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Massachusetts passes broad new pay equity law

A new Massachusetts pay equity law going into effect on July 1, 2018, contains provisions that are much broader than current federal law and even prohibits employers from screening applicants based on their salary or wage history. Although the law doesn’t take effect for nearly two years, employers are advised to start planning immediately in […]

BusinessWeek’s Bestseller List

BusinessWeek ranks business books that are the most recent bestsellers and provides a short summary. 1. Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution–and How It Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman. New York Times columnist Friedman offers an urgent plea to unleash U.S. creativity—and capitalism—on the challenges of energy, climate change, […]

All Quiet on the Transparency Front: Fees Still a Mystery and Hospital Quality Data Spotty

Have you asked your doctor or dentist to see his fee schedule? When I did so once, a dentist refused, saying in effect: “my prices are higher, but that’s what you need to get my quality advantage.” What’s a consumer to do? A similar relation exists between large employers and institutional providers (hospitals.) The lack […]

Nebraska: Lone Democrat (Not on Ballot) Remains

by Mark Schorr, Erickson & Sederstrom P.C. Nebraska saw no significant changes as a result of its 2010 elections. All three Republicans in the U.S. House were reelected, with the closest margin of victory being a spread of 62 percent to 38 percent. Republican Governor Dave Heineman also was reelected with a resounding 78 percent […]

Wage and Hour: Over $220 Million in Back Wages Recovered by DOL in 2007; Highest Amount Ever

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that in 2007, its Wage and Hour Division recovered $220,613,703 in back wages, the highest amount ever, on behalf of 341,624 workers. These back-wage collections exceeded the previous record levels from 2003 by 3.8 percent. In addition, the division assessed over $10.3 million in penalties in 2007.

How Will the Election Affect Health Care Reform?

Here’s the third in our popular series of “Eye on the Election” posts which are focused on helping employers prepare for post-election changes, no matter who is elected. Eye on the Election For today’s topic—likely changes to health care reform after the election—we turned to BLR legal editor Jessica Webb-Ayer, J.D., editor of the Benefits […]

New York Times: Hardcover Business Bestsellers

The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the New York Times on February 5. 1. Jim Cramer’s Stay Mad for Life by James J. Cramer with Cliff Mason. (Simon & Schuster, $26.) The host of “Mad Money” on CNBC explains how to get rich and stay rich. 2. […]

Flights Aboard Company Jet Could Be ‘Taxable Transportation’

Employers that own corporate jets and pay a management company to fly them  were not pleased by a recent IRS memo on tax treatment of such arrangements, and two private aviation trade associations have been working with IRS on relief. Chief Counsel Advice Memorandum 20120026 , although not binding (see note at end of this […]

EEOC Moves Forward with ADAAA Regs

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has voted to approve a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would revise its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations to comply with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), which was passed late last year and went into effect January 1, 2009. The ADAAA and the proposed rule make it […]

10 Tips to Making Telecommuting a Success

Do you have employees requesting to telecommute to work a few days a week over the summer, or are you looking at telecommuting as part of an emergency response plan? New York City’s CommuterLink (www.commuterlink.com) offers these tips for teleworking success: Present helpful info. To get approval to telework, show your boss the benefit for […]