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Bank of America Wins Suit Over Investing in Affiliated Funds

Court Fails to Find ERISA Breach  Plan sponsors, especially those in the financial services industry, have some assurance about their right to invest in affiliated mutual funds and other assets for their retirement plans, based on a recent ruling by an appeals court. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Jan. 14 upheld the […]

Rolling the dice: the day I started BLR

From Dan: As a way to honor the individuals who have taught me critical life lessons about people and business, I’ve invited several to write guest columns to run in this space over the next few weeks. Today’s voice of experience is provided by Robert L. Brady, who founded Business and Legal Resources (BLR) in […]

What can I ask on a job application?

by Robert P. Tinnin, Jr. With the national and local economic downturn, an increasing number of unsuccessful job applicants are filing discrimination charges, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state law enforcement agencies are examining job applications more closely for evidence of unlawful bias. The focus of these agencies has not radically changed, […]

What Corporate Culture Are You Creating?

Earlier this week I was meeting with the CEO and owner of a company when the topic of corporate culture came up. I was interested to learn what the culture at his company was like. As he described his company’s culture, it was evident that many of the company’s traits mirrored that of the owner […]

Employee Excellence: No Tune-Up Needed

By Jen Carsen, JD I love my sturdy little Subaru – the all-wheel drive is particularly appreciated during our snowy New England winters! – but it’s a 2005 model that’s getting on in years (aren’t we all…). So I spend a fair amount of time at the auto body shop getting things looked at, tweaked, […]

And the Oscar goes to … tips for evaluating employee performance outside of Tinsel Town

Awards season is upon us and soon all of Hollywood will gather to celebrate its most talented actors and actresses, as determined by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  Who will win the Oscar?  While this question is being volleyed about and fiercely debated among Internet pundits and armchair critics, the nominees themselves […]

DOMA is unconstitutional, but many questions left unanswered

Over the summer, the Supreme Court decided in the landmark case of United States vs. Windsor that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional, which now paves the way for same-sex couples to potentially enjoy many federal benefits that they weren't entitled to before. Let's take a closer look at DOMA, what the ruling did, and what questions remain.

Political Comments Can Land Employers in Hot Water

With less than a month to go before the 2012 election, political passions are peaking. In a close race, some employers may be tempted to try to influence how their employees vote. It’s not a rare occurrence. Four years ago, a Maryland construction executive happened to mention during the course of an interview with me […]

The Value of Soft Skills for Job Applicants

Even in a favorable job climate for applicants, it’s still important to be able to stand out from the competition. Applicants and recruiters always place a lot of focus on the skills, experience, and other qualifications that show up well on paper—i.e., résumés and cover letters.