Most Popular
News Notes: IRS Issues New Mileage Rates for 2000
The IRS has increased the mileage rate commonly used to reimburse employees for business use of a car from 31 cents to 32.5 cents per mile. The new rate applies to miles driven beginning January 1, 2000.
Wal-Mart Class Action Update: Great News for Employers
In a very positive development for employers, the U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed the massive class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart. The lawsuit claimed that the organization systematically paid women less and did not provide equal opportunity for advancement.
Unions: NLRB Nabs Employer For Not Providing Requested Information; When You Have To Comply
Fulfilling union information requests can sometimes be tedious. But as a new National LaborRelations Board (NLRB) decision shows, before you simply flat-out refuse to turn over the requested data, it’s important to make a good faith assessment of the relevance of the request.
Court Multiplies Award, Saying Insurer Profited from Denial
Rather than merely finding that an individual was entitled to benefits due, a federal appeals court ordered an insurer to pay a large monetary award under ERISA based on the equitable theories of unjust enrichment and disgorgement of ill-gotten profits. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that the insurer used money it should […]
Family And Medical Leave: Court Says Employers Must Notify Workers How “12-Month Period” For Leave Entitlement Will Be Calculated; 3 Practical Steps
Employees who qualify for federal family leave may take up to 12 workweeks of leave within a 12-month period. An employer may choose one of four methods to measure the 12-month timespan, such as a calendar year or a rolling 12-month period. Now, a new ruling from the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals demonstrates […]
Hot List: New York Times Hardcover Bestseller List
The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the New York Times on January 26. 1. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. hy some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent — from the author of Blink: The Power […]
Court: Pregnant Employee Accommodations Must Be Equal with Injured Workers
By Michele L. Brott, JD, Davis Brown Law Firm In December 2015, the Iowa Supreme Court decided the parameters of pregnancy discrimination under Iowa law, stating that when it comes to light-duty requests, pregnant workers are on “equal footing” with employees who are injured at work.
Taking Environmental Sensitivities Seriously
By Lindsey Taylor The issue of employees with environmental sensitivities often arises for Canadian employers. Most commonly, employees complain about sensitivities to strong scents such as perfume. Human rights laws in many provinces accept that environmental sensitivities may be disabilities, to which the duty to accommodate to the point of undue hardship may apply. This […]
DOL Issues Proposed Form 5500 Revisions to Keep Reporting Compliant with Legal Changes
By Jane Meacham The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on July 11 issued a notice of proposed revisions and other guidance outlining several changes to Form 5500 aimed at keeping annual reporting by employee benefit plans in line with technical, legal, and regulatory changes.