Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Last week, I wrote about the decline of civility in our world. It seemed to me that if we all would reflect on what we were taught as children by our mothers, we’d treat one another a whole lot better. That got me to thinking about the impact my mother has had on my life […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Bob Brady weighs the possible impact of swine flu on the workplace, and he invites you to a special audio conference on steps you can take to prepare. There’s been no shortage of bad news for employers lately—the economy, EFCA, you name it. Now it appears that we’re […]
By Elaine Quayle Can it be that going to work ain’t so bad? A survey of 1,000 adults by Consumer Reports found that people would rather go to work than do a number of other things—especially a boring summertime chore! Guess there weren’t too many landscapers taking this survey, because mowing the lawn ranked as […]
Update: A ruling on the November 16 injunction hearing is expected on November 22. We will provide coverage on the ruling once it is issued. A federal district court has agreed to fast-track a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new overtime regulation. The court has scheduled oral arguments for November 16, just […]
A new Massachusetts law that takes effect April 1 requires businesses to provide “reasonable accommodations” for pregnancy and related conditions, including lactation and the need to express breast milk.
As October nears, employers may be hearing a lot about how people with disabilities can benefit the workplace. Every year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) designates October as a time to raise awareness about the value of employing people with disabilities. This year’s theme–“Because We Are EQUAL to the […]
I need some help with creating a plan for coping with a possible avian flu epidemic. My boss wants a concrete plan—she thinks our operations could be hit hard if the flu comes. A few issues back you gave us a website for avian flu information, which I’ve visited. But now, can you give some […]
About a year from now, employers and plan administrators will be preparing to pay a fee to fund the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The IRS on April 17 (77 Fed. Reg. 22691) issued proposed regulations on the fee. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) created the PCORI fee to promote research […]
by Douglas R. Chamberlain When facing financial difficulties, employees often look to their retirement plans as a possible source of needed funds. Many plans offer participant loans or permanent withdrawals, the latter generally on a hardship basis. However, plan loans and withdrawals can jeopardize the employee’s retirement benefits, and both are subject to complex rules […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued new guidance regarding economically targeted investments (ETIs) made by retirement plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. ETIs are investments that are selected for the benefits they create in addition to the investment return to the employee benefit plan investor.