Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by John R. Merinar, Jr. A great deal of attention has been focused on the U.S. Senate’s recent passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prohibit discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The House of Representatives has yet to take up the bill, but there’s much speculation that […]
The editors at Amazon have picked their favorite business and investing books for 2010. Here are the top 10. 1. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis. The sequel to #1 best-selling Liar’s Poker examines the issue of who understood the risk inherent in the assumption of ever-rising real estate prices, a […]
Generally, waiting periods to enroll in health coverage cannot exceed 90 days, and eligibility conditions based solely on the lapse of a time period are permissible for no more than 90 days, under new final rules issued by the U.S. Departments of Labor Health and Human Services and the Treasury. In addition, the employer has […]
In yesterday’s Advisor, breastfeeding consultant and expert Michele Griswold, MPH, RN, IBCLC, helped employers understand their obligations to breastfeeding mothers. Today, questions about refrigeration and sound issues, plus an introduction to the all-in-one HR website, HR.BLR.com. Griswald who is chair of the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition, shared her remarks during an interview with BLR Editor Elaine […]
People decisions are some of the most scrutinized decisions organizations make. Pay adjustments, promotions, bonuses, and headcount choices are no longer quiet HR moments, they are visible, questioned, and often challenged. Employees expect fairness and transparency. Finance leaders expect discipline and predictability. Managers are asked to balance empathy, accountability, and cost often all at once. This shift matters because it […]
Our company has decided that it would be beneficial to offer employees the opportunity to work from home. Before we enter into work-at-home arrangements with employees, we want to have a written telecommuting policy in place. What should we cover? —Andrew W., Human Resources Specialist, Santa Cruz Telecommuting can be a cost-effective alternative to […]
What is the maximum number of days that can be accumulated in your organization’s paid time-off plan? 1-9 days 10-19 days 20-29 days 30-59 days 60-89 days 90+ days No limit Exempt Employees 30 (6%) 61 (12%) 140 (28%) 154 (31%) 25 (5%) 32 (6.4%) 41 (8.2%) Nonexempt Employees 31 (6%) 62 (12.4%) 145 […]
By Derek Knoechel As the authors of the July 13, 2009, Northern Exposure article “Canadian Employers May Be Obligated to Provide References” indicate, a positive reference letter can be worth its weight in gold to an employee who has been fired. But employers often don’t want to provide reference letters, and a reference letter can […]
Staggering healthcare costs are making many employers want to move beyond passive wellness programs toward a more aggressive stance that demands healthy results, not mere participation. How far can you go? Today’s expert sorts it out. Employers may make health demands, but only within certain strict limits, says Antoinette Plizner of the Ann Arbor, Michigan, […]
For the last decade, big companies and the people who run them have been some of the most despised and least trusted in America. In the 80s and 90s, “greed was good” as everyone benefited from a skyrocketing stock market. No one much cared what was going on in those big companies as long as the […]