Most Popular

Broader ban-the-box law taking effect in Philly

by Brittany E. McCabe A more far-reaching version of Philadelphia’s ban-the-box law covering all employers in the city is set to take effect March 14. On December 15, 2015, Mayor Michael Nutter signed an amended version of the city’s 2011 law that limits when employers can inquire about job applicants’ criminal background. Key changes include: […]

NLRB Chair’s Departure Raises Questions About Agency’s Future

Wilma B. Liebman wound up her 14-year tenure on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on August 27, leaving an agency that’s supposed to have five members with just three. In addition to Liebman’s departure, member Craig Becker’s term ends December 31. Those developments leave many questioning whether the NLRB will be left crippled in […]

Training Best Practice from the World of Real Estate

Keller Williams, Inc., leverages training as a tool to attract and retain agents, increase sales, and boost the company’s bottom line. “Training fuels all of our success,” said Dianna Kokoszka, CEO of Keller Williams’ KW MAPS (Mega Achievement Productivity Systems). Read on to see just how.

Random Alcohol and Drug Testing in Safety-Sensitive Positions

By Rachel Ravary and Philippe Lacoursière McCarthy Tetrault Earlier this year, we reported on the decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal in Chiasson v. Kellogg Brown & Root (see the January 22, 2008, blog entry titled Ruling helps Alberta employers defend preemployment testing challenges), which upheld an employer’s right to perform mandatory preemployment alcohol […]

Adviser Identifies Ways Plan Sponsors Can Manage Fiduciary Risk

Although defined benefit pension plan sponsors have engaged investment managers for years, it’s only recently that defined contribution plan sponsors have begun exploring this option to limit liability risk for their fiduciary role. “Because employers want to avoid litigation, which could result in personal liability for investment committee members, many plan sponsors are seeking ways […]

What Employers—and Employees—Can Do to Help Close the Skills Gap

That was among the findings of “The Accenture Skills Gap Study,” an online survey of more than 1,000 employed and unemployed workers recently conducted by Accenture (www.accenture.com). The study also found that 52 percent of survey participants have acquired technology skills in the past 5 years, but significantly smaller percentages have updated their problem-solving skills […]

FLSA Lawsuits—Throttle ‘The Big Three’

Wage and hour just shouldn’t be that hard, but the lawsuits keep coming, and the dollar amounts are staggering—especially when class actions amplify fees, fines, and judgments. What’s the problem? A number of factors make wage and hour a challenge: Many of the decisions about overtime, break time, meal time, and hours of work are […]

Profit at the Bottom of the Ladder

In her book Profit at the Bottom of the Ladder: Creating Value by Investing in Your Workforce, Canadian researcher Jody Heymann analyzes hundreds of interviews with front line employees to C-suite executives and concludes that your company can profit more from improving worker conditions than cutting wages, benefits, and other workforce expenses. As an example […]