Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The construction company in question builds and installs water supply and sewer pipes. On July 10, 2009, while the company was performing trenching work to install water service lines at a Boston worksite, an OSHA compliance officer arrived for an inspection. The compliance officer saw an employee climb out of an unprotected trench that was […]
The 2013 minimum hourly wage is set to go up in 10 states. Arizona. The rate goes from $7.65 to $7.80. The state’s minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a cost-of-living formula. Colorado. The rate is going from $7.64 an hour to $7.78 based on an annual cost-of-living adjustment. Florida. The rate goes from […]
Personnel records are typically kept for employees, but what about independent contractors? What type of information should be kept on file to prove independent contractor status?
Typically, interference with an employee’s COBRA coverage rights raises legal claims under ERISA; however, employers should take heed that in some instances other federal laws are invoked. Recently, an employer was found to have violated federal labor law when it engaged in an unlawful lockout of union employees that included the cancellation of their health […]
By Ralph N. Nero and Keri L. Bennett When is a layoff not a layoff? When it is a constructive dismissal, according to an Ontario judge. McLean v. The Rawyal Limited Partnership reaffirms the principle that unless incorporated as an express or implied term of the employment contract, a layoff may be treated as constructive […]
Special from the Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, Las Vegas When employees and their managers are asked about what they value at work, the answers are surprisingly different, says consultant Andrew Botwin SPHR. That disconnect will result in expensive turnover. Botwin, who is CEO of SPC (Strategy People Culture) Consulting, offered his engagement tips at BLR’s […]
Employer sponsors of health plans must count members in retiree-only plans and COBRA-eligible plans for purposes of paying into health reform’s Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Furthermore, employees covered under two or more “specified” policies can be counted (and taxed) more than once. The IRS final rule on employer payment of PCORI fees disregarded employer requests to exclude […]
The answer to the question of how to motivate and engage employees is locked away in the employees, and in their values, beliefs and needs. Each of us has a unique set of motivational drivers. Unless a leader can align with these, it will be difficult to motivate and engage employees over the long term. […]
Csizmar, who is founder and principal of CMC Compensation Group, offered his tips at a recent webinar sponsored by BLR. Start with your compensation strategy. Says Csizmar. You have to insure that what you recommend is in line with the company’s compensation philosophy. Take into account management bias. Yes, every company has biases, Csizmar says. […]
Here’s a reminder that for COBRA compliance purposes, small employers must count their employee population differently if they are under common control. Recently, an employer was sued for providing just three, rather than 18, months of COBRA coverage. Because it had a workforce of fewer than 20 employees, the employer tried to fend off those […]