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A Lesson in Ordinary Greatness

Just My E-pinionBy Brian Jones Guest columnist and management consultant Brian Jones shares a lesson he learned from comedian Conan O’Brien about “ordinary greatness.” One of the side effects of my constant travel schedule is arriving at hotels in new cities late at night. Unable to sleep, I turn on the TV. Late-night TV is […]

Employees to Get Stimulus Bonuses Starting…Now!

As part of the new stimulus package, many workers will be seeing a little extra cash in their paychecks beginning this month—in the form of a reduced federal income tax withholding called the Making Work Pay Tax Credit. For employers, this means that payroll calculations need to be adjusted to ensure that the lowered withholding […]

IRS Defines Involuntary Termination for COBRA Subsidy Eligibility

The federal stimulus package contains a COBRA premium subsidy for employees who are “involuntarily terminated” between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recently published guidance for employers on what an “involuntary termination” is for the purpose of determining which employees should be sent the required COBRA subsidy notices. […]

Employee Retention & Engagement

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) recently issued a decision that reads like a “what not to do” in response to employee complaints. When one employee complained to her manager about sexual harassment and assault by a coworker, the company looked into the matter but failed to protect her. In fact, the […]

From the CEA Mailbag: Paying Employees for On-Call Time

The best questions always come from our CEA subscribers—the ones toiling away in the HR trenches. During each month we’ll reprint some of the questions they’ve put to our editors, and the answers we’ve provided. Here’s one that many employers have wondered about:  What are the pay requirements when a non-exempt employee is on-call by […]

‘I Never Knew There Was a Complaint System’

Yesterday’s Advisor  considered harassment complaint systems. Today, we cover who takes complaints, offer a sample complaint form, and discuss one additional key element—training. Who should handle harassment complaints?  The people designated for this task should be people viewed as credible, objective, sensitive, and trustworthy. Note that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says any complaint […]

EEOC Develops Best Practices Against Caregiver Discrimination

On April 22, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offered employers new guidance and best practices on avoiding discrimination against workers with caregiving responsibilities. The best practices document is available online at www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/caregiver-best-practices.html and illustrates proactive measures employers can take that go beyond federal non-discrimination requirements. It supplements a 2007 EEOC guidance document on unlawful […]

FTC, HHS Propose Rules, Seek Comments on Electronic Health Records

Does your organization offer or plan to offer employees online or electronic personal health records (PHRs)? Can employees enter their personal health information into online programs that help them evaluate and improve their health, such as weight loss applications? If you’ve answered yes or if your organization provides electronic PHR programs to others, you should […]

Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce

Resources for Humans managing editor Celeste Blackburn reviews Natalie Holder-Winfield’s book Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce: New Rules for a New Generation. In the foreword to Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce, Natalie Holder-Winfield reveals how she left a successful practice with a well-known law firm to join eight other women to create a […]