Most Popular

Employee Suit Evaporates Because No FMLA Rights Denied

The decision in Quinn v. St. Louis Co. illuminates a fine line for employers. While eligible workers must be granted unpaid time off for qualifying serious health conditions under the FMLA, the court showed that interference must have material consequences – such as actual denial of time off – for employees to make a convincing […]

Job Descriptions—One Common Mistake

Well-developed written job descriptions are essential to the hiring process, for two reasons, says attorney Susan Fahey Desmond: They assist you in clarifying what skills or traits you expect an applicant to meet They help you to defend yourself in court should you be sued over your hiring decision. We found details in BLR/HRhero’s HR […]

Employers Take Note—Child Labor Violations Continue to Be Major DOL Focus

Earlier this year the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) released statistics on its child labor enforcement activity for 2023. Astonishingly, WHD found an 88% increase since 2019 in the unlawful employment of minors. As we head into the summer months when many employers hire minors, companies should be mindful of the Fair Labor […]

FMLA Changes Medical Info, Fitness Certification Rules

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) changes, in effect less than a month, will probably help employers in the long run. But for now, there’s a welter of tricky little changes to cope with. Here are more tips and news about an updated, comprehensive guidance tool. Medical Information Now Easier to Obtain: In the […]

Joint Employer? Hidden Liabilities Abound

Yesterday’s Advisor pointed out the hidden liabilities when you have a joint employer. Today, minimizing those liabilities, plus an introduction to the book some call “The Wage/Hour Bible.” First of all, note that usually the employee may choose which of the joint employers to sue for any unpaid wages under the FLSA. However, through contractual […]

Find quiet time alone to think

by Dan Oswald You don’t spend nearly enough time simply thinking. Before you take offense to that statement, consider how much time you spend talking, responding to e-mail, even reading—my guess is that you spend more time doing any one of them than you do thinking. Why do so many people claim they have had […]

Overcoming the Motherhood Penalty with Innovative Benefit Design

It’s well established that working mothers experience the ‘motherhood penalty’ including workplace disadvantages around pay, advancement, and benefits. While one company cannot change this for all working mothers, it’s the responsibility of leaders to make their organizations a place where women want to work and will feel supported, elevated and appreciated. Companies must build company […]

Depression as a disability: Combating vague accommodation requests

Addressing depression and related mental disabilities and meeting reasonable accommodation requirements is a delicate balance. Often, employees who are in this situation will have a preconceived idea of what work restrictions would benefit them as an accommodation, and they ask their healthcare providers to state those things as a work restriction when they obtain medical […]

Epicor acquires Spectrum Human Resource Systems for $16 million 

Epicor Software Corp, a business software company based in Irvine, CA, has agreed to purchase Denver, Colorado SPECTRUM Human Resource Systems for $16 million dollars. The deal is expected to close by December 31, 2010, according to a recent Epicor press release. Spectrum’s web-based human resource and talent-management solutions will transfer to the newly formed […]