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News Notes: Court Upholds DA’s Pregnancy Retaliation Claim
Laura Akers, a deputy district attorney for San Diego County, had an excellent reputation for her work in the El Cajon domestic violence unit. But after Akers became pregnant, she was transferred to a misdemeanor unit. When she complained, her next performance review called her incompetent, inefficient and dishonest. Akers sued the county for gender […]
Benefits: DOL Proposes Rules Clarifying COBRA Notice Requirements; What You Need to Know
For the first time since 1986, the U.S. Department of Labor has proposed new rules affecting the COBRA notice requirements. COBRA rules affect individuals’ rights to continue group health coverage under certain circumstances. For employers the consequences for not giving written notice in accordance with COBRA rules can be steep, including having to pay an […]
News Notes: Nonmembers Can’t Be Forced to Pay for Union Organizing
A long-standing ruling by the National Labor Relations Board permitted unions to charge workers who were not union members fees that were used in organizing efforts in other workplaces. The rationale behind the rule was that nonunion workers derived a benefit from organizing efforts elsewhere because nonunion employers in the area would be forced to […]
News Notes: EEOC Launches New Employer-Based Mediation Program, Investigations Web Page
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced the implementation of a voluntary mediation pilot program in which private-sector bias charges filed with the EEOC will be referred back to an employer’s internal dispute resolution program. To participate, the dispute resolution program must be voluntary and free to employees.
Workers’ Compensation: Governor Signs Reform Package, Employers to Soon See Savings
Gov. Davis has signed landmark legislation to reform California’s troubled workers’ compensation system and put a lid on the upward spiral in workers’ comp costs faced by California employers. And now, after having pored over the numbers, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) has recommended that the 12 percent pure premium rate increase scheduled […]
Jobless Rate Falls Near Two-Year Low
February 2011 saw the nation’s unemployment rate drop to 8.9 percent, the lowest in almost two years. Employers added 192,000 jobs last month and made significant gains in payroll. Although economists predicted a strong February report, the gains were still above market expectations. The job growth represented the biggest monthly jump since May of 2010. […]
Wage and Hour: California High Court Backs Employer on Expense Reimbursement
In an important new ruling, the California Supreme Court has approved an employer’s practice of paying increased salaries and commissions to cover employees’ mileage expenses. At issue was Labor Code Section 2802, which requires employers to indemnify employees for necessary expenditures they incur as a result of the job. The employees here had argued that […]
How Would Your Talent Problems Fare if Amazon Chooses Your Area for HQ2?
*Editor’s Note: At the time of this interview, Amazon had yet to announce its new HQ2 location. However, on November 13, Amazon announced that New York City and Arlington, Virginia, will be the locations of its second headquarters. Rumors are flying about Amazon’s likely next location (or locations) for its second headquarters (HQ2). James Davis, the editor of […]
We’re Surveying Your Employees’ Attitudes Again … and Still at No Cost to You!
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady BLR’s founder announces the 2008 edition of the National Employee Attitude Survey and invites you to find out more about your own workers’ attitudes and how they benchmark to others … at no cost to you. But we’d like you to join us by February 29, so please […]