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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 […]

Virginia Senate Passes Sexual Orientation Bias Protection for State Workers

by Michael E. Barnsback On Monday, February 8, the Virginia Senate passed a bill (SB 66) prohibiting discrimination in state employment that includes sexual orientation as a protected category. Although Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine issued executive orders prohibiting discrimination (including sexual orientation discrimination) in the state workforce, this is the first time that […]

Office of Special Counsel Aims at Fed Agencies with USERRA Project

A new project adds another layer of bureaucratic oversight about which federal employers should be aware when dealing with employees exercising their rights to job protection under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). The U.S. Office of Special Counsel has begun a three-year demonstration project expanding its role in enforcing military servicemember […]

DO Check Google and MySpace / DON’T Check Google and MySpace

What do you do when the experts’ advice conflicts? Some experts say run Google searches on every candidate and don’t forget their MySpace and Facebook pages. Others say, stay away, you don’t want that information. So should you surf or not? It’s annoying when the experts don’t agree, but it doesn’t mean you’re paralyzed. Here […]

Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Hardcover Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the New York Times with data from Nielsen BookScan on April 11. 1. The Money Class: Learn to Create Your New American Dream by Suze Orman. The noted personal financial adviser offers a reconsideration of the American dream. 2. Tell to […]

Ever Been Arrested or Convicted? … Is It Discriminatory to Ask?

EEOC has released guidance on the use of arrest and conviction records in screening job candidates. Many employers do subject job candidates to criminal background checks to combat theft and fraud, and to avoid workplace violence. But the EEOC sees the possibility of discrimination. That’s because arrest and incarceration rates are particularly high for African […]

Tool of the Week: Age Bias Special Report

Age bias lawsuits are frequently hitting the headlines these days, oftentimes with big numbers attached. For example, Austrian Airlines has just agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) accusing the airline of age discrimination against former sales director William Thoman, age 51. The agency charged […]

Millennials: Happy at Work, But Still Looking for Another Job

Every employee faces this question at some point—should I stay here or should I go? A new study has found that with Millennials, it may come up more often. Even with 86% of Millennials surveyed stating they are happy where they currently work, nearly half (49%) are either actively looking or open to a new […]

New OSHA reporting requirement takes effect January 1

by Judith E. Kramer A new rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requiring employers to notify the agency when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye goes into effect on January 1 for workplaces under OSHA’s jurisdiction. The rule also updates […]

Terminating And Disciplining Employees: Employer To Pay Four Years’ Back Wages For Firing One-Man Striker; Important Tips For Avoiding Labor Law Problems

If an employee makes unjustified complaints about wages and hours, you may be tempted to brand the person as a troublemaker. You might even take disciplinary action if the griping continues. But a new National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling cautions that even a one-employee protest can be a protected activity under federal labor law-landing […]