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Thank Those Who Helped You Dream Big; Then Pay It Forward

Have you ever had someone encourage you to dream big or had someone say you could be anything you wanted to be? Maybe you were lucky enough to have a parent or grandparent who convinced you that there are no limits. Or maybe a teacher or coach inspired you to consider opportunities that otherwise might […]

HR and Legal: Can’t We All Just Get Along?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady You know you’ve been there: The legal department is advising you to do something that has no bearing on the real-life world of the workplace. “Just have managers stop inflating their performance ratings.” Sure, that will happen. “Keep employees from clocking in early.” Yeah, right. You know you’re […]

High-deductible and Health-FSA Participation Grows

Participation in high-deductible health plans and health flexible spending accounts grew at a strong pace, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The findings in “Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, January–March 2013” suggest that employees’ interests in consumer-directed health plans is growing, information employers may find useful in […]

Employers Can Weigh in on Smartcard Guidance

Employers that offer mass transit benefits have an opportunity to put in their two cents’ worth on whether the IRS should issue clarifying guidance on the use of smartcards in conjunction with qualified transportation fringe benefits. The IRS said in Notice 2012-38, which it issued May 26, “The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have become […]

Leadership Practices that Work Regardless of Company Size

From Dan Oswald: As a way to honor the individuals who have taught me critical life lessons about people and business, I’ve invited several to write guest columns to run in this space over the next few weeks. Today’s voice of experience is provided by a mentor whose business acumen and people skills have guided […]

Family and Medical Leave: Two New Cases Highlight Tricky Issues to Watch Out For

Although many employers know the Family and Medical Leave Act’s basic requirements, unusual circumstances can trip up even the most savvy. We’ll look at two recent cases involving your duty to inform employees of their leave rights and the importance of determining an employee’s “worksite” for FMLA purposes. No FMLA Notice for Injured Employee Richard […]

Tips for leveraging inclusiveness for a more productive workforce

Employers are always searching for ways to empower their employees to do their best work. They invest in training to help workers gain skills, and they develop policies designed to keep the workplace running smoothly, but other components—cultivating cultural intelligence and fostering an environment of inclusiveness—may be overlooked.   Simma Lieberman, a diversity and inclusion/culture change […]

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 […]

Saving and Investing: The Great Recession’s Impact on Millennials

Your 401(k) plan is designed to help everyone in your workplace to save for retirement—from the youngest employee to the oldest. In the last few years, you may have emphasized the importance of saving early and enough. It can be challenging to reach a diverse group of employees with a message that encourages action, because […]