Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have blocked funding for new national ergonomics rules intended to reduce repetitive motion injuries in the workplace. The rules, which would affect an estimated 27 million employees whose jobs involve repetitive tasks or manual labor, would impose heavier burdens on employers than existing California standards. The vote prevents […]
It’s been a hot summer here in California—and in many workplaces, the rise in temperature has ushered in a rise in inappropriately dressed or scantily clad employees, which can lead to flirtatious behavior and even to a general decline in productivity and office professionalism. What can you do to keep dress code standards up when […]
Both chambers of Congress have approved legislation that will extend the deadline for filing a pay-bias complaint under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The House voted 250 to 177 in favor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (S 181) today. The Senate approved the legislation last week. President Barack Obama […]
By Mark Colavecchia and Derek Knoechel In June 2003 George Radwanski, Canada’s federal privacy commissioner, resigned three years into his seven-year term amid parliamentary inquiries into travel and hospitality expenses. Several months later, the auditor general released a report leading to a lengthy police investigation of Radwanski’s expense claims. In March 2006, the former privacy […]
The Obama administration proposed another extension of COBRA premium subsidy benefits on Monday, according to Business Insurance. President Barack Obama included this latest extension in his proposed federal budget for the fiscal year 2011. The proposed extension would reportedly extend the 65 percent premium subsidy to individuals whose employment is terminated between March 1, 2010, […]
by Susan Fentin Employers in Massachusetts with at least 50 employees are now required to allow employees who are victims of domestic violence to take up to 15 days of unpaid leave within a 12-month period to deal with the violence. The law, which went into effect August 8, also allows leave for covered family […]
During our own audit of our pay for salaried workers, we discovered some discrepancies that I think might be questionable if someone were to sue us for discrimination. Statistically, it appears that we may be underpaying women as compared to men in the same job groups, but regional pay differences and other factors such as […]
When you offer employee perks, it’s critical to make clear whether the program is a vested benefit or a company bonus that is subject to change or cancellation. Former Hewlett-Packard engineer Mark G. Leonard is suing the high-tech giant, claiming that it cancelled a program to provide thousands of retirees lifetime rebates on its products, […]
It can be hard to describe good customer service, but you sure know it when you see it. Last week, I was at — of all things — a baseball tournament in the greater Atlanta-metro area. The tournament wasn’t a small volunteer undertaking. The organization that sponsored the tournament is national in scope and has […]