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Feds Will Audit—Shouldn’t You Do It First?
Yesterday’s Advisor covered Kurt Ronn’s tips for identifying potential discrimination in process. Today we’ll see his tips for evaluating execution and take a look at an audit program you can use to find such problems before the feds do. Even the best process, if poorly executed, will yield questionable results, says Ronn, president and founder […]
Judge Approves $53.3 Million Settlement Of Of-The-Clock Suit
Court Recasts ERISA/Tax Claim Under PHSA, Allowing COBRA Notice Case to Proceed
By Gwen Cofield Governmental employers and the benefit plans they sponsor are generally exempt from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act’s (ERISA) Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) provisions but are still required to offer COBRA coverage to qualified beneficiaries under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA).
OSHA to Publish Five New Final Rules in 2011
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 […]
News Notes: Survey Flags Hot New Employee Benefit Choices
A recent survey of employers by the human resources consulting firm Hewitt Associates indicates that employees are increasingly interested in non-traditional and flexible benefits that they can pick and choose to suit their particular needs, including retirement and work/family concerns. And employers, to stay competitive in attracting the best talent, are planning to make more […]
Pending Legislation: Bill Would Impose Big Penalties for Misclassifying Employees as Independent Contractors
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 […]
Race Discrimination: $1 Million Settlement In School Superintendent Termination
A 52-year-old white public school superintendent in the Los Angeles County area who claimed he was illegally fired by a newly elected Latino majority school board will be paid $1 million in a confidential settlement to resolve his lawsuit. The superintendent alleged that the new school board president ordered him to terminate a number of […]
Senate HELP Committee Hears Testimony on Paycheck Fairness Act
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 […]
Holiday Parties Are All the Rage in 2005
According to a new survey by HR consulting firm Hewitt Associates, almost three-quarters (74 percent) of employers are planning to host a party for employees this holiday season. Twenty-seven percent of these employers plan to spend $5,000 or less on their parties, 30 percent will pay between $5,000 and $20,000, and 15 percent will spend […]