Month: July 2012

Hassles: Old—Harassment—and New—Technology

Segal, a partner in the Philadelphia office of Duane Morris LLP offered his tips at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta. Harassment Remains a Problem Before 1986, sexual harassment was not recognized. Then came the 1986 Vinson case and the 1991-Hill-Thomas hearings. They raised public awareness on sexual harassment and there […]

Comp and HR In the Year 2525

Segal, a partner in the Philadelphia office of Duane Morris LLP offered his tips at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta. Wage and Hour Prior to 1938 we had a manufacturing economy, Segal says. In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was enacted. With the exception of minor interim adjustments, […]

Technology on vacation

R&R Necessary for Healthy, Productive Work Life

Summer is here and in full swing. It’s time for baseball, picnics and vacations. So, what do you do for “R&R”? Rest and relaxation are important ingredients to maintaining a healthy and productive work life. Sounds funny doesn’t it? Not “ha ha” funny, but a little strange to say that rest and relaxation are critical […]

Let’s Eliminate Base Pay Merit Increases

Rubino, who is founder and president of Rubino Consulting Services in Pound Ridge, New York, offered his suggestions at the 64th SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta, Georgia. Rubino asked his audience of HR managers how many of them had merit increase base salary systems. Most hands went up. Then he asked, […]

When Can New Workers Recover for Psychiatric Injuries?

When a worker sustains an injury at work, it’s not always just the body that gets hurt—you may also be facing a claim for psychiatric injury. Today and tomorrow, we’ll look at a new case that helps clarify exactly when you may be liable for these sorts of injuries for new workers.

Employee Class Actions May Become More Common in Canada

By Brian P. Smeenk Class actions in Canada for unpaid overtime or other employment claims have met with mixed results in the past. Now the rules of the class action game – at least in the employment context – may be a little clearer. On June 26 the Ontario Court of Appeal issued its decisions […]

"I Wonder When Immigrants Became the Enemy"

Special from Atlanta–SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition Condoleezza Rice’s thought-provoking comment about the immigration situation in the United States came at SHRM’s Annual Conference and Exposition, held recently in Atlanta Georgia. Three Big Developments HR managers need to be aware of the effect of three incidents that are shaping our world today, Rice says. 9/11. […]

Immediate Reform Implementation Is Revenue-reporting and Tax-related (apart from SBC)

With the Supreme Court’s June 28 ruling affirming health reform, its legal requirements on employer health plans are a green light. Plans therefore continue to face important requirements this calendar year. Fortunately, they’re the same ones employers have known about for some time. But if an employer has been holding off from comprehensive implementation, a […]

Politics, Negative Ads, and Trust

Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered his thoughts on negative ads in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter: Take a look at the 2012 presidential race between President Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. The race has already taken on a very negative tone. A recent study by Wesleyan University showed that 70% of […]

Human Resources–STILL Not a Strategic Partner?

A recent Harvard Business Review Blog article by J. Craig Mundy suggests that HR still hasn’t achieved its place “at the strategic table”; yet, in a recent speech at the SHRM Convention in Atlanta, Jim “Good to Great” Collins said, “HR, you ARE the table.” Meanwhile, at the same conference, consultant Hunter Lott says he […]