Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Direct payroll deposit can be a real timesaver for employers and employees alike. But did you know that California law prohibits employers from requiring employees to use direct deposit for their paychecks? Specifically, Labor Code Section 213 makes it clear that employers can use direct deposit, but only when the employee voluntarily authorizes it. Additional […]
Happy New Year, readers. Here’s one resolution that you can easily keep—to audit your exemptions and pay practices (before the feds make good on their resolution to do it for you). If yours is like most organizations, you’ll get the biggest bang for your New Year’s buck with an FLSA audit. The astounding amounts of […]
Technology jobs are in high demand and, as a result, they pay higher-than-average salaries. But what good is a big paycheck if it is all going to sky-high rents or mortgages? Indeed’s global research institute, the Hiring Lab, mined salary and cost of living data to figure out where technology jobs pay the most—in real […]
In connection with affirmative action regulations that were revised in 2000, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs annually sends out what’s known as an EO survey to randomly selected federal contractors. The mandatory survey—which has stirred much controversy among federal contractors who claim that it’s burdensome—asks contractors to submit a […]
On Jan. 1, 2005, the California Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act (DPRRA) went into effect, giving registered domestic partners the same rights, duties, benefits, and responsibilities that spouses enjoy under California law. Now, the California Supreme Court, in its first ruling under the DPRRA, has said that the law creates broad responsibilities for businesses […]
Sears Roebuck & Co. has agreed to pay a $325,000 fine to settle allegations that it violated federal child labor laws. Investigators allegedly found violations involving a total of 227 minors at over 60% of the Sears stores that were investigated. The violations included allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to operate power-driven equipment and letting teens […]
The Industrial Welfare Commission has clarified how to report alternative workweek election results under California’s new overtime law. Within 30 days of the election, you should send in your company name, the date of the election, the final election counts, the alternative workweek schedule adopted or repealed, and a statement of compliance. This statement can […]
Everything going smoothly with the new FMLA regs? They are now officially a few weeks old, but many HR managers fear the hassles are just beginning. The Department of Labor (DOL) says the revisions were designed to clarify the requirements and to improve communication between employers and employees. To some extent, these goals may be […]
Plan administrators and employers that offer adoption assistance and long-term care (LTC) insurance need to adjust their plans for 2012 to account for increased amounts that can be excluded from taxable income. The IRS issued the rates for use in 2012 in Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2011-52. Adoption Tax Credit The tax credit under Code […]
Agreements to arbitrate employment disputes are more popular than ever with employers because they can help avoid expensive and risky litigation. They are also controversial because some believe it’s unfair to require employees to agree in advance to submit employment claims to arbitration, giving up the right to a jury trial and potentially huge damages. […]