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National Mentoring Month: mentoring benefits company, employee, and community

HR professionals know that mentoring programs that pair an experienced colleague with a new employee can benefit a company by creating bonds, fostering knowledge sharing, and building confidence. Similarly, mentoring programs that pair adults with adolescents  create a unique supportive relationship that allows the mentor to offer guidance gained through years of experience.  January is […]

News Notes: OSHA 200 Log Reminder

For the entire month of February each year, most public and private employers are required to post an OSHA 200 Log in a conspicuous place. This “Log and Summary of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses” calls for details about on-the-job injuries and illnesses that occurred between January 1 and December 31 of the preceding year. Unless […]

New Reform Rules Guaranteeing Better Access May Result in Higher Costs

Final health insurance market reform rules issued Feb. 22 could result in higher health premiums, a major association of health insurers predicted, even though the policy goal is make health insurance more dependable and valuable for consumers. The final rules issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are designed to ensure that […]

Wellness: A Win-Win … If You Avoid the Legal Pitfalls

Corporate wellness seems like a win-win, and it is, except for a few legal pitfalls. We’ll tell you what to watch for, and share a solution that will help you set up a program that is effective and legal. Yesterday’s Advisor gave examples of wellness programs that are working. Employees are losing weight, eating more […]

News Flash: Workplace Drug Use Drops Dramatically, But Cheating On Drug Tests Increases

According to a new survey by Quest Diagnostics Inc., the country’s largest drug-test processor, drug use in the workplace has significantly declined. In 1988, 13.6% of employment-related drug tests were positive. By last year, however, just 4.6% of the approximately 6 million tests conducted by the company turned up positive. The study also reveals that […]

Who is GINA and Why Do I Care If She’s on Facebook?

GINA is, of course, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, says attorney Peter Lowe, and you do care about GINA and Facebook, because Facebook pages are likely to reveal prohibited genetic information. What is GINA: The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act prohibits employers from collecting genetic information or discriminating based on genetic information. Genetic information includes information […]

DOL appeals overtime rule injunction

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced on December 1 that it will appeal a court’s injunction temporarily halting its new overtime regulations. A federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas blocked the rules on November 22, calling the regulations “unlawful” and noting that the changes in the rules […]

News Notes: Alternative Workweek Reporting Requirements Announced

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 […]

Accommodating Employees: Employer Agrees To Settle Suit By Hearing-Impaired Employee

A hearing-impaired worker in Los Angeles who requested a sign language interpreter for meetings–and instead was allegedly told by her supervisors to read lips and try harder–will receive $100,000 to settle her claim that her employer failed to accommodate her under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In a confidential settlement, the government employer also agreed […]