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Attending SHRM 2011 and Wishing I Could Be Cloned

I’m at the 63rd annual conference for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) in Las Vegas, where I’m learning not only the ins and outs of HR, but the need for cloning. There’s so much I want to hear about — technology and HR, the latest on employee benefit issues such as health care […]

Have You Heard of a Returnship?

Employers everywhere are finding that a robust economy and low unemployment means fewer applicants for any given role. It’s often difficult to find a well-qualified employee when a vacancy presents itself. As such, they’re thinking of creative ways to expand the talent pool and find candidates who are a good fit.

Payroll Tax Exemption for New Hires?

The U.S. Senate recently voted 62-30 vote to end debate on legislation that would give employers a payroll tax exemption for hiring new employees in 2010. The vote to end debate clears the way for a final vote on the legislation. Join us this fall in San Francisco for the California Employment Law Update conference, […]

Wellness Works! Or Does It?

Can a workplace wellness program actually result in a return on investment in your workplace? Can you really change your employees’ behavior and overall health and wellness? There are ample reasons to be skeptical: Wellness programs cost money and time. They are preventive and preemptive, which can be tricky when it comes to proving cost […]

The Summer Job Rush Is On: But Is Change Coming in Child Labor Laws?

Teen employment is highly regulated under child labor laws. Those laws may be changing. Here’s what you need to know. June is the month when most schools close for the summer. That means it’s also the time that thousands of American teenagers look for summer jobs. At any given time, according to the Department of […]

Private Sector Criticizes DOL Proposal to Let States Run Retirement Plans

The U.S. Department of Labor laid the groundwork for states to run ERISA-covered auto-enrollment individual retirement accounts and multi-employer retirement plans for people without workplace savings options, issuing proposed rules and an interpretive bulletin for that purpose. The so-called open MEPs give employers that don’t want to offer their own 401(k) plan a way to join with other companies […]

High-profile Supporters to Push SEC for Higher Fiduciary Standards in Sept. 11 Meeting

Twelve well-known U.S. financial services industry figures will meet Sept. 11 with the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission to discuss their “Fiduciary Declaration,” which will urge Congress and the agency to heighten protection for those receiving investment advice. The declaration, to be signed by Paul Volcker, John C. “Jack” Bogle, Sheila Bair and […]

Most Employees Don’t Act During Benefits Enrollment, Poll Finds

When given a chance each year to change their employee benefits, including retirement savings options, most American workers don’t, a recent poll by insurance and benefits provider MetLife found. And just over half of those surveyed feel very confident that they will make the right choices for themselves and their families during this “open enrollment” […]

New regulations delay ACA’s ‘play or pay’ provision for some employers

In yet another unexpected turn in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Obama administration announced Monday that it is delaying the application of the law’s employer responsibility provision (also commonly referred to as the “play or pay” provision) for some small employers until 2016. The administration let the public know about the […]