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ERISA: 10 Tips for Ensuring ERISA Compliance

Making sure you comply with the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a lot easier when you have a basic understanding of ERISA’s rules. California plan administrators can use the following checklist as guidance to determine if their current plan complies with ERISA’s requirements, including some of the thorniest ones:   1. Have […]

The ‘Flip Side’ of Mr. Naysayer

After last week’s post I received an email from a reader who had a suggestion: You need to write about the “flip side” of Mr. Naysayer. Her rationale? I once had a job where I became the Mr. Naysayer. It was uncomfortable for me — uncomfortable for all around me — and it was a […]

News Notes: Daily Overtime Rule Suspended In Flooded Counties

After declaring a state of emergency in 44 counties because of this winter’s storms, Governor Wilson signed an executive order suspending daily overtime requirements for private, non-union employers in the counties affected. The goal is to help businesses recover from the disaster by allowing the use of flexible work schedules. Employees can work more than […]

Want a Seat at ‘the Table’? Think Strategically

The managers in charge of the company’s most expensive asset—its employees—are often overlooked for the strategic management team. Want a seat at the table? Think strategically and demonstrate how meeting staffing and talent needs is critical to achieving strategic objectives. HR has long been viewed as a service-delivery function, say experts at HR.BLR.com®. HR expertise […]

Managing Base Compensation with Pay Grade Planning

The economic environment presents comp managers with many challenges, but base pay management is at the head of juggling act, says compensation consultant Mary A. Rizzuti, CCP, PHR. How can we remain competitive with smaller budgets? In today’s Advisor, Rizzuti, who is a principal at PHR Compensation Resources, Inc. in Upper Saddle River, NJ, shares […]

New Accessory Promises to Keep Workers’ Hands Clean

By Kyle Emshwiller Have you ever witnessed a sickness spread from coworker to coworker? Chances are, you answered “Yes.” But fear not. There’s a new accessory that promises to keep coworkers’ hands clean and germ-free. Workplaces can be a haven for the flu, colds, and other viruses, and the results can be costly. From absences, […]

News Notes: Ergonomics Developments

In a victory for ergonomics advocates, Digital Equipment Corporation was recently ordered to pay almost $6 million to three computer users who claimed that Digital’s keyboards caused arm, wrist and hand injuries. Other keyboard makers, including IBM and Compaq, have successfully defended themselves against similar claims-though they now issue warnings to their employees and users. […]

New Haven Firefighters’ Case: A Perfect Storm?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Readers Don’t Agree About New Haven Firefighters Tests? Two weeks ago we ran my column about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the New Haven firefighters’ case. (The justices overruled lower court decisions, holding that the city was wrong when it refused to use the results of a […]

What Are Posthire Background Checks?

Most employers perform some form of background screening on prospective employees. Often, this is conducted as a condition of the job offer. The candidate proceeds through the hiring process and is made a conditional offer, and the offer proceeds if nothing negative is discovered through the screening process.