Most Popular

News Notes: New Prevailing Wage Regulations

Prevailing wage laws are designed to protect local workers from seeing their pay decline due to government contracts going to the lowest bidders. They require contractors on public works projects to pay employees the region’s prevailing wage. Until now, the formula used to determine the prevailing wage generally turned out to be union scale, often […]

Provincial labor force differences across Canada

by Brian P. Smeenk Canada is a diverse country. Its ten provinces and three territories are endowed with varying natural resources and have developed their own industrial infrastructures and labour markets. Nevertheless, education is always a major factor in the ability to find a job. So commences a very interesting, recently published study by Statistics […]

Remembering 9-11, and Protecting Your Business From New Terrorist Threats

It’s unfortunate that as we reflect back on 9-11 and the lives that were sacrificed, we also worry about new terrorist threats allegedly being made near this important 10th anniversary. But one way to conquer worry is to be prepared, and here are some important emergency management planning tips that employers should consider. But first, […]

leadersip

Should Strategic Thinking Be Covered in Leadership Development Programs?

“An increasing number of organizations are putting strategic thinking on their list of topics. It’s becoming a bigger priority, and the reason is leaders need to address challenges now that are changing,” says Aaron K. Olson, chief talent officer at Aon plc and coauthor of Leading with Strategic Thinking. For example, technology, globalization, and unpredictability […]

Holidays, OT, and the 12-Month Choice

FMLA hassles never seem to end. Some of the most confusing issues revolve around holidays, overtime, and the 12-month method. Today’s Advisor will clarify these tricky points. What Happens When a Holiday Occurs During FMLA Leave? The fact that a holiday may occur within the week taken as FMLA leave has no effect, and the […]

‘Fire the Slugs’—That’s Good Turnover

“Fire the slugs,” says management expert Jeff Cortes. That’s good turnover and also it’s good for retention—all of your other employees have been wondering when you would act. “There’s good and bad turnover,” says Cortes, author of the book, No Nonsense Retention, which he characterizes as a collection of no-nonsense ways to retain your best […]

Devil Is in Details of Final Mental Health Parity Rules

Pre-authorization procedures, plan disclosures and geographical restrictions are just a few features  group health plans will need to re-examine by the time the recently finalized mental health parity rules take effect. For calendar-year plans, this means Jan. 1, 2015 — less than a year away. The interaction of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity […]

News Flash: Will Ferrell to Guest Star on “The Office”

Listen up, friends: We’ve recently been handed some very exciting news! According to Sabre’s corporate offices, Will Ferrell will be joining “The Office” for a four-episode arc later this season. Will and his old pal Steve Carrell will be reunited for at least three of the four episodes, as Will plays a Sabre branch manager […]

Your I-9 Program: How Not to Get "ICE’d"

If your I-9 program is not up to snuff, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency can freeze your operation and put you in cold storage. Here’s how to avoid slipping up. Anyone aware of the news these days knows there’s a massive debate under way in the United States about the issue of […]