Short Takes: Bird Flu
What should our organization be doing about the pandemic flu threat?
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News Notes: New Website Helps Small Businesses Make Health Benefits Decisions
The California HealthCare Foundation has launched a new website to help small businesses make informed decisions about health benefits. The website, www.healthcoverageguide.org, includes a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the coverage selection process—from gathering the business records you’ll need to choosing a broker, comparing policies, estimating costs, and much more.
Bulletin Item: U.S. Supreme Court Takes On Age-Bias Case
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether age-neutral policies violate the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) if they adversely impact older workers. The federal appeal courts are split as to whether “disparate impact” claims—which allege that a neutral policy or practice had an adverse, although unintentional, impact on a protected group—are permitted under the […]
News Flash: Details Of Tax-Free Transportation Plans Debated
At a hearing in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, the Internal Revenue Service heard opposing arguments on permitting employers to provide tax-free public transit benefits through cash reimbursement rather than vouchers or passes. As we’ve reported, proposed IRS rules would make it easier for employers to set up transportation spending accounts, which let you pay […]
Bulletin Item: Overtime Regulation Changes Proposed By The Department Of Labor Are Moving Forward Despite Considerable Wrangling In Congress
It is anticipated that new Fair Labor Standards Act regulations will be approved early this year. We’ll continue to monitor the developments and guide you through what these changes will mean to your business.
Bo Obama and Pets in the Workplace
I’m going to break with my usual business-oriented notes from the editor this week to write about something near and dear to my heart — dogs. After months of anticipation and speculation, the Obama family finally got their new dog, Bo (pictured on the left), this week and introduced him to the world. While the […]
News Notes: Phone Company To Fork Over Millions To Settle Overtime Claims
In a development that highlights the expensive consequences of misclassifying employees as exempt from overtime, San Francisco-based Pacific Bell has reportedly promised to pay out huge damages-$27.8 million-to settle a class action lawsuit involving claims for unpaid overtime. The case involved 600 current and former sales support managers who were classified as exempt from overtime. […]
News Notes: Religious Employees Not Covered By Anti-Discrimination Laws
A California Court of Appeal has ruled that employment decisions made by religious institutions about ministerial employees, like clergy members, are not covered by state anti-discrimination laws. The case was brought by a female chaplain at Chapman University. The chaplain claimed that her hours were cut back in retaliation for reporting incidents of alleged sexual […]
New Congress Moving on Minimum Wage Increase
News Notes: Supreme Court Update
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that wage and hour cases filed in state court under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act can be moved to federal court at an employer’s request. Employers might prefer to have a case heard in federal court for a number of reasons, including the higher standard applied to jury verdicts. […]