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.

HHS Launches Phase 2 HIPAA Privacy Audits

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has officially launched its long-awaited Phase 2 HIPAA audit program, the head of HHS’ Office for Civil Rights said at a March 21 conference. The process has begun with the emailing of address verification letters to a pool of potential auditees, said OCR Director Jocelyn Samuels. OCR […]

Supreme Court ruling eases the way for certain class actions

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled March 22 that the use of statistical evidence to create a class action lawsuit against Tyson Foods was proper, an action that may make it easier for employees in certain situations to band together to sue their employers rather than suing as individuals. The Court ruled 6-2 in Tyson Foods […]

What is a Grievance?

In the context of employee-employer relations, the term “grievance” usually relates to an employee’s allegation of a violation of workplace policy or contract terms.

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Ask the Expert: No Pay for Suspended Employee?

An employee was sent home for a company policy violation. Can the supervisor send her home for a week with the employee’s option to use her PTO otherwise the week will be without pay? There haven’t been any written warnings nor do we have this discipline action in any handbook.

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What Does ‘Hours Worked’ Mean?

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers must pay employees at least the minimum wage for all hours worked. This sounds simple enough. But what does “hours worked” mean in this context? Does it mean just the hours that the employee is scheduled? What about time spent on call? What about break time? What […]

Tips for Cutting Employee Travel Costs

In good times and bad, employers are always happy to find ways to minimize costs. Employee travel is one area that has high potential for high costs—so it’s an area that also has high potential for savings. Between flights, rental cars, hotels, meals out, and more, there are many things employers pay for when employees […]

Was It Just a Layoff … Or Was It Age Discrimination?

by Teresa W. Ghali Companies that undertake reorganizations often face potential liability for lawsuits, including discrimination claims that stem from the reorganizations and associated layoffs. One such claim in California—alleging age discrimination—was able to be disproved by the facts.