Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
An employee who sued for religious discrimination after she lost her job for violating her company’s antiharassment policy was handed a defeat in a recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal decision. We’ll explain what happened and give you tips for avoiding similar problems.
By Brian P. Smeenk Canadian labor arbitrators are not legally bound to court-made legal rules. Rules of evidence, for example, are more relaxed. Rules of contract interpretation may also vary. But just how far arbitrators can deviate from general rules of law has been an open question. A recent decision by the Supreme Court of […]
There’s an "obesity epidemic" in the U.S., and that means there’s probably one at your workplace, too. Obesity is a natural target for wellness programs. The effects of obesity—from cardiac problems to diabetes—are dire, but they are reversible through exercise, diet, and nutrition. What works best to reduce obesity? The Centers for Disease Control and […]
by Tom Daniel When voters in Anchorage go to the polls in November, they will decide the fate of a local ordinance that reins in the collective bargaining rights of municipal employees. A referendum to repeal the local ordinance known as the Responsible Labor Act will be part of the November 4 ballot. The ordinance, […]
This week, instead of posting on his own blog, Dan wrote a book review of The Checklist Manifesto for the Resources for Humans blog. Here’s an excerpt. “I had been thinking recently about the importance of a good “to do” list, so when I stumbled upon the Atul Gawande’s book The Checklist Manifesto: How to […]
Once a colleague told me that he thought hiring former athletes was a risky proposition. His take was that while they were often charismatic, on average they just weren’t as smart as most. I politely reminded him that I considered myself a former athlete (with the emphasis on “former”), to which he had to think […]
Wells Fargo & Co. has agreed to pay $12.8 million to settle a class action lawsuit charging that the bank improperly classified certain business-systems employees in California and other states as exempt from overtime, in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The suit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, alleged that Wells […]
After weeks of negotiating, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) finally unveiled a highly anticipated health care reform bill Wednesday night called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The 2,074-page bill is a combination of two different health care reform bills approved by Senate committees earlier this year. Reid revealed the Senate bill […]
Why should you worry about employment posters? Two big reasons: 1. It’s the law. Every employer must have the most up-to-date minimum wage and other posters showing. And when the enforcement authorities hit your office, they usually head straight for your posters. It’s a quick and easy way for them to size up your compliance […]