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When Harry left Sally: employers’ obligation to offer insurance postdivorce

by Kathryn M. Grigg Although employers may want to avoid the uncomfortable topic with employees, you can’t avoid your legal obligations to an employee’s former spouse postdivorce. For a period of time after a divorce, you’re required to offer health insurance continuation and conversion benefits to an employee’s former spouse and dependents. Here’s a summary […]

Cutting Workers’ Comp Expenses: Employer Wins $6.3 Million From Insurer For Unfair Claims Practices; How To Monitor Reserves

How your workers’ compensation insurer manages your claims can have a big impact on your premiums. In a recent case, an employer whose premiums skyrocketed and dividends dropped for several years sued its insurer for overestimating the amounts needed to be held in reserve to pay claims—and won. This case underscores that keeping an eye […]

New Alabama law opens door to erase certain criminal convictions

by Whitney Brown A new Alabama law taking effect July 7 allows individuals to apply to have certain criminal proceedings expunged, meaning an applicant will be excused from disclosing the offense on employment applications. Offenses must be misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies, and charges must have been dismissed, been “no-billed” by a grand jury, been dismissed […]

You’re Never Safe from Discovery of Improper Conduct

You are not alone, says attorney Jean Johnson. Write as if you’re being published, speak as if you’re being recorded, and act as if you’re being videotaped. Never expect that there is a secure place to engage in improper conduct, she says. Yesterday’s Advisor presented Johnson’s tips for lessening the danger of discovery. Today, more […]

Yogi Berra: baseball great and secret HR consultant

by Dennis Merley Baseball hall of famer Yogi Berra passed away in September at the age of 90. In addition to being a great player for the perennial champion New York Yankees in the 1950s and early 1960s, he was known as a type of clown-prince for his penchant for amusing malapropisms related to baseball […]

PBGC Wants Thoughts about Missing Participants

The U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation may start providing new services to help plan sponsors spend less time identifying, locating and corresponding with missing plan participants. The agency is seeking public comment until Aug. 20 on several aspects of administering a missing participants program when terminating individual account plans, according to a June 21 Federal […]

Fingerprint Checks and Reference Checks in California

Yesterday, we got some insights on background checks from Jared Callahan, a licensed private investigator and the director of client services for Employment Screening Resources (ESR) in Novato. Today, his thoughts on two more common “checks”: fingerprint checks and reference checks.

‘I’ve Learned How to Manage Intermittent Leave Abuse’

Has anybody out there had problems with intermittent leave? HR manager Barbara Dahlen asked. Her audience’s response at the recent SHRM Annual Convention and Exposition in New Orleans was loud and long. “Oh, yes!” It took her a couple of years to figure things out, she says. “You can’t fix intermittent [leave] abuse overnight. But […]

HRIS Checkup Time—Try This Checklist

Yesterday’s Advisor presented the results of a recent survey on HRIS use; today, an HRIS checklist from HR.BLR.com, BLR’s premier HR website. Here are recommended items to check to see if your HRIS is up to the mark. (It’s just as useful for those considering HRIS). Records Maintained Does your system maintain the following personnel […]