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Employee Uniforms: Court Says Public Employees Must Pay for Their Own Uniforms; A Look at the Rules for All Employers

By HR Daily Advisor Staff Dec 1, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

Several employee groups—firefighters, sheriffs, police officers, guards, and forest rangers—filed class action suits against their public-sector employers in California, charging that they weren’t fully compensated for the costs of purchasing, replacing, cleaning, and maintaining required work uniforms, in violation of Labor Code Section 2802. This provision requires an employer to reimburse employees for all necessary […]

DLSE Reports on Status of Meal Period Rule

By jessica Nov 29, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 19, 2015

It’s been almost a year since the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) proposed a new rule to add flexibility for employers and employees to California’s meal period requirements. The rule, which has gone through several versions, still isn’t final.

Senate Approves Pension Security Bill

By jessica Nov 29, 2005 Uncategorized

Updated: Nov 29, 2005

It’s no secret that the private pension system in the United States is in crisis. Last week, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), which insures pensions for about 44 million Americans, announced that it has a startling deficit of $23 billion, fueled largely by having to take over pension plan liabilities of bankrupt airlines. But […]

Holiday Parties Are All the Rage in 2005

By jessica Nov 29, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

According to a new survey by HR consulting firm Hewitt Associates, almost three-quarters (74 percent) of employers are planning to host a party for employees this holiday season. Twenty-seven percent of these employers plan to spend $5,000 or less on their parties, 30 percent will pay between $5,000 and $20,000, and 15 percent will spend […]

Garamendi Recommends Further Pure Premium Rate Cut

By jessica Nov 15, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

Last week, California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi recommended a 15.3 percent drop in the pure premium rate for policies incepting Jan. 1, 2006. The commissioner’s recommendation was just shy of the 15.9 percent decrease that the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) recently recommended to the commissioner.

Feds Urge Employers to Prepare for Emergencies

By jessica Nov 15, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

The Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with the Advertising Council, has launched a campaign to educate small and mid-sized employers about engaging in emergency preparedness efforts to protect their employees, business operations, and assets. The program includes a website, http://www.ready.gov, with extensive information on emergency planning, including a sample emergency plan, emergency supplies checklist, […]

L.A. Bus Driver Busted on Workers’ Comp Fraud Charges

By jessica Nov 15, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

Renee Terri Henderson, a bus driver with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), has plead guilty to charges that she submitted fraudulent workers’ comp claims. As a result of claims Henderson filed with the MTA, she collected weekly total temporary disability benefits of $386.65 for nine months. However, an investigation by the California Department […]

Tool of the Week: Independent Contractor Guide

By jessica Nov 15, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 19, 2015

The benefits of using nonemployee workers such as independent contractors are obvious: you don’t have to provide a contractor with expensive employee benefits, and you retain greater flexibility to quickly alter your workforce as needs change. But if you make a mistake and incorrectly classify an employee as an independent contractor, the consequences can be […]

Wal-Mart in the Hot Seat for Internal Memo on Health Care Savings

By jessica Nov 8, 2005 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

Wal-Mart’s executive vice president of benefits recently drafted a memo to the board of directors proposing ways for the company to save on health care costs by attracting a “healthier, more productive workforce.” Among other things, the memo suggested that all jobs at Wal-Mart be redefined to include some level of physical activity–such as requiring […]