Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
By Jennifer Carsen, JD The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) really kicked things into high gear at the very end of 2015. While the rest of us were winding down, hanging out with friends and family, and eating far too many gingerbread men (or perhaps that was just me), the industrious tax elves slipped a few […]
By Ryan B. Frazier, JD The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides for awards of attorneys’ fees and costs “in addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff.” Attorneys’ fees can be substantial, and in some cases, they may be much larger than overtime compensation awards.
By Joan Farrell, JD On January 1, 2016, a new law in New York made “familial status” a protected characteristic under the state’s fair employment law. With the new law, New York joins several other states (including Alaska, Oregon, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia) that expressly prohibit an employer from discriminating against an […]
By Cathy Moreton Gray, JD We’ve been hearing a lot about the “Affluenza” defense used by a young man to avoid jail time when his defense team successfully argued that his “wealthy parents coddled him into a sense of irresponsibility.”
By Holly Jones, JD, Senior Legal Editor Yesterday we heard from BLR® Senior Legal Editor Holly Jones, JD, who had some excellent tips on getting your goals strategically oriented for 2016. Today, more from Jones on setting and accomplishing strategic goals, posters in the workplace, and other HR housekeeping. Refinable Goals Refinable goals are those […]
By Zachary D. Morahan, JD Most employers and their legal counsel are used to settling wage and hour claims in a simple and straightforward manner. Other than an agreement containing the appropriate terms and conditions, not much more was needed to settle such a claim before litigation began. With the exception of getting a case […]
By Bradley Bakker, JD An employee alleging interference and retaliation under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) needs more than a single doctor’s visit to raise a viable claim against his employer.
By Jennifer Carsen, JD The Cadillac Tax is designed to help fund healthcare reform and reign in unnecessary spending by imposing a 40% excise tax on insurers of employer-sponsored health plans with total values that exceed $10,200 for individual coverage and $27,500 for family coverage, starting January 1, 2018.
By Jennifer Carsen, JD You are undoubtedly weary of hearing about everything the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires of you in terms of the employee health care coverage you’re mandated to provide.
By Catherine Moreton Gray, JD In a conversation I had with one of my colleagues following the Pope’s visit, we talked about his apparent rejection of the trappings of his position in favor of staying true to his values. We also talked about the Pope’s communication skills, and about his focus on staying in touch […]