Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Employers struggling to decode the service provider fee disclosures from their retirement plans may be getting some relief. Nearly two years after the U.S. Department of Labor published a proposed rule requiring covered service providers to disclose the cost of what they do for employer-sponsored 401(k)s, the agency is requesting more help for plan sponsors […]
by Elizabeth B. Bradley Do you know what lurks in your supply chain? Would you sign a certification subject to the penalties of perjury stating there is no human-trafficking-related activity anywhere in your company’s supply chain? For all federal contractors, the answer must already be “yes.” But new bills pending before Congress will bring these […]
Should you consider using Facebook as part of your background screening process? It may be beneficial because it could turn up potential problems and keep you from hiring someone who could be a problem later on. But it can also be a risk because Facebook pages are known to contain an abundance of personal information—and […]
If equal pay issues aren’t visible on your radar screen, they should be. That’s because both the government and disgruntled employees continue to target employers who violate equal pay laws. Congress is actively debating a bill that would strengthen federal equal pay rules (see the Special Supplement on pending legislation in this month’s Bulletin). And […]
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has released comprehensive new guidelines addressing the legality of benefit differentials under several federal anti-discrimination laws. The guidelines apply to health and life insurance, long- and short-term disability benefits, severance, pension and early retirement incentives.
Employers must make accommodations to allow employees with disabilities to participate in their wellness programs, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a recently released informal discussion letter. The letter was written in response to an employer’s question about a special program for employees with diabetes. The employer wanted to waive its annual health […]
Health plans and their sponsors should pay close attention to the health care providers that are improving consumer experiences and clinical outcomes, and take note of how they are doing it. In a system where it’s every provider for himself, provider have little incentives to make it easier for patients to get care, to improve […]
It’s comes as no surprise that HR professionals consistently name recruiting top talent and retaining valued employees among their toughest challenges. Developing a strategy to meet those challenges may entail a number of elements, but establishing and communicating the employer’s “brand” should never be overlooked.
Reaffirming its decision from last fall, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal covering California has ruled that employees who were misclassified as independent contractors by Microsoft are eligible to participate retroactively in the company’s lucrative stock purchase program and possibly its pension plan as well. Part of Microsoft’s problem was that its forms and […]