Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Newly enacted legislation, A.B. 2837, boosts penalties and fines for certain workplace safety violations, revamps Cal/OSHA’s investigation and reporting procedures and requires the agency to provide bilingual services. Here’s a summary of what to expect when the law takes effect Jan. 1, 2003.
As we reported in an earlier article, the government recently released new privacy regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). As the April 14, 2003, compliance deadline approaches, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued guidance (available on our website), including frequently asked questions, explaining significant aspects of the […]
In yesterday’s Advisor, we endured author Geoffrey James calling HR one of the “5 dumbest management concepts ever.” Today, two more of his dumbest concepts plus an introduction to a unique program for small HR departments James is a prolific writer and observer of the business scene and is the author of seven books, including […]
I’d like to keep my employees from using their company computers for personal stuff like e-mail. Can I prohibit this? 400+ pages of state-specific, easy-read reference materials at your fingertips—fully updated! Check out the Guide to Employment Law for California Employers and get up to speed on everything you need to know. In general, while […]
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released comprehensive new guidance for employers on how to prepare for an avian flu outbreak. The new guidance, which OSHA developed in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services, provides guidance for all types of workplaces, describes the differences between seasonal, avian, and pandemic […]
On July 1, 2007, new rules take effect regarding group health plan compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and wellness programs in particular. The rules are effective on the first day of the plan year beginning on or after July 1, 2007. For calendar year plans, the […]
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reported that workplace discrimination complaints filed by employees in the private sector were up 4.5% in 2002, to the highest level in seven years. The types of bias complaints that saw the greatest increases were those based on religion (up 21% over 2001 figures), age (up 14.5%), and […]
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has unveiled new guidance for healthcare workers and their employers on preparing for and responding to a pandemic flu, such as the avian influenza. Avian influenza—also known as bird flu—is caused by a virus that attacks wild birds and domestic poultry. A dangerous strain is rapidly infecting […]
By agreeing to review the case of Pennsylvania State Police v. Nancy Drew Suders, the Supreme Court will now determine whether employers will face the same liability in these situations as they do for supervisor harassment. We’ll keep an eye on the court and give you a thorough analysis of its decision when it becomes […]