Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A new California appeal court ruling underscores how critical it is to take prompt remedial action when you receive a sexual harassment complaint. The case also addresses co-worker liability for harassment under California law.
When the sweeping new Medicare law was recently signed into law, bundled within it was an unrelated but key provision for employers—the creation of tax-free Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). We’ll explain what HSAs are, who’s eligible, and what they could mean for you and your employees. We’ll also highlight a few potential downsides you should […]
A new California appeal court decision serves as an important reminder about the risks of providing job references for former employees. We’ll explain what happened.
Fulfilling union information requests can sometimes be tedious. But as a new National LaborRelations Board (NLRB) decision shows, before you simply flat-out refuse to turn over the requested data, it’s important to make a good faith assessment of the relevance of the request.
Although the workers’ compensation system is designed to provide protection for injured employees, employers can obtain workers’ comp coverage for independent contractors under certain circumstances. Now a California appeal court has ruled that providing them with coverage will subject both the employer and the contractor to other workers’ comp law provisions—including the prohibition on […]
The Small Business Administration has partnered with insurer Nationwide to publish a guide to inform business owners about their pension plan options and compliance responsibilities. The guide includes information on: how to determine whether to offer a plan and what type of plan to offer; fiduciary responsibilities; and how to find a qualified pension plan […]
Monrovia Nursery in Visalia, which sells plants and plant materials to federal agencies, has agreed to pay out more than $511,000 to 240 women who alleged that the company’s hiring practices discriminated against qualified female applicants. The settlement grew out of a compliance review by the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.
The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2002, private-industry employers recorded 4.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses, or 5.3 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers. About 2.5 million of the recorded cases involved lost workdays, transfer to another job, restriction of work duties, or a combination. The other 2.2 million […]
Under Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.’s attendance probation program, a worker who had too many unexcused absences could be terminated. Also, absences for military, family and medical, and other types of leave could prolong an employee’s probationary period by the number of days spent on the leave. Now a federal district court has ruled Honda’s […]
Although what the changes will mean to employers remains to be seen, there has been a big shake-up at the state agency that oversees employment matters. Among those leaving are Acting Director Chuck Cake, Acting Chief Deputy Director Suzanne Marria, and Labor Commissioner Arthur Lujan.