Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Last year is ended on a high note, at least in terms of one economic indicator: the nation’s unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent in December. Despite that good news, many states are still experiencing record unemployment; this rampant unemployment was the number one issue addressed by state legislatures this past year. Here is a […]
The new year is off and running, but it’s not too late for human resources professionals to make a few employment law-related resolutions that should make their lives easier in 2012. Sexual harassment policies Boyd Byers a partner with Foulston Siefkin LLP in Wichita, Kansas, says attention to sexual harassment policies should top the list […]
Litigation value: Nothing in this episode, but Dwight is perilously close to civil and criminal liability for his computer activities. Jaclyn West wrote about this episode, Doomsday, two months ago when it originally aired. Her post discussed “motivation” and the inevitable sexual harassment of warehouse Val, either at the hands of Gabe or Darryl. Dwight’s […]
Drugs, alcohol, and employment generally don’t mix well. Employers face tricky choices when creating policies that address workplace substance use and abuse while still ensuring they stay within the bounds of state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers must decide whether to require drug testing and then craft policies that […]
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is again delaying implementation of its rule requiring most employers to display a poster explaining employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act. The delay comes at the request of the federal court in Washington, D.C., that is hearing a legal challenge regarding the rule. The new implementation date […]
by Jonathan C. Sterling Earlier this year, Connecticut became the first state to enact a law that requires employers to provide paid sick leave for employees. The law takes effect January 1, and the Connecticut Department of Labor recently published guidance on its website to assist employers in complying with the new law. Read the […]
The San Jose Mercury ran an interesting piece recently about a wage and hour audit at the family pizza chain, Chuck E. Cheese. You might recall from ads that the company boasts that at Chuck E. Cheese, a “kid can be a kid.” What the Merc tells us is, the Chuckster not only likes to […]
Employers have been on notice for more than a year that government safety officials are highly critical of employees using cell phones while driving. The practice is coming under even more scrutiny now that the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended a total ban on the use of cell phones and other such devices […]
It’s the time of year when gift-giving shifts into high gear. Maybe a vendor sends an oversized tin of cookies or basket of fruit for the whole office to enjoy. Or maybe coworkers in neighboring cubicles pick out presents for each other. Sometimes a vendor or client hands over an expensive gift to one particular […]
Employers that sponsor health plans might get rebates from their group health insurers thanks to health reform, but if they do, they are required to pass the proper amount of the rebate on to employees. Under the medical loss ratio (MLR) rule (mandated by the 2010 reform law), health insurers must spend a minimum percentage […]