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HRDA’s Top Ten—As ‘Voted’ on By You

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady For the final e-pinion of 2008, we thought we’d share the HRDA top 10—actually your top ten, since we ranked them based on reader interest. Topics run the gamut from the technical—How to Conduct EEO Investigations—to the slightly snide—Wellness Even the C-Suite Can Understand—to the overconfident—”Oh, sure, She’s […]

Exempt/Nonexempt: How Do We Properly Classify Our IT Workers?

I need some help with the administrative exemption as it relates to IT workers. We are a software consulting firm. Each consultant works pretty independently, managing and doing work on their own projects directly with clients. Their work is a mix of upper-level tasks (systems analysis, training, project management) and lower-level tasks (installing upgrades and […]

Employment Law Tip: What’s the Purpose of Exit Interviews?

Exit interviews are normally held with employees who have decided to terminate their employment or who have been discharged for cause. One purpose of conducting these interviews is to give departing workers the chance to express their thoughts, whether positive or negative, about the resignation or termination decision, as well as to offer their suggestions […]

Employers need to be ready for new California law on same-sex harassment

by Tara K. Clancy and Kristine W. Hanson A new California law means employees who file same-sex harassment cases should have an easier time getting relief from the courts. Senate Bill (SB) 292, which was signed into law in August and takes effect in January, means employees don’t have to have evidence that sexual desire […]

Feds Step Up Health Reform Implementation With New Rules

It’s been busy recently for the federal government when it comes to implementing various health reform requirements. Here’s an overview of new guidance issued the week of Feb. 25-March 1 on health insurer fees, market reforms, the Small Business Health Options Program, multiple employer welfare arrangement regulation and information reporting. Self-insured Health Plans Exempt from […]

4 Best Practices for Onboarding Freelancers

In a previous post, we discussed the trend of many businesses looking to freelancers to fill various needs, which can be short or long term and involve a variety of projects in a variety of industries.

SEIU, Nurses Union Boost the Employee Free Choice Act

Two large and powerful health care labor unions have signed a pact that is expected to provide a shot in the arm for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Under the pact announced on March 19, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CAN/NNOC) will work together to […]

News Notes: Maker Of Wonder Bread Ordered To Pay $131 Million For Race Bias

A San Francisco jury has ordered the nation’s largest wholesale baker to pay $11 million in compensatory damages and a whopping $120 million in punitive damages to African-American workers who said they were subjected to racial slurs, unequal treatment and other indignities by co-workers and supervisors at three Bay Area plants. Workers testified that they […]

Overtime Regs: Time for DOL to Get to the 21st Century?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Pondering arcane overtime rules, BLR founder and CEO Bob Brady asks “Isn’t it about time that the U.S. Department of Labor emerges from its cave and joins the 21st century?” I’m speaking of overtime regulations. At BLR, we have several salespeople earning between $70,000 and $100,000 a year. […]