Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
HR best practices, employment law tips, news and analysis, Q&As, and lessons learned from the courtroom.
Finding the right balance between work and personal time can be tough, but it’s especially challenging when the e-mail from the office never stops. Even when the volume of off-hours messages isn’t enough to be a serious time drain, it still interrupts personal time. So can just the nagging thought that an e-mail from the […]
by Eric J. Conn The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) new e-record-keeping rule, formally titled “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses,” has created quite a stir for employers. The rule requires employers to electronically submit their injury and illness data, which the agency will then publish online for all the world to dissect. […]
by Ryan B. Frazier Whether workers are properly classified as employees or independent contractors has been an increasingly hot topic in discussions about the American labor market. Independent contractors are deemed to own their own business, making them responsible for covering most of their own business expenses, taxes, and costs. Worker classification is governed by […]
Today’s employers are usually well aware of their responsibility to protect employees from unlawful discrimination based on disability. But what about the disabilities that are unseen and often misunderstood? How can the employer do right by the employee and still keep the work on track? Those questions don’t have easy answers, but focusing on time-honored […]
In recent years, business relationships have increased in complexity. So, among all the independent contractors, franchises, joint ventures, and internships, just who is an employee? And which company—or companies—is the employer? Federal and state regulators are taking a new look at those questions and responding with new interpretations and new regulations. The federal government, in […]
by Brad Federman Bersin & Associates noted in 2012 that in the United States alone, we spend more than $720 million annually on improving employee engagement. According to sources such as the Center for Creative Leadership, PerformancePoint, Kenexa, and Gallup, between 58% and 90% of employees do not trust management, between 14% and 58% believe […]
by Jacob M. Monty Do you pay any of your employees a daily rate? Do you think you’re saving money on overtime by paying a daily rate? If so, you’ve opened yourself up to liability for overtime lawsuits. Day-rate employees are paid on a per-day basis as opposed to being paid a salary or an […]
by Kevin J. Skelly The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and corresponding state laws impose obligations on employers that rely on certain background checks to make employment decisions. A recent class action lawsuit filed in New Jersey federal court should serve as a wakeup call for employers on the many pitfalls associated with conducting […]
Employers spend a lot of time and energy striving for engaged workers, the kind of employees who are happy, productive, and devoted to their jobs. But finding ways to recruit and retain those employees takes understanding what workers value most from an employer, and that gets complicated. Some employers emphasize their commitment to flexibility and […]
by Michael Barnsback What organization funds and organizes a national movement for a $15 minimum wage and increased unionization, but does not pay the people it employs to support the movement $15 an hour and is antagonistic to their joining a union? The answer is Service Employees International Union (SEIU). On August 12 and 13, […]