Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Yokohama Tire Corp. employee Christopher Miller sued under RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations), the federal organized crime statute, charging Yokohama conducted a fraudulent scheme to deny employees overtime. Miller claimed high-ranking Yokohama employees falsely told him and other workers they weren’t entitled to overtime pay because they were salaried, and that every time Yokohama […]
The proposal would protect older workers during cash balance conversions by, among other measures, imposing a five-year hold harmless period. During this period the benefits earned by any employee would have to be at least as valuable as benefits under a traditional plan. The new regulations would also provide that cash balance plans do not […]
The Assembly Insurance Committee was recently scheduled to vote on the controversial reform measure (ABX4 1) proposed by Gov. Schwarzenegger just after he took office in November. However, the committee postponed the vote, which likely would have resulted in the bill’s defeat. The governor and legislators have now entered into talks to reach a compromise […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review two recent rulings from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal regarding mandatory arbitration agreements used by Circuit City Stores Inc. And here in California yet another new arbitration ruling has recently been issued.
In Bell v. Farmers Insurance, an appellate court threw out part of the verdict awarding employees more than $1 million allegedly owed for unpaid double-time compensation. The court, however, let stand the jury’s unanimous verdict for unpaid time-and-a-half overtime compensation totaling nearly $88.8 million.
For several years, employers have struggled with whether they have to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) detailed notice and disclosure rules when they use outside experts to investigate employee misconduct, such as harassment. The uncertainty stemmed from a now infamous opinion letter from the Fair Trade Commission that stated reports prepared by […]
Notice Of Employee Rights And Responsibilities Under California’s Whistleblower Protection Laws
Given how much time employees spend at work, it’s no surprise that romantic liaisons often develop. Many turn into happy relationships, but some end in disaster—for both the participants and their employer. This is particularly true when one person has direct or indirect control over the other at work, which can lead to allegations of […]
A new California appeal court ruling underscores how critical it is to take prompt remedial action when you receive a sexual harassment complaint. The case also addresses co-worker liability for harassment under California law.
When the sweeping new Medicare law was recently signed into law, bundled within it was an unrelated but key provision for employers—the creation of tax-free Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). We’ll explain what HSAs are, who’s eligible, and what they could mean for you and your employees. We’ll also highlight a few potential downsides you should […]