Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Whether employers like it or not, most employees use their office computers for a lot more than work—they send e-mail to friends, shop in online stores and personalize their computer screens with customized wallpaper and screen savers. It’s largely up to an employer to decide how much freedom to give employees in these areas. But […]
by Valerie Hughes and Aurora Janke Seattle’s new minimum wage ordinance goes into effect April 1, meaning employers—regardless of size—must pay employees working in the city at least $11 per hour. Employers with 501 or more employees must pay a “minimum wage” of $11 per hour, while employers with 500 or fewer employees must pay […]
The healthy intentions set for the new year have already come and gone for most of your employees. But as HR pros, you can reinvigorate or bolster health goals by educating employees about benefits that directly support their needs. According to recent surveys, three in 10 Americans have set resolutions for 2026, with the most common goals focusing […]
On February 26, 2026, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Andrea Lucas sent a letter to the leaders of Fortune 500 companies to ensure that their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs comply with civil rights laws, highlighting the agency’s recent efforts to rein in corporate DEI programs it claims “attack” principles of equal opportunity. […]
by Michael Ford McCarthy Tetrault A long-awaited ruling of the Alberta Court of Appeal clears up some questions related to preemployment drug and alcohol testing related to safety-sensitive positions. The case – Chiasson v. Kellogg Brown & Root issued December 28, 2007 – involved an admitted casual user of marijuana being terminated from his employment […]
Individuals with physical and mental disabilities are often overlooked when it comes to hiring. Even though there are federal and state laws in place to protect people with disabilities, it can be challenging for these individuals to find employment, even in the absence of overt discrimination, due to a number of factors. Recent historical trends […]
FMLA leaves should be routine by now, but the exasperating questions keep cropping up, don’t they? In today’s Advisor, some of the tricky questions BLR®’s editors have tackled, and an introduction to an FMLA program that will help you answer all your FMLA questions. Can an employee take FMLA for a critically ill grandchild (or […]
Are you more ambitious than a 12th grader? They may not be in the workforce as adults just yet, but as the next generation of workers, high school seniors have already formed solid opinions around life in the working world. A new CareerBuilder survey looks at how the next generation of workers compare to America’s […]
Compliance with preventive health service requirements and other mandates of the health care reform law, along with disclosure obligations involving mental health parity requirements for health plans, were addressed in frequently asked questions issued by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury on April 20. Affordable Care Act compliance issues covered […]
“Major depression is one of the most common conditions in this country. Estimates are 10 percent of men and up to 25 percent of women will have at least one episode of major depression over their lifespan. That involves depressed mood, lack of interest, lack of enjoyment in usual activities, and a variety of other […]