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News Notes: Court Considers Empoyee Eligibility For Calipers Benefits

A California Court of Appeal is currently reviewing an important ruling by a lower court affecting eligibility of state contract workers to receive CalPERS benefits. Employees of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California brought a class action lawsuit contending that agencies bound by the Public Employees’ Retirement Law must enroll all employees for CalPERS […]

Bulletin Item: PWBA Undergoes Name Change

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration has changed its name to the Employee Benefits Security Administration, or EBSA. The EBSA will assume the former PWBA’s responsibilities of administering private-sector retirement, health, and other employer-based benefit programs. Visit the EBSA’s website.

Train Workers to Handle Crowds Safely

  To recap: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is encouraging retail employers to implement safety measures to prevent such incidents. According to OSHA, crowd management planning should begin in advance of events that are likely to draw large numbers of people. The agency recommends a two-part plan: Planning Pre-event setup Think you have […]

Are Injured Part-Time Workers Entitled to Statutory Reinstatement Protections?

By Dave Johnston, JD, Sulloway & Hollis P.L.L.C. Recently, the New Hampshire Supreme Court invalidated a New Hampshire Department of Labor (NHDOL) regulation that states part-time employees who are injured at work are ineligible for the reinstatement protections afforded by certain statutory provisions of New Hampshire’s workers’ compensation law.

Are Your ‘Impartial’ Tests Actually Discriminatory?

Even if your selection practices are purely objective and neutral, you’re not immune from liability for their “disparate impact.” Bottom line—it’s time to put your tests to the test. What’s considered a test in terms of hiring? Basically it’s any yardstick or evaluative tool you use to help you select employees. One of the theoretical […]

Employment Law Tip: Have You Met the HIPAA Security Rules Deadline?

Last year, large health plans (those with receipts of at least $5 million) had to come into compliance with new electronic security rules mandated by HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The rules are a corollary to the HIPAA privacy requirements for individual protected health information (PHI) and specify a series of administrative, […]

Put These Words into Your Managers’ Mouths

In critical HR discussions with employees, some of your managers will do best working from a script. When it comes to HR-related actions, do your line managers suffer from “wingtip in mouth disease?” You know the symptoms: They over-promise or ask inappropriate or even illegal questions during job interviews. Their performance appraisal meetings with employees […]

NLRB Issues Decisions on Electronic Notice, Compound Interest

Yesterday, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) released two decisions dealing with remedial policies. The first decision addressed compounding interest on back pay, and the second dealt with electronically notifying employees and union members about NLRB orders in unfair labor practice cases. In Kentucky River Medical Center, 356 NLRB No. 8, the NLRB unanimously adopted […]

Potential Immigration Changes Under the Obama Administration

by Debbie Clephane There are three areas of immigration policy that will most certainly be at the forefront of President Barack Obama’s immigration agenda: (1) enhanced border security, (2) a refocus on employer responsibility, and (3) passage of comprehensive immigration reform. This article provides a glimpse of what we can expect from the new administration. […]