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#Metoo Comes to the Playing Field

The National Football League (NFL) recently levied a $10 million fine against the Washington Football Team (WFT) for fostering a workplace culture loaded with sexual harassment, bullying, and intimidation. The fine, imposed at the end of a months-long investigation, is one of the harshest penalties the league has ever assessed. The money will be used […]

IRS Lists Nonbank Trustees and Custodians for HSAs

The IRS has just given you a hand in better enabling your employees to establish health savings accounts (HSAs). The IRS on Aug. 30 issued Announcement 2011-59, which includes a list of entities the IRS has approved to serve as nonbank trustees and custodians of HSAs. Under Code Section 223, which sets the rules for […]

pets

Pros and Cons of Allowing Employees to Bring Pets to Work

According to the American Kennel Club, about 68% of households in the United States own a pet, with 60.2 million of those pets being dogs. And one poll conducted by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association revealed that around 17% of working Americans reported that their company permits pets at work. Some of the more […]

Train New Leaders to Use These 7 Strategies

“There’s a lot of onboarding going on and not so much extensive assimilation coaching,” says Diane Egbers, president of Leadership Excelleration, Inc., (LEI Consulting) (www.leadershipexcelleration.com). She is also a coauthor of The Ascending Leader: Conquer the Seven Enemies of Success—A Strategic Guide for the Newly Promoted (Smart Business Network, 2013). Onboarding and orientation address the […]

Is Your Training Sufficient for Your Employees' Career Needs?

While 77 percent of survey respondents indicated that training should be a joint responsibility between employer and employee, more than 33 percent said the current training they receive from their employer is not sufficient to meet their career needs in the future, according to the survey by Kelly Services (www.kellyservices.com), a global workforce solutions firm. […]

The Latest Business Practice: Relaxing Standards

Maybe you’ve started to notice it at local businesses you frequent. The cashier at the supermarket looks unkempt. The new receptionist at the salon has no customer service skills. You thank the waiter for bringing the check, but he doesn’t thank you.

Workplace Safety: Keeping Workers Safe from Summertime Hazards

Summer is near, and with it comes additional workplace hazards, especially for employees who work outdoors in the California sun. High heat and bright sun create special risks—including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and sun-related skin damage—for outdoor workers. Certain insect-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus are more prevalent in the summer […]

Once bitten twice shy: Greater scrutiny ahead for employees misclassified as contractors

by Jackie VanDerMeulen Organizations’ use of independent contractors (often also referred to as consultants) as opposed to actual employees has grown significantly over the years. This trend comes as no surprise in a changing economy where particular skill sets are required at specific times and where flexibility is a key driver of success. In some […]

‘Safe harbor’ available for Massachusetts paid sick time law

The Massachusetts attorney general has announced a “safe harbor” provision that may provide relief to at least some employers covered by the state’s new earned sick time law. The law, which voters approved in the November 4, 2014, election, takes effect on July 1, but the safe harbor gives some employers until January 1, 2016, […]

Give Employees the Gift of Financial Training

One way to afford the expense of providing financial training, says Liz Davidson, CEO of Financial Finesse, Inc. (www.financialfinesse.com) is to use your 401(k) plan’s ERISA account. This account is sometimes used to pay for plan expenses and sometimes refunded to participants. As long as the financial education is targeted toward retirement, using the ERISA […]