Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The unemployment rate for military veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time since September 2001 has been trending downward in recent years. As of April 2017, it stands at 3.9 percent—the lowest rate since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began keeping statistics on the population as a […]
by Dan Oswald I recently had an experience that made me wonder, can a company become arrogant? We’ve all met arrogant people, but can a company be haughty or egotistical? Let me share the experience first, and then I’ll come back to my question. My son received a pair of wireless headphones for Christmas that […]
Employers in Los Angeles and San Francisco must prepare to pay higher minimum wages starting July 1. In the city of Los Angeles and the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, the minimum wage is going to $12 an hour on July 1 for businesses with more than 25 employees, up from $10.50 an hour. […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has withdrawn two major Obama-era guidance documents, one addressing joint employment and one on independent contractors. The move, while not a surprise, is good news for employers, according to H. Juanita Beecher, of counsel with Fortney & Scott and an editor of Federal Employment Law Insider. The Obama administration […]
Are you a hockey fan? If you’re from Tennessee—like BLR’s corporate office is—you’re getting a free pass for being tardy, courtesy of Nashville’s mayor herself!
A New Jersey federal court recently granted an employer’s motion for summary judgment (dismissal without a trial) on a group of financial advisers’ overtime claims, finding they were properly classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and its New Jersey counterpart.
While many Americans are preparing for summer vacations, many are likely not. According to a new survey from Glassdoor, the average U.S. employee (of those who receive vacation/paid time off) has only taken about half (54%) of his or her eligible vacation time/paid time off in the past 12 months. This is relatively consistent with […]
When we reported last year about the ouster of recently deceased Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, we noted that Ailes’ repeated pattern of “couch casting” didn’t occur in a vacuum; rather, it sent a message throughout the organization that sexually harassing behavior was condoned at the highest level. We noted that it would take more to […]
Most employers in Chicago and Cook County will be required to offer paid sick leave beginning July 1. The city of Chicago passed a sick leave ordinance last summer, and Cook County (where Chicago is located) passed a nearly identical law in October. The ordinances apply to all businesses that are located in the city […]
Many employers offer employee wellness programs with the intent of improving overall employee health levels. Improving employee health has the long-term benefit reducing unplanned absences and can even boost productivity. It can reduce healthcare costs for the employee, which then may, in turn, reduce healthcare benefit costs for everyone. It can have the added benefit […]