Author: Stephen Bruce, PhD, PHR

New FMLA: Tricky Questions Answered

Surveys consistently show that managing Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) issues is one of the most time-consuming—and annoying—areas HR professionals tackle. BLR’s experts at Compensation.BLR.comshare answers to some of the trickier questions they get. Q. The law defines a health condition as serious if the employee is treated by a healthcare provider for more […]

Healthcare Savings? Try Absence Management

Ah, healthcare costs. If you’ve changed carriers, deductibles, and co-payments more times than you care to remember, you may be discouraged. Take heart, says Jill Madison, there’s a better place to look for savings. Madison is managing director of Consulting Services at Craford Benefit Consultants. Her comments appeared in a white paper on BLR’s all-things-compensation […]

‘Above All, Try Something’

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Bob Brady finds the balance between two seemingly conflicting pieces of advice—”Avoid mistakes” and “Try something”—and admits to a few mistakes of his own. In the last couple of days I’ve come across two contrasting, intriguing quotes. One, from Franklin Roosevelt when he was facing the grave economic […]

Ledbetter Law Requires Equity, Not Equality

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Leslie Silverman discussed HR responses to the recently-passed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Today, we’ll cover her suggestions for insuring pay equity, and we’ll take a look at a unique checklist-based audit system. Silverman noted that the law does not require “equality,” but it does require “equity.” Equity can be encouraged […]

Modest Change in Recordkeeping—Keep Everything Forever

Documenting the reasons for pay decisions is the key to avoiding liability under the new Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, says attorney Leslie E. Silverman. And you’re going to need to keep those records longer. The Ledbetter Act effectively extends the deadline for filing a pay-bias complaint under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act […]

‘Gee … You Don’t Act Gay’

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorneys MichaelCohen and Marc Scheiner covered some basics of dealing with sexual orientation discrimination. Today, we’ll cover their comments on awareness training and take a look at a special program that helps HR managers in small or even one-person departments. There’s a new level of awareness training needed around sexual orientation, says […]

Sexual Orientation—No Law, But Cases Go to Court

Sexual orientation discrimination—there’s no federal law forbidding it, yet "any lawyer with a pulse" can get a claim to go forward in federal court, says attorney Michael Cohen. If sexual orientation—and gender identity and gender expression—are not on the list of protected characteristics (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age), how do such […]

Swine Flu: A New Type of Threat Facing Employers

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Bob Brady weighs the possible impact of swine flu on the workplace, and he invites you to a special audio conference on steps you can take to prepare. There’s been no shortage of bad news for employers lately—the economy, EFCA, you name it. Now it appears that we’re […]

Award Programs? Be Wary of Legal Pitfalls

Yesterday’s Advisor showed how one company handles tiered recognition. Today we’ll look at legal issues and other considerations for award policies, and take a look at a unique program for developing all the policies you need. As with most HR endeavors, employee recognition and award programs come with legal baggage. Here are the three issues […]