Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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 […]
A new California appeal court decision serves as an important reminder about the risks of providing job references for former employees. We’ll explain what happened.
Fulfilling union information requests can sometimes be tedious. But as a new National LaborRelations Board (NLRB) decision shows, before you simply flat-out refuse to turn over the requested data, it’s important to make a good faith assessment of the relevance of the request.
Although the workers’ compensation system is designed to provide protection for injured employees, employers can obtain workers’ comp coverage for independent contractors under certain circumstances. Now a California appeal court has ruled that providing them with coverage will subject both the employer and the contractor to other workers’ comp law provisions—including the prohibition on […]
The Small Business Administration has partnered with insurer Nationwide to publish a guide to inform business owners about their pension plan options and compliance responsibilities. The guide includes information on: how to determine whether to offer a plan and what type of plan to offer; fiduciary responsibilities; and how to find a qualified pension plan […]
Monrovia Nursery in Visalia, which sells plants and plant materials to federal agencies, has agreed to pay out more than $511,000 to 240 women who alleged that the company’s hiring practices discriminated against qualified female applicants. The settlement grew out of a compliance review by the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.