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Employers Worldwide Report Positive Hiring Outlook

Hiring prospects are looking up for job seekers around the world in the fourth quarter of 2017. There are no negative employment outlooks reported for the first time since 2009, according to latest Employment Outlook Survey from ManpowerGroup, a leading global workforce solutions company.

What the Las Vegas Strip massacre means to employers

by Deanna Forbush The current Google Doodle says it all. The Doodles generally express recognition of a special day, such as the celebration of a holiday, an anniversary, or the life of a famous artist, pioneer, or scientist. Since last Sunday’s horrific Las Vegas massacre, however, the Google Doodle is a simple mournful black ribbon. […]

5 reasonable accommodation pitfalls to avoid

by Brent E. Siler Litigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been on the rise in recent years and will likely continue to increase. One area of ADA compliance fueling the increase is the duty to reasonably accommodate employees’ disabilities. While most employers are aware they have a duty to accommodate the disabilities […]

Montana minimum wage increases to $8.30 on January 1

by Jason S. Ritchie On September 29, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) announced that the Montana minimum wage will rise to $8.30 per hour on January 1, 2018. Under Montana law, the DOLI is required to annually review the Consumer Price Index and adjust the state minimum wage to reflect increases in the […]

pagan ritual

Forced Pagan Ritual Ends in Discrimination Lawsuit for Virginia Employer

With a shortage of Catholic priests—and younger priests not looking at the task too favorably—there aren’t too many people left who will perform an exorcism. Whether you believe in demon possession or not, one thing is certain: The task is definitely not something for HR professionals! A recent lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court […]

ACA

9th Circuit Faults Retiree Plan’s Disclosure of Lifetime Maximum

A federal appeals court recently confirmed that the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) prohibition of lifetime benefits maximums does not apply to retiree-only group health plans. However, the court ruled, the plan had failed to disclose this adequately as required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The case is King v. Blue Cross & […]

ADA

7th Circuit Reins in Medical Leave as ADA Accommodation

Employers often struggle with the Americans Disabilities Act’s (ADA) requirement to provide leave as a reasonable accommodation for an employee with a disability.  How much leave is required?  Is it ever okay to terminate an employee who requests leave?  In a recent decision, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals provides some solid answers to employers […]

contract

Arbitration: Exotic Dance Club Makes One Sidestep Too Many

An enforceable arbitration agreement can lead to a streamlined and more expeditious resolution of issues on an individual, rather than a classwide, basis. It’s important for employers to know how to enforce a valid arbitration agreement and how to avoid losing your ability to enforce such an agreement. A recent case is a cautionary tale […]

transparency

The ‘Power of Positive’: A New HR Method from Sports Coaches

When, earlier this year, Boston Celtics’ new addition Kyrie Irving (who was at the time a point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers) stated during the course of a podcast that he is a firm believer that the Earth is flat, social media and news outlets went into a frenzy. Even middle school students began challenging […]

Small Business Owners Lack Confidence in Their HR Function

According to a new survey from Paychex, a leading provider of integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, HR, retirement, and insurance services, 21 percent of small business owners lack confidence in their organization’s ability to keep current with HR compliance.