Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Government requirements for certifying compliance with HIPAA’s transaction standards would impose a significant, unwarranted burden on self-funded group health plans that do not perform these transactions directly, employer groups warned in written comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The proposed rules would lay “significant costs” on self-insured plans that hire vendors […]
Employers will have two more years in which to respond to an Affordable Care Act tax on high-cost health plans, which was due to take effect in 2018. On Dec. 18, President Obama signed an omnibus spending package that includes a two-year delay of the Cadillac tax and also reversed the tax’s non-deductible status. The […]
Be careful how you investigate employee wrongdoing, warn labor experts, or you could be setting the company up for a lawsuit for defamation or invasion of privacy. Follow these 4 steps to avoid potential litigation: 1.) Have a written policy that specifically states the type of unacceptable employee behavior in the workplace and that your […]
Patricia Shiu, director of the U.S. Department of Labor‘s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), delivered the keynote speech at the annual meeting of federal contractors and OFCCP representatives for the National Industry Liaison Group on July 27 in New Orleans. The key portions of Shiu’s speech, in which she provided important updates on […]
Morgan Stanley has agreed to pay $54 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the banking firm of sex discrimination. The suit was brought in 2001 by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and charged that Morgan Stanley discriminated against women in its Institutional Equity division with respect to promotions, compensation, and other terms and […]
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee heard extensive testimony this morning on the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182; H.R. 11), a bill that proposes numerous changes to the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Among the witnesses present were Representative Rosa DeLauro, who is one of the sponsors of the Act, and Commissioner […]
A common problem with traditional health insurance is that even when the premium is paid by an employer, the copays and deductibles can be unaffordable. Potential answers are benefits such as telemedicine and health advocates. Click here to read more.
by Rodney L. Bean Claims of religious discrimination are on the upswing, leaving many employers scrambling to avoid liability for failing to properly manage the complicated interplay between faith and work. Of all the classifications protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, religion perhaps presents the most diverse range of issues […]
Employers with 20 or more employees who provide health benefits must notify terminated workers of their continuation rights under COBRA. But a new federal appeals court ruling has confirmed you’re required to separately notify the employee and the worker’s spouse of their COBRA rights.7 To protect yourself, Ina Potter, a partner with the San Francisco […]
Liz Wilson McKee maintains that having fun is a key element of engaging employees. She is the internal communications manager for national law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkwitz, one of Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in America.” McKee says HR managers should look for opportunities to celebrate. Events can be […]