Category: HR Hero Line

HR best practices, employment law tips, news and analysis, Q&As, and lessons learned from the courtroom.

Moonlighting the new norm? Time for employers to face the future

Many industrious office workers may be more industrious than their employers realize. In fact, after putting in time at their primary jobs, a lot of those workers rush off to other jobs—jobs that help them make ends meet or build savings, or maybe they work a second job to pursue a passion. Whatever the reason, […]

workers' comp

New OSHA rules limit postincident drug testing

by Bart N. Sisk The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new rules revising its requirements for recording and submitting records of workplace injuries and illnesses. The revised rules require employers in certain industries to submit injury and illness data electronically. The frequency and content of the reports depend on the size and […]

class

Campus recruiting: It’s about making connections, not just filling jobs

It’s the time of year when college students are getting ready to go back to campus to complete their education and find their place in the world of work. But students aren’t the only ones heading back to school. Employers, too, have business on campus as they look for the best and the brightest to […]

Taking the sting out of Zika: what employers need to know

by Lisa Berg On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization declared an international health emergency associated with the spread of Zika virus, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began advising pregnant women or those considering becoming pregnant to avoid travel to places with Zika outbreaks. To date, more than a […]

‘Gotta catch ’em’: Employers dealing with Pokemon Go mania

To say that the Pokemon Go craze has taken the world by storm may be an understatement. Reportedly the app broke a record for downloads in its first week of release on Apple’s App Store. It also quickly reached the top spot for free apps in the Google Play store.  Launched on July 6, the […]

Chobani serves up stock offering to its employees

by Edward O. Sweeney and Justin St. Louis Chobani, LLC, recently announced that it would be giving most of its employees stock shares pursuant to what is commonly referred to as an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). As a result of the move, Chobani’s employees will collectively own roughly 10 percent of the company. How […]

Supreme Court issues number of important employment rulings

by Sean D. Lee The U.S. Supreme Court’s October 2015 term ended in late June 2016. Employers and federal contractors should take note of several recent decisions that affect businesses nationwide across a broad range of areas, including employment discrimination, affirmative action, and overtime exemptions.   Green v. Brennan In Green v. Brennan (May 23, 2016), […]

Vacation season—a time to relax and recharge or a time to keep on working?

Summer—traditionally a time when workers schedule time off and plan trips to exotic or relaxing locales—may have entered a new era. It’s an era of contradictions: As some studies show workers value generous paid time off policies, others indicate that employees are increasingly willing to leave their hard-earned time off on the table.  Some workers […]

EEOC issues final regs governing wellness

by Sara Anne Quinn Many employers use wellness incentive programs to encourage their employees to lead healthy and active lifestyles. Wellness programs often include questionnaires or health assessments that request employees’ private health information. Although the programs are explicitly allowed under federal laws like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Affordable […]