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New E-Verify Rule for Federal Contractors Delayed

Update: E-verify deadline moved to September 2009 Federal contractors have been given at least a temporary reprieve from the E-Verify regulations that were set to go into effect January 15. Under the plan, the contractors would be required to begin using the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services E-Verify system to ensure that their employees are […]

TN Senate: No Safety Penalty for Employers That Allow Guns at Work

A bill rapidly making its way through the Tennessee Legislature would protect employers that opt not to restrict persons who are legally licensed to carry a handgun from bringing their weapons into the workplace. On Monday, Senate Bill (SB) 519 passed almost unanimously (the lone dissenter was Democratic Senator Beverly Marrero of Memphis). The bill, […]

Utah case puts same-sex marriage issue on track to go before Supreme Court

Utah’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage suffered another blow in a June 25 ruling from the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and that ruling makes it likely that the issue of same-sex marriage will go before the U.S. Supreme Court. The 10th Circuit’s decision upheld a December 2013 federal district court ruling that struck […]

Workplace negativity–Don’t just say NO

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady BLR CEO Bob Brady is on vacation this week, so we’re offering one of his most popular columns that deals with a problem that most all HR managers face—negativity. A reader recently wrote to ask how to deal with “negativity,” specifically, employees who can see only the dark […]

IT Cracking Down on March Madness—Unless You’re the Boss

March Madness is here, and it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement if you’re a sports fan. But before you try to sneak a peek at scores at your work station, you may want to think twice. One-third of IT professionals will take some action to prepare for March Madness, according to a […]

GAO Study: IRS Too Tough in Adoption Tax Credit Enforcement

The IRS has been too vociferous in auditing individuals who have claimed the adoption tax credit, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggests in a report. In “Adoption Tax Credit: IRS Can Reduce Audits and Refund Delays,” the GAO reports that the IRS: (1) did not sufficiently train and communicate with its auditors who were examining […]

What Makes a Great Employee?

Frequently I’m asked, “What is the one thing that sets really great employees apart from the rest?” It’s an interesting question. I’m always surprised that people would assume that there might be a single common thread that ties all the best employees together. The questioners assume there is a single trait shared by the best […]

Professor’s Biased Rants Not Unlawful Harassment

Latino employees at an Arizona community college were understandably offended when a professor broadly distributed e-mail messages exalting the “superiority of Western Civilization” and deriding the contributions of nonwhite immigrants and Native Americans. But did the professor’s messages create a racially hostile work environment? The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Alaska, Arizona, […]

Still More Employment Policy Perils

Yesterday, we looked at 5 potential employment policy perils you want to be sure to avoid. Today, the rest of the dastardly top 10 — plus a California-specific handbooks resource that practically does the work for you.

How Much Family Leave Is Too Much?

The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of leave in a 12-month period to recover from their own serious health condition, among other things. But what if an employee takes more than 12 weeks of leave? The California Court of Appeal recently answered that critical question.