Author: jessica

Workplace Bias: EEOC Spotlights Work/Family Balance in New Guidance

Responding to the emerging issue of “family responsibility discrimination,” the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published new guidance on how federal equal employment laws apply to employees who must balance work and family. The new guidance, “Unlawful Disparate Treatment of Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities,” offers examples under which discrimination against a working parent […]

High Court Enforces Time Limits on Pay Bias Claims

Some good news for employers: The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday ruled 5-4 that employees who complain of pay discrimination must file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 180 days of the discriminatory pay decision, rather than within 180 days of the employee’s last paycheck. According to the high court, the “EEOC […]

The Summer Job Rush Is On: But Is Change Coming in Child Labor Laws?

Teen employment is highly regulated under child labor laws. Those laws may be changing. Here’s what you need to know. June is the month when most schools close for the summer. That means it’s also the time that thousands of American teenagers look for summer jobs. At any given time, according to the Department of […]

3 Surveys Take a Novel View of HR

Three studies explore how HR professionals use their time, how the profession is regarded, and even how boring it is. Taking a day off this week for Memorial Day has allowed us a bit of time to reflect on HR as a profession. We’re helped in this by three surveys we’ve found that view HR […]

So Now We Know What Your Workers Think of You … And We’re About to Find Out Again!

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Our first National Employee Attitude Survey report showed your workers were getting only about three-fourths of what they want from you.  Well, we’re running it again, starting on February 8, 2008. It’s still free, but you may find the results priceless.  Here’s the article I wrote about last […]

Want to Avoid FLSA Problems? Do a Self-Audit

FLSA violations are now the Department of Labor’s top enforcement target. Here’s how to use a self-audit to stay out of the bull’s-eye. In yesterday’s article on telecommuters suing their employers, most of the legal action described was over the issue of overtime payments. With workers geographically outside the employer’s control, there often is no […]

Employment Law Tip: Managing Flextime

A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of staffing firm Adecco USA has found that that 59 percent of working men between the ages of 35 and 44 said flexibility for working mothers causes some resentment among co-workers. What’s more, the survey found, some workers believe flexible schedules negatively affect team dynamics (36 […]

Independent Contractors: New Case Highlights Tax Risks of Misclassification

A new decision from a California Court of Appeals underscores how erroneously classifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees can have serious tax consequences. The case involved a group of courier companies—collectively called Sonic—that classified delivery drivers as independent contractors and reported their pay on 1099 forms. The California Employment Development Department, however, decided […]

Telecommuters: Why They’re Suing Their Employers

Telecommuting may be a dream job, but for employers it can turn into a legal nightmare. Here’s why telecommuters are suing, and how to avoid getting sued. Every day, while most of us are still stuck on the expressway, more than 12 million U.S. employees are already at work, after making the shortest commute it’s […]