Could High-Tech ‘Oops’-Proof Your Workers?
Researchers at Vanderbilt University say they can jolt your workers into high productivity and performance, essentially making them “oops”-proof. But you may have to change your dress code to do this.
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It’s OK if Your Workers Watch this Big-Screen TV
Why would you install a 90-inch big-screen TV on your plant floor? Won’t workers just tune in to Sports Center or talk shows and be distracted? No, according to a company that says more media in the factory actually increases collaboration, engagement, and production performance.
United States reaches cap on H-1B visas in five days
It took just under a week for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to take in enough H-1B visa petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year 2015, which begins on October 1, 2014. The USCIS announced April 7 that it received sufficient petitions to meet the caps of 65,000 visas for the […]
Customer Preference vs. Religious Garb and Grooming
In yesterday’s Advisor we presented several key questions and answers from EEOC’s new guidance on religious discrimination. Today, more from the guidance, plus we announce a free webcast on building a WOW! Recognition program. [Find more questions and answers here] Can an employer exclude someone from a position because of discriminatory customer preference? No. If […]
Shutdowns, Furloughs and Weather Delays—Wage/Hour Minefields
Business Shutdowns and Furloughs It should be no surprise that many employers have sought creative work arrangements in order to weather bleak times without resorting to morale-killing layoffs. Furloughs, temporary shutdowns, and reduced-hour schedules are common workplace solutions. However, the intricacies of the FLSA make these solutions tricky. The salary basis test is not satisfied […]
First of all a teacher
by Dan Oswald Vince Lombardi once said, “I think coaching is teaching, see? So I don’t think there’s any difference whether you teach on the football field or whether you teach in the classroom. They’re both exactly the same. It’s a question of . . . a good teacher puts across what he wants to […]
Retroactivity for Same-gender Spouses Goes Back to June 2013
IRS on April 4 said rules that do not distinguish between same- and opposite-gender married couples in tax and federal retirement plan provisions will be in effect retroactive to June 26, 2013. This date is when the U.S. Supreme Court held in U.S. v. Windsor, S. Ct. 2675 (2013) that the lack of recognition of […]
EEOC Issues Helpful (!) Guidance on Religious Garb and Grooming in the Workplace
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued helpful guidance on how federal employment discrimination law applies to religious dress and grooming practices. Here are highlights of the guidance. In most instances, federal law requires employers to make exceptions to their usual rules or preferences to permit applicants and employees to observe religious dress […]
Expat Tips—Prepare for Dual-Career Couples and Trailing Spouses
By Anthony Di Bratto As companies continue to expand globally and as international trade and production become both easier and more cost-effective, more and more companies are sending their employees abroad. These employees, known as expatriates or “expats,” are employees from the home country who are transferred to work in a host (foreign) country. This […]
Need Videos for Your Chemical Safety Training?
If you’re looking for a new method of training your employees on chemical safety, you may want to tap into their fondness for YouTube videos and reality TV. A 3-DVD set of 31 safety videos produced by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is available free of charge at CSB’s website. CSB is charged with […]