Category: HR Management & Compliance

There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.

vacation

U.S. Workers Only Using Half of Eligible Vacation Time

While many Americans are preparing for summer vacations, many are likely not. According to a new survey from Glassdoor, the average U.S. employee (of those who receive vacation/paid time off) has only taken about half (54%) of his or her eligible vacation time/paid time off in the past 12 months. This is relatively consistent with […]

Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment Prevention: The Easiest Thing to Teach and the Hardest Thing to Accomplish

When we reported last year about the ouster of recently deceased Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, we noted that Ailes’ repeated pattern of “couch casting” didn’t occur in a vacuum; rather, it sent a message throughout the organization that sexually harassing behavior was condoned at the highest level. We noted that it would take more to […]

Sick leave

Paid Sick Leave for Employees in Chicago Area Effective July 1

Most employers in Chicago and Cook County will be required to offer paid sick leave beginning July 1. The city of Chicago passed a sick leave ordinance last summer, and Cook County (where Chicago is located) passed a nearly identical law in October. The ordinances apply to all businesses that are located in the city […]

Training for Hiring Managers: Be Realistic During Recruiting Process

It’s only natural to highlight the organization’s strengths, internal growth opportunities, and positive work environment while wooing job candidates. However, exaggerating the positive can create unrealistic expectations. Turnover will result once new hires figure out that they were promised more than the organization can deliver.

rest

Were Employees Denied Days of Rest Required under California Law?

The supreme court recently resolved unsettled questions about the construction of the day-of-rest statutes found in California’s Labor Code. As this article explains, the court answered three questions about employees’ right to a day of rest, when a certain exception applies, and what it means to “cause” an employee to work on a seventh consecutive workday.

FMLA

Practical Guidance from Recent FMLA Abuse Cases

In a recent opinion, the 4th Circuit held that an employee failed to show that his former employer’s stated reason for discharging him was a pretext, or excuse, for retaliation based on his use of leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

DOL rescinds joint-employment, independent contractor guidance

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has withdrawn two major Obama-era guidance documents, one addressing joint employment and one dealing with independent contractors. The move, while not a surprise, is good news for employers, according to H. Juanita Beecher, an attorney with Fortney & Scott and editor of Federal Employment Law Insider. The Obama administration […]