Category: HR Hero Line

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

Lessons of Hope from This Week’s Miner Miracle

by Wendi Watts One by one, we watched miracle after miracle happen as each miner was rescued from deep underground in Chile. Only the coldest of hearts wasn’t overwhelmed with emotion while watching these men step into daylight and enjoy extended hugs in tearful reunions with their loved ones. As each man surfaced and was […]

Note to Supervisor: Consult HR before Approving FMLA Leave

We all know that an employee need not specifically state that she requires a leave of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). What we don’t know is how much (or how little) an employee has to say in a particular situation to put the employer on notice that she is seeking FMLA […]

Individual Liability for Wage and Hour Claims

by Kara E. Shea I recently participated in hosting a Wage and Hour Virtual Summit webinar. Wage and hour compliance — overtime, work-time issues, exempt status — is always a lively topic and typically results in lots of questions and feedback. This time around, most of the feedback surrounded remarks I made about individual liability […]

For Marijuana Workers’ Union, Hope Sprouts Eternal

by Mark I. Schickman You may have heard that California is going broke. As we look for more ways to generate revenue, one idea keeps cropping up: Move marijuana out of the underground economy and develop a new tax-generating agricultural product. Medical marijuana clubs have sprouted all over the state, and the November general election […]

Must an Employer Grant Permanent Intermittent FMLA Leave?

Maybe not, according to a recent decision from the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case has many people wondering if reevaluation of the word “leave” in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may be on the  horizon. FMLA Complete Compliance Perception may be reality . . . In February 2007, Charlene Wisbey […]

Health Care Reform Gives Employer Wellness Programs a Boost — But Be Careful

by  Susan Fahey Desmond Well, here it is — the Health Care Reform and Control Act. Beginning January 1, 2014, every individual will be required to have “minimum essential coverage” through individual market, employer-provided or certain other coverage (e.g., Medicare or CHIP).  Also, beginning January 12, 2014, any employer who employed an average of 50 […]

September 23: The First Step on Road to Health Care Reform Compliance

By Tamara S. Killion Groom Law Group, Chartered On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. Among other things, the Act dramatically changes health insurance coverage, including employer-provided health insurance and employer-sponsored group health plans (together, “group health plans”). The law is complex and has many […]

Five Steps to Protect Your Company from Claims under New ADA

by Jonathan R. Mook Even though the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hasn’t issued final regulations on the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) yet, you still must comply with the ADAAA, which took effect at the beginning of last year. In this article, we’re addressing the defense of claims under the new Americans with Disabilities Act […]

Quick, Name Biggest Workplace Legal Issue of 2010 So Far

What is the biggest employment law challenge employers have been facing thus far in 2010? An easy answer might be health care reform since companies have indeed started wrestling with whether to grandfather their benefits plans or strike off in a new direction under new sets of rules and regulations. But for many employment law […]

10 Things HR Needs to Know about California Wage and Hour Laws

by Jim Brown and Marc Koonin Companies with employees working in California must always remain mindful of the state’s protectionist wage and hour laws. You must always comply with federal standards and all California laws that provide greater protections for employees than the federal requirements. Failure to do so might be an unwelcome invitation to […]