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Keep That Travel Budget Tight: Feds Issue Per Diems for FY 2012

Policymakers may debate the federal government’s overall spending habits, but federal employees have long had restrictions on how much they can be reimbursed for travel expenses, for example. And each year, the “per diem” travel reimbursement rates are adjusted. In fact, the feds have released per diem rates, adjusted for inflation, for fiscal year 2012, […]

20-Year Sexual Harassment Report Card: Mixed Bag for Employers

Lawsuits are down, but judgments are up. Training is the answer. This fall marks 20 years since the term “sexual harassment” entered the American lexicon in a big way. Americans came to know it through the testimony of Anita Hill, as she complained about alleged unwelcome advances from her ex-boss, now-Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, […]

Get Analytical to Manage Comp Says Combearsation Manager

In yesterday’s Advisor, we got the first five of Combearsation Manager Timothy Tanis’ Top 9 “Compensation Things To Do Now.” Today, the rest, plus an introduction to a time-saving collection of pre-written policies Compbearsation Manager? Tanis is Manager, Compbearsation and HRIS for Build-a-Bear Workshop in Saint Louis, Missouri. His “Top 9” came at the recent […]

Texas ‘Guns at Work’ Law Goes into Effect September 1

The new Texas state law that allows employees to bring guns to work, so long as they are secured in a locked vehicle, goes into effect September 1. Senate Bill 321 was passed in the state legislature in May and was signed by Governor Rick Perry on June 17. The law allows employees who are […]

As We Speak: How to Make Your Point and Have It Stick

Employment law attorney Mike Maslanka reviews As We Speak: How to Make Your Point and Have It Stick by Peter Meyers and Shann Nix. If you’re thinking about a presentation you need to give, take a look at As We Speak: How to Make Your Point and Have It Stick, a new book by Peter […]

‘I’ve Learned How to Manage Intermittent Leave Abuse’

It took her a couple of years to figure things out, she says. “You can’t fix intermittent [leave] abuse overnight. But it will get fixed if you stick with it.” She added that she is not a lawyer, and she “doesn’t play one on TV.” But she does have a handle on intermittent leave. (Dahlen […]

The 9 Compensation Tasks You Must Do

It’s easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of compensation—individual salaries and incentives, red circles, and wage and hour, but it’s critical to spend some time on strategic issues, says “Compbearsation” manager Timothy Tanis, SPHR, GPHR. In today’s Advisor, his Top 9. Compbearsation? That’s right: Tanis is Manager of Compbearsation and HRIS for Build-a-Bear […]

DOL Clarifies End of COBRA Premium Subsidy Period

Keep in mind that some individuals may be eligible for COBRA premium subsidies beyond Aug. 31, 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) noted today in updated material on its website. The updated frequently-asked-question on the end of the subsidy period follows: Q1: I’ve heard that the COBRA Premium Reduction (Subsidy) ends on August 31, 2011, […]

Annual Waiver Requirement for HRAs? No Sweat for Some!

If you offer your employees health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), you know better than I that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) increased your administrative duties. But there’s good news, at least for some of you! The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a reminder that HRAs established […]