Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Brian J. Kurtz Is it technically race discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 if you terminate an Assyrian employee because you think he is an Arab? An Illinois district court recently faced that question. Less than courteous Afram Boutros, an Assyrian of Lebanese descent, went to work for […]
Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. could be facing substantial back pay fines and other remedies related to a federal complaint alleging it violated its employees’ rights with its response to organized strikes in 14 states that called for higher wages and other worker benefits. The National Labor Relations Board consolidated complaint alleged that Wal-Mart violated […]
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly heard about what is now being called “Bridgegate.” (I, for one, am tired of “gate” getting added to every controversy and scandal, but I’ll leave that rant for another day.) ‘Time for Traffic Problems’ It seems that one of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s top […]
‘Time for Traffic Problems’ It seems that one of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s top aides, Bridget Anne Kelly, sent an e-mail to a Christie appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said Oswald in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter. Kelly’s e-mail said, “Time for some traffic problems in […]
Strong demand is expected for Big Data training, according to a recent study. Among other issues, the survey probed the need for analytics training and what companies are doing to fill the skills gap. The global survey by American Management Association, “Conquering Big Data: A Study of Analytical Skills in the Workplace,” asked respondents, “Does […]
“Six factors need to be present for true employee engagement,” says consultant Keith Branham. Highly engaged workplaces score high on all six drivers and tend to have “signature” drivers—that is, drivers for which they are particularly known. Branham, who is founder and principal of Keeping the People, Inc., offered his expertise at WorldatWork’s 2013 Total […]
It’s no secret that since the recession many workers have found themselves expected to do more with less. They’ve seen wage and hiring freezes as well as cutbacks in benefits. They’ve also worked under a cloud – knowing that their jobs could disappear in the next round of layoffs. As the economy begins to recover, […]
On Jan. 15, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia held that the IRS can issue premium tax credits (under the Affordable Care Act) to individuals whether they enrolled for coverage through a federally or state-run health insurance exchange. The complaint was brought by three employers and four individuals, including Jacqueline Halbig, who […]
In Genesis Healthcare Corp. v. Symczyk, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, at least in this case, action by the employer to offer a settlement “mooted” the collection action, says Brinkerhoff. (A case is “moot” when the issue has been resolved, and the case is no longer “live.”) Brinkerhoff, who is an associate in the […]
by Charles S. Plumb The last several months have witnessed a flurry of court activity regarding same-sex marriage laws. On Tuesday, January 14, Oklahoma joined that activity with an order and opinion issued by Tulsa’s federal court. In 2004, Oklahoma voters approved an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution defining “marriage” to be exclusively a union […]