Most Popular

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Supreme Court Interprets ‘Substantial Fault’ Regarding Unemployment Benefits

In 2013, Wisconsin’s unemployment compensation law was amended, creating a two-tiered system for determining when an employee is disqualified from receiving benefits. The first tier, disqualifying an employee terminated for misconduct, has been the standard for more than 75 years. The second tier, which became effective January 5, 2014, disqualifies an employee terminated for “substantial […]

FMLA: The ‘Simple’ Three-Prong Test Isn’t

There’s supposed to be a simple three-prong test for FMLA eligibility, but it’s not simple—and there are four prongs. The first prong, which isn’t usually mentioned, is that the person has to be on the payroll. The person can be part-time or full-time, but he or she has to be on the payroll. Once that […]

State Court Can Determine That a DRO Is a QDRO

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that state courts can determine that a domestic relations order (DRO) is a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO). Mack v. Kuckenmeister, Nos. 09-15290, 15291 (2010). Facts. “Mike and Sarah Jones” were in the midst of divorce proceedings during 2005 and the early part of 2006. Mike had […]

NLRB’s Administrative Law Judges Face Existential Challenges

Since the Supreme Court’s rulings in Loper Bright and Jarkesy, employers have wondered to what degree the High Court’s rulings would affect the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which has long regarded itself as being apart from the concerns facing other agencies. Recent actions by the courts, however, have begun to challenge the Board’s self-regard. […]

Early Experiences with Diversity Leads to Lifelong Passion

Patricia “Pat” Mayers is the Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Manager at Seismic, a global enablement platform that was recently placed on the prestigious Forbes Cloud 100 List. Mayers’ unique background includes a childhood spent growing up abroad, and she attributes her passion for DEI, at least in part, to the race-relations culture shock […]

Latest U.S. Jobs Data Shows Labor Market Remains Tight

The U.S. economy, and the labor market in particular, has vexed experts and observers for months now. Despite doomsayers predicting imminent recessions and others pointing to widespread tech layoffs as a harbinger of a more general end to the Great Resignation (and despite months of aggressive central bank interest rate hikes), recent data illustrates just […]

The Blessing of March Madness

March Madness is back and we’ve had a bit more madness this year. We saw the first 16 seed topple a 1 seed when UMBC shocked Virginia. Virginia’s early exit seemed to turn the South Region upside down, with upsets coming fast and furious. Eventually, upstart 11-seed Loyola University of Chicago stepped from the carnage, […]

Specialty Drugs Contributing to Health Cost Increases

by Lisa Higgins, Contributing Editor

According to IMS Health 2015 Report of Use of Drugs in the US, 35%–40% of pharmacy-related costs for employers can be attributed to specialty medications, even though they are used to treat just 1%–2% of pharmacy benefit members. That shouldn’t be a surprise, considering the dollars involved.