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Focus on Noncompetes Increases After the Great Resignation

We’re hearing from business clients what we’re all seeing in the headlines: Employees are hard to hire and retain these days. “The Great Resignation” is a new phrase used to describe the unprecedented level of employee movement in the past year. A natural consequence of this phenomenon is that noncompete agreements are being tested now […]

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How to Develop a More Agile Workforce

Today’s business environment is extremely dynamic. Not only are new technologies rapidly shifting what is possible in terms of product and service offerings and modes of delivery, but an increasingly global economy means that new competitors can emerge from any corner of the globe. Add to that the fact that consumer tastes and preferences are […]

Washington Law Limiting Noncompetes Takes Effect January 1

Washington’s new law significantly restricting employers’ use of noncompetition agreements takes effect January 1, 2020. In addition to limiting the use of noncompetes, the law provides for generous damages when an individual successfully claims a noncompete is unenforceable.

Mitigate Legal Risks of AI in Employment Decisions Through Vendor Contracts

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become commonplace in recruiting, screening, interviewing, testing, promotion, and employee monitoring. Properly designed and governed, AI can streamline processes and improve consistency. In employment decision-making, however, AI can introduce legal and operational risks for the employer, even when the AI tools are built and operated by third-party vendors. Businesses should understand […]

Affordable Care Act Reporting and Compliance for Employers Just Got Easier

The Paperwork Burden Reduction Act (PBRA) and the Employer Reporting Improvement Act (ERIA) will provide employers, especially small business owners, greater ease in complying with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting requirements and relief from potential inconsistent practices of the IRS. Reducing the Burden Plan sponsors of group health plans with more than 50 full-time […]

Social Media–Badmouthing, NLRB, Privacy

The eight tentacles come from a recent BLR/HRHero-sponsored webinar featuring Patricia Trainor, JD, and Stephen Bruce, PhD. Attorney Trainor is BLR’s Senior Managing Editor, HR; Bruce is editor of the HR Daily Advisor.  [Go here for tentacles 1 to 4.] Tentacle #5—Inappropriate/ Negative Actions Toward the Employer Release of “trade secrets” and other proprietary data […]

Federal Government Cracking Down on Hiring and Pay Discrimination

By Susan Schoenfeld The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently announced a number of settlements in enforcement cases against federal government contractors demonstrating a continued emphasis on pursuing systemic hiring and pay discrimination claims. Settlement costs ranged from $165,000 to $1.8 million and required the affected contractors to take action in hiring and […]

Do Your Supervisors Know How to Manage Challenging Employees?

Supervising other people is never easy, but some employees make it particularly difficult. Challenging employees can be a disruptive influence, damaging morale and making it difficult for their coworkers to function productively. It takes skillful management and patience to turn things around with difficult employees. “Skillful” is the operative word here. Most people aren’t born […]