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Boomers Won’t Retire; My HIPOs Are Antsy

Although the economy is slowly on the mend, it’s still noticeable that many employees near or past traditional retirement age have opted to stay working longer. Often, this is to bolster a nest egg that took a hit during the recession. Sometimes, it’s because they don’t feel the desire to leave the workforce just yet, […]

Binge work and the ever-expanding grindstone: What’s HR’s role?

Employees adhering to the old-style conventional wisdom that urges them to keep their noses to the grindstone hope their hard work will pay off. But they might be wise to heed a more modern take on how to approach work: Slow down and guard your health.   The concept of “binge working” is getting a lot […]

Maryland Legislature passes bill to raise minimum wage to $10.10 by July 1, 2018

by David M. Stevens On the final day of its legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill to dramatically raise the state’s minimum wage. The bill, which was supported by Governor Martin O’Malley and is expected to be signed into law, calls for a staggered increase in the minimum wage over a period […]

Could You Use 9 Best Practices for Your Safety Training?

Training is a vital part of your safety program, it may be required by specific standards that apply to your workplace, and it can provide a natural environment for communication between management and employees about safety and health issues. But not all safety training will accomplish these ends. Badly planned, poorly executed training may do […]

Lack of Chemical Training Leads to Tragic Accident

Hazardous wastes need special handling. Failure to do so can result in tragedy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a hazardous waste treatment facility and levied heavy fines in the wake of a tragic fire and explosion. The incident killed one worker and severely burned another. The agency did not hold back […]

New executive actions target equal pay for women

President Barack Obama is once again using executive action related to the pay American workers earn. A White House fact sheet says the actions are aimed at fighting pay discrimination and strengthening enforcement of equal pay laws. In one action, Obama signed a presidential memorandum instructing Secretary of Labor Tom Perez to establish new regulations […]

You Won’t Believe What Your Next Workplace Robot Will Do!

Your next workplace robot may not sweep the company floor or assume a manufacturing function. Instead, it may be advising the C-suite! That’s right! Your next robot may handle your company’s legal and litigation issues as “Robot, Esq.,” according to an article by Josh Blackman, JD, who specializes in the intersection of law and technology.

It’s OK if Your Workers Watch this Big-Screen TV

Why would you install a 90-inch big-screen TV on your plant floor?  Won’t workers just tune in to Sports Center or talk shows and be distracted? No, according to a company that says more media in the factory actually increases collaboration, engagement, and production performance.

United States reaches cap on H-1B visas in five days

It took just under a week for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to take in enough H-1B visa petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year 2015, which begins on October 1, 2014. The USCIS announced April 7 that it received sufficient petitions to meet the caps of 65,000 visas for the […]