Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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.
The Obama administration has delayed another Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision. The administration has postponed a consumer protection provision that limits out-of-pocket costs until 2015. Under the provision, the limit on out-of-pocket costs was not to exceed $6,350 for an individual and $12,700 for a family. According to the New York Times, the one-year grace […]
Employee discipline in California – even including termination – is possible, but employers will be well-served to cross their t’s and dot their i’s in the process. Having documentation of all aspects of the disciplinary process is vital.
DOMA refers to the Defense of Marriage Act, which basically created a situation in which same-sex marriages were not recognized for any federal purpose. It all came about as a result of a 1993 ruling by the Supreme Court of Hawaii, which said that the state must show a compelling interest in prohibiting same-sex marriage. […]
A recent appeals court ruling indicates that an employer may wait and see if short-term disability benefits are granted or denied to the employee on leave before it sends a request for medical certification that verifies the employee’s eligibility under the Family and Medical Leave Act. In Kinds v. Ohio Bell Telephone Company, No. 12-4048 […]
Review with trainees the tasks involved with developing a training session, including setting objectives, establishing content, planning for participation, and preparing methods of evaluation. Then, ask trainees to respond, individually or in small groups, to the following questions: 1. What are some of the training needs you see in the workplace? List at least three. […]
Employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace, free from workplace harassment. If one employee harasses another and the employer knew or should have known about it, the employer can be held liable. Employers may also be deemed vicariously liable in any case where the harasser is a supervisor. As such, the definition of […]
FMLA abuse is one of the biggest concerns for employers when complying with FMLA leave regulations. One example of potential FMLA abuse is questionable leave use. This is when someone is out on leave and they are doing something that seems inconsistent with the leave. For example, what happens when an employee is found to […]
Final pay in California has very strict requirements. It's not as simple as just paying the departing employee on their next scheduled pay date, and there are penalties for getting it wrong. Employers in California need to understand the final pay requirements and understand their obligations, regardless of whether the employee resigns or is terminated. Have a plan in place to get it right to reduce the chance of penalties or lawsuits.
Reference requests have come under scrutiny in recent years. This because negative references can be deemed an adverse employment action—and thus set the stage for a retaliation claim. On the other hand, even a good reference could be problematic. For example, if a good reference is given for an employee who was terminated due to […]
The generations below the Boomers are ready and eager to move up to the Boomers’ jobs, but the Boomers aren’t leaving (because their 401(k)s are now 201(k)s, says consultant Shira Harrington. The problem is compounded, Harrington says, because although Gen Xers do want to move up to the Boomers’ jobs, they don’t want the stress […]