Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Cathleen S. Yonahara A new California law taking effect January 1, 2014, grants overtime pay for at least the next three years to domestic workers who are personal attendants. Under old state law, “personal attendants” are exempt from statutory overtime and meal and rest break provisions, but they are not exempt from minimum wage […]
Biggest Failure The biggest problem with FMLA is frontline supervisors who have heard clear notice of the need for FMLA, but who didn’t understand what it meant or what to do, says Attorney Tam Yelling Training is, of course, the answer. Supervisors and managers need to be trained that requesters don’t need to use any […]
By Catherine Moreton Gray, JD
I’m so uncomfortable when I have to fire someone.Do you have any suggestions of phrases or techniques I can use to “soften the blow”? Here’s what you had to say: “Softening the blow” can seem like a thoughtful and considerate act, but it’s actually quite dangerous from a legal standpoint, as we found […]
By Jane Meacham The funded status of the average U.S. corporate pension plan slid to a record low in July, according to several measurements of the health of the plans’ finances. Funding status of the typical plan surveyed for BNY Mellon Pension Summary data touched a low of 68.7 percent, off 2.9 percentage points from […]
Update Dec. 16: House Passes COBRA Subsidy Extension and Expansion You’re probably well aware by now that the $787 billion economic stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama this week will provide many out-of-work employees and their families with a reduced rate on continuing health care coverage under COBRA. Because the stimulus plan was adopted […]
By Dinita L. James, JD, Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP A new state law in Arizona going into effect on August 6 will allow independent contractors to provide a declaration of their independence to businesses using their services.
A newly released survey from Jive Software, Inc. in Palo Alto, California, finds that seven out of ten (72%) employees want to use more technology in the workplace that enables them to work from anywhere. Furthermore, the same percentage state that the freedom to try new tools makes them more effective in their jobs, with […]
It’s no secret that information technology (IT) jobs are increasingly important and that qualified IT professionals are much sought after. After all, we live in an increasingly technological world.
In yesterday’s Advisor, we got attorney Audra Hamilton’s take on mental disability accommodation. Today, her examples of accommodation in action, plus an introduction to BLR’s popular pre-written policy collection, SmartPolicies. Hamilton’s remarks came at BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, held recently in Nashville, Tennessee. Hamilton practices law in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Accommodation Example #1: Depression John […]