Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
There are more than half a million 401(k) plans in the United States, covering 60 million Americans, says the IRS. That is just some of the information in the 401(k) Compliance Check Questionnaire Interim Report, which the IRS released on Feb. 16, 2012. The report summarizes survey responses from 401(k) plan sponsors that filed a […]
If an employee gets injured at work, are you prepared to deal with the situation? The types of first-aid materials you must maintain in the workplace will depend on the nature and extent of hazards present. And Cal-OSHA standards require a basic level of readiness.
By Jason Bohanan Communicating with employees is essential to the health of any business. Daily communication between management, supervisors, and front-line employees helps keep every aspect of the business running, from planning meetings to ensuring everyday assignments are completed. Unfortunately, no method of communication is perfect. Communication breakdowns, such as lost memos and unchecked voicemails, […]
Your photocopier may be keeping copies of your records that have been scanned into the copier’s hard drive. You can access those records easily—and so can anyone else who knows how to work the copier’s hard drive. “That’s something everyone should be aware of,” said attorney Catherine Moreton Gray, speaking at BLR’s National Employment Law […]
The California Department of Insurance has approved a 10.1% hike in the average workers’ compensation pure premium rates. The increase takes effect July 1, 2002, and follows on the heels of a 10.2% increase that took effect in January 2002. Although the pure premium rate is only advisory and insurers aren’t required to follow the […]
Employers likely will need to continue to pay close attention to how their individual states’ approach to same-sex marriage will affect their employee benefit plans, regardless of President Obama’s newly articulated support for it. The president on May 9 said that he supports same-sex marriage, but also that the states should be able to decide […]
What are employers doing to help employees balance work and family needs? A survey by the Families and Work Institute of 1,000 employers with 100+ employees reveals that 90% of the employers gave workers time off to attend school events, and half let employees stay home with a mildly sick child without using vacation or […]
A group of 88 grocery workers will share $248,000 in back wages under a settlement announced between the U.S. Department of Labor and Mi Pueblo Markets in San Jose. The settlement arose out of an investigation by the DOL revealing that Mi Pueblo failed to pay some workers premium rates for overtime hours. What’s more, […]
Tomorrow, February 1, is the deadline for posting the Cal-OSHA Form 300A, annual summary log of injuries and illnesses that occurred in 2006. The form must remain posted until April 30, 2007. Even if you had no recordable injuries or illnesses in 2006, you must still post a summary with zeros in the total line. […]
A new rule from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is being touted by the agency as a moderate measure aimed at ensuring that workers understand their rights, but it’s drawing fire from some employers who call it a “punitive new rule” from a federal agency overreaching its authority. The NLRB issued a final rule […]