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Rite Aid Corp. has been slapped with a class action lawsuit claiming that as many as 1,600 managers and assistant managers at approximately 800 drugstores in California were improperly classified as exempt from overtime. The employees charge that Rite Aid put pressure on managers to deny overtime to hourly clerks and, as a result, managers […]
Recent court rulings have emphasized the importance of having an easy and reliable procedure for reporting sexual harassment incidents. In fact, in many cases, the terms of your sexual harassment policy can make the difference between avoiding liability-or paying huge damages. But in an evolving aspect of the law, a surprising new federal appeals court […]
When changing retirement plans, employers sometimes don’t notify employees until all the details are in place. But a new case makes it clear that if you don’t let workers in on your plans earlier, you could face an expensive lawsuit. Employer Enhances Early Retirement Benefits In a workforce reduction, IBM offered workers two early retirement […]
The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has released comprehensive guidelines designed to help its investigators analyze complaints-and help employers comply with their accommodation obligations-under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The new enforcement guide attempts to answer frequently asked employer questions on a range of topics-from how to handle medical verification of a disability to when […]
A federal jury recently awarded $375,000 to a Maryland state trooper who claimed his employer refused to let him take time off to care for his newborn daughter. The award, believed to be the first in a sex discrimination case brought under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, highlights the importance of treating male […]
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released a new survey showing the latest trends in employee benefits. The study describes what medium and large private employers offer in terms of paid leave, health and retirement benefits, and life insurance, and it provides a useful benchmarkfor comparing your own employee benefit plans. When it […]
The Internal Revenue Service has issued new regulations which clarify that plan administrators must provide 15 days’ written notice before the effective date of retirement plan amendments which result in a significant reduction in future benefit accrual. The rules apply to both defined benefit and money purchase plans. If some plan participants don’t receive notice […]
The U.S. Department of Labor has released three free brochures to help educate workers covered by employer-sponsored health plans. The brochures address topics such as how marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and divorce affect health care choices; what to do when a child is no longer dependent; how retiring or changing jobs impact coverage options; and how […]
Under a new policy, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which oversees government contractors, will no longer inspect I-9 forms when visiting a worksite to follow up on worker complaints about labor violations. The policy shift is an attempt to encourage undocumented employees to file such complaints without […]
Because of the huge stock market gains in recent years, many defined benefit pension plans contain more assets than are needed to pay out benefits. Since 1997, however, a ruling from the federal appeals court that covers California has sharply limited employers’ discretion in how to use that “extra” money. But in a recent unanimous […]