Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Update Dec. 16: House Passes COBRA Subsidy Extension and Expansion The IRS has issued guidance on the COBRA premium assistance or subsidy provisions of the economic stimulus bill recently passed in Congress. Under the provisions, eligible employees who were involuntarily terminated from their jobs between September 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009, and their qualified […]
Lie detector or polygraph tests can provide employers with a tool to test the honesty of a prospective or current employee. But watch out, because the tests can do you more harm than good and invite lawsuits. Under California law, it’s illegal for private-sector employers to demand or require employees or applicants to submit to […]
Yesterday, we looked at the rules regarding consumer reports in California. Today: the rules that apply if you conduct your background checks yourself. We’ll also tell you about a detailed recordkeeping resource, specifically for California employers, you won’t want to be without.
I guess we’re all afraid of something. When we were kids, we might have been afraid of the dark or monsters under the bed. As adults, those fears often seem bigger or more real. We may have a fear of heights, the outdoors, or even failure.
Traditionally, companies have thought that diversity is all about race and gender. Nowhere is that more the case than in the hospitality industry, which, in many jurisdictions, is held to certain legal standards. But Fred Keeton didn’t want to just meet those standards. As Harrah’s Entertainment’s chief diversity officer, he has spent the past three […]
On May 20, Pennsylvania became the latest state to have its same-sex marriage ban barred when a federal district judge struck down the state’s 1994 law. The decision, which followed a similar ruling in Oregon a day earlier, makes Pennsylvania the 19th state to allow same-sex marriage. After the ruling, Governor Tom Corbett said he […]
After Thomas White was fired from his job at an Ultramar convenience store several years ago for allegedly stealing a soda, his employer was ordered by a jury to pay $342,000 in lost earnings and punitive damages. And the company’s legal expenses were just beginning, as the case wound its way through the state appeals […]
Customer service reps have a difficult and mostly thankless job. Every year, though, we recognize their important work during Customer Service Week (this year it was October 5-9). We thought it might be interesting to ask BLR’s customer service reps about some of their most unusual calls or experiences. We weren’t disappointed. To begin with, […]
By BLR Founder and Publisher Bob Brady Just as in private industry, government HR managers need to understand their organization’s core strategy, and then hire people and build policies that match. Several weeks ago, I wrote about how strategic HR decisions flow from what kind of company you are. If you depend on product creativity […]
In employment law cases, “Victory in court is always a little bitter when the costs of achieving it are factored in,” says attorney Russell Adler. He was referring in particular to the potential dangers of giving references.