Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
McCarthy Tetrault A “blog,” short for web log, is akin to an online diary or an electronic discussion board that often includes a mix of commentary and opinions from visitors to the website. More and more employers are dealing with employees who may be blogging about their work. Here are some questions you should consider. […]
To defend yourself against a lawsuit by an employee terminated for sexual harassment or other misconduct, it’s essential to thoroughly investigate the accuser’s complaint, as the accompanying story illustrates. Here are the key steps Lucky Stores took which led the court to find it had acted properly before discharging the employee accused of harassment:
You probably know it’s illegal to retaliate against a worker who complains in good faith about an unsafe work condition. But in practice, retaliation problems are not always so clear-cut, and they can sneak up on you. They often arise when an employee with a history of complaining starts griping about something you feel is […]
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a new bulletin reminding employers that most workers under age 18 are prohibited from operating forklifts for nonagricultural operations. Plus, says OSHA, workers over 18 must be properly trained and certified before driving forklifts in the workplace. Note that Cal-OSHA also prohibits teens from driving […]
Get ready for one more requirement of the Affordable Care Act—the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Fee. It’s a fee your plan pays to fund government research into the effectiveness of certain treatments. What Is the Amount of the Fee? The fee is: $1 times the average covered lives for policy years ending on or […]
Religious employers are protected from discrimination claims made by their own ministers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Jan. 11. In its first ruling addressing the ministerial exception that is often read into the U.S. Constitution, the Court determined that “there is such a ministerial exception,” and that it bars ministers from bringing employment discrimination […]
Employee stress is a problem that affects all businesses and it has reached a point where it can’t be ignored any longer, say the experts. The causes of a stressful work environment are clear. The most oft-cited reason is over-work. As many as three in 10 employees feel chronically overworked, according to a study by […]
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor estimate that almost 70% of employers aren’t in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)—a percentage that almost certainly increases when similar violations under state law are taken into account. The federal Department of Labor is tackling this problem in a big way, dedicating a staggering $25 […]
Based on the cost of living, the IRS has increased for 2009 the maximum contribution levels for health savings accounts (HSAs) and out-of-pocket spending limits for high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) that must be used in conjunction with HSAs. For 2009, the maximum annual HSA contribution for individuals is $3,000 and $5,950 for families. Catch-up contributions […]
A part of the massive health care reform law aimed at encouraging employers to offer health insurance to early retirees is set to launch June 1. Regulations for the Early Retirement Reinsurance Program were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 4. The program will provide $5 billion for […]