Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
When business demands send employees around the world, employers face a range of unique safety concerns—political unrest, illnesses such as SARS, and even unfamiliar local customs. And as an employer, you’re expected to extend your umbrella of care as far as your employees go. Although it’s impossible to plan for all possible contingencies, here’s a […]
Governor Schwarzenegger has vetoed A.B. 48, which would have boosted the minimum wage for California workers to $7.75 an hour by July 2007. In a veto message, the governor stated that he supports an increase in the minimum wage–which hasn’t been boosted since 2002–but that he isn’t in favor of legislation, like A.B. 48, that […]
On Wednesday, January 5, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hosted a live Q&A Web chat to answer questions about its Fall 2010 Regulatory Agenda. The assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, Dr. David Michaels, started the session by listing some of OSHA’s 2010 achievements. He noted that the agency: published final rules/interim final […]
A bill pending in the state legislature would crack down on employers that intentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors in order to avoid unemployment insurance responsibilities. The measure, A.B. 2186, authorizes the Employment Development Department to assess a penalty of $25,000 against any employer who willfully, purposefully, or intentionally misclassifies an employee as an independent […]
On February 5, 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) became the first legislation signed into law by President Bill Clinton. On February 5, 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Act by publishing new FMLA regulations and holding a special event attended by President Clinton, former Secretary […]
Ask most HR managers what their biggest headache is, and about 90 percent say “FMLA.” From eligibility to notifications to managing intermittent leave, it’s an ever-present problem.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a public hearing on July 15 to review recent developments under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The panel discussed the effects of widespread layoffs, threats to employee benefits, and controversial recent court decisions on older workers. The panelists testified in detail about the damaging effect […]
In spite of significant changes now in progress for the fee disclosures required from retirement fund service providers, a study of plan sponsors’ loyalty to these vendors shows increased satisfaction with them. The survey’s results may indicate that new fee transparency rules alone may not sway many plan sponsors to switch providers. The annual study […]
Getting good results from an employee wellness program requires a continuing organizational commitment and understanding of what motivates individual employees, wellness expert Brad Cooper told a recent Thompson Interactive webinar. He warned of some common wellness program pitfalls. One is a “check-the box” approach — such as setting up a biometric screening and distributing a […]
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Youth@Work program is designed to educate working-age young people about their rights and responsibilities in the workplace and how they can protect themselves against illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. The program consists of three main components: the Youth@Work web site, free outreach events, and partnerships with business leaders, […]