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Catering to Candidates with Student Loans

By Holly Jones, JD, Senior Legal Editor In yesterday’s Advisor, we took a look at why certain 401(k) benefits are not as attractive to candidates with significant student loan debt. These candidates might not be able to contribute, and so the benefit becomes a nonbenefit. Today we’ll explore how employers can offer an alternate benefit […]

Consider Personalized Employee Training Plans to Close the Skills Gap

Did you know that many organizations are opting to create training programs for employees that are more personalized rather than generic or role-based? These training plans take into account not only the role the individual is training for but also the individual’s future goals and any gaps in that person’s skill set. This trend is […]

Physical Ability Test Lands Employer in Hot Water

by Hillary J. Collyer As a good employer, you certainly have the right to make sure your employees are physically capable of doing their jobs. Thus, you may require an employee to undergo a medical exam when you have legitimate objective concerns about her continued ability to do the job. That’s fine if the exam […]

Multiple DOL/IRS Filings Needed to Avoid Penalties for Late Form 5500s

So you thought you were all caught up on annual-report tasks when you filed your Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program form with the U.S. Department of Labor? Well … not exactly. Some plan sponsors that filed under the DFVCP may still find themselves with tasks to complete before Dec. 1. Bottom line: Avoiding Form 5500 […]

Don’t Let Lack of Training Create Social Media Chaos

There’s no denying social media is here to stay, and its impact on the workplace can’t be ignored. So employers are smart to be proactive and have policies in place to help them avoid potential liability connected to employee use of social media.

It’s a WUPHF World

Litigation Value: Probably no liability to Sabre, although several employees stood to lose their investments in Wuphf.com. This week’s episode of The Office focused on Dunder Mifflin/Sabre’s own budding social media king, Ryan Howard. We first learned about Ryan’s new social media company, WUPHF, last season when the most recent IT guy, “Glasses,” mined the […]

Most Common ‘Essential Function’ Mistakes

Conceptually, “essential functions” seems easy enough, but it’s tricky when you get down to specifics. And there are common mistakes that are easily avoided. Here are some “essential” guidelines, courtesy of attorney Natividad Valdez of the Washington State Department of Personnel. Why Are Essential Functions So Important? From a human resources standpoint, identifying essential functions […]

Train Employees to Protect Themselves from Identity Theft

Here is an effective Q&A presentation on the basics of identity theft and how employees can protect themselves. What Is Identity Theft? Identity theft is the use of personal information, such as your name, credit card number, Social Security number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. How Can Thieves Access Information? There […]

Releases for ADEA Claims

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorneys Chris Anderson and Sarah C. Maxwell provided guidance on Early Retirement Incentive Programs (ERIP); today. their tips for employee releases, plus an introduction to the all-in-one site for HR managers, HR.BLR.com. Releases of claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) are typically part of ERIPs, but they have to […]

Contact Management: Pathway to Litigation?

Contact management seems like a no-brainer—maintain contact with promising candidates for whom you have no current opening—but there’s a legal line you don’t want to cross, says Peopleclick’s Lisa D. Grant Harpe. Harpe, an industrial psychologist and senior consultant at the Peopleclick® Research Institute, is the author of Peopleclick’s e-book, Using Contact Management in Compliance […]