Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
By Rachel Ravary of McCarthy Tetrault and Brian P. Smeenk, formerly with McCarthy Tetrault So you’ve hired a new employee. Should you put it in writing? If so, what should it look like? What do you include? What is better left out? If you decide against an employment contract, what will the terms and conditions […]
The California Labor Code requires employers to repay employees for all necessary expenditures employees incur in performing their jobs. However, the law doesn’t provide guidance as to what precisely must be reimbursed and at what rates, or whether paying an increased salary or commission satisfies the reimbursement requirement. Now, the labor commissioner has issued proposed […]
Starting Jan. 1, 2012, employers in California with five or more employees must continue paying their share of health insurance premiums for female employees taking leave under the Pregnancy Disability Leave law for up to four months in any 12-month period. Employers will also be liable for interfering with, restraining or denying the exercise of […]
Everything these days is web-based, from online shopping to chat-bot-doctors and everywhere in between. We’re an interconnected world and because of this, we need more and more creative tech talent to help build websites, mobile apps, and more to help keep the Internet of Things running smoothly. However, many employers are saying it’s a struggle […]
There aren’t a lot of happy people at work these days, says Hunter Lott, and that means that HR managers have their work cut out for them in preventing lawsuits. Lott, an HR practitioner dedicated to the “rights of management,” is known for his entertaining yet informative approach. His remarks came during his annual “Please […]
When the sweeping new Medicare law was recently signed into law, bundled within it was an unrelated but key provision for employers—the creation of tax-free Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). We’ll explain what HSAs are, who’s eligible, and what they could mean for you and your employees. We’ll also highlight a few potential downsides you should […]
The United States Supreme Court has agreed to review Trustees of the IAM National Pension Fund v. M&K Employee Solutions, LLC, a case that could significantly reshape how multiemployer pension plans calculate withdrawal liability under the Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act (MPPAA). The central question is whether ERISA requires plans to use actuarial assumptions in effect […]
Summer is here, and temperatures are rising across California. Are your employees who work outside safe? Just weeks ago, a teenager in Modesto died from heat stress on the job, working in fields. This kind of tragedy doesn’t have to happen, and with proper precautions you can ensure that your workers are safe when they […]
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers California, has upheld a $1 million punitive damages award to an employee who was subjected to repeated racial slurs and jokes with his supervisor’s knowledge. The new ruling, one of the largest of its kind, serves as a reminder that it’s imperative to take steps to prevent—and […]
by Rachel Ravary McCarthy Tetrault No one can deny that security concerns have taken on monumental proportions in the post-9/11 era. Buzzwords like national security, homeland security, border security, supply chain security, perimeter security, and security threats have become part of our daily vocabulary. National security is also high on the list of priorities of […]