’t Even Think About It

The California Employment Law Letter (CELL). is written by Mark I. Schickman, and Cathleen S. Yonahara, both attorneys at the law firm of Freeland Cooper & Foreman LLP in San Francisco. Defining Essential Job Functions Most employers use some form of job description, but many are cumbersome documents that have little practical value because they’re […]

5 Critical Components Every Job Description Must Contain

The California Employment Law Letter (CELL) is written by Mark I. Schickman, and Cathleen S. Yonahara, both attorneys at the law firm of Freeland Cooper & Foreman LLP. In San Francisco. A job description need not account for every task that might ever be done, says the CELL. Here are the most critical components of […]

401(k) Fiduciary? There’s Personal Liability If You Get It Wrong

The changes, which take effect July 1, 2012, are big. As a plan sponsor, you will receive new information about fees paid by the plan. You will also need to give participants some new information. For guidance, we turned to a recent BLR publication, the 401(k) Fee Disclosure Compliance Download Report. Your Role As Fiduciary […]