Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Federal OSHA has released free software on its web site – www.osha.gov – that can save you time and frustration in figuring out whether you comply with certain complex health and safety rules. Three interactive programs are available, including Asbestos Advisor, Cadmium Biological Advisor, and Confined Spaces Advisor, and more are in the works.
by Jeffrey M. Cropp Now is a good time to sit back and reflect on the past year and make plans for the upcoming year. So relax, and think about the unexpected problems that arose this year, what you did to address them, and whether you could have done anything differently. It’s also a good […]
Under a revised proposal by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, companies would have to certify that they are in compliance with a broad range of federal laws to contract with the federal government. This new version of a rule proposed in 1999 clarifies the existing requirement that federal contractors have a satisfactory record of “integrity […]
According to a recent California Court of Appeal decision involving Wal-Mart, you can be sued by an independent contractor’s employee if you supply equipment that’s involved in an accident injuring the worker. Wal-Mart had hired Musi-Cal to install a sound system in the retailer’s Chino, Calif., store. The work involved placing speakers and running wires […]
The federal Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service have announced that they’re tracking down delinquent filers of Form 5500, which is required to be filed annually for benefit plans. And in December 2002, the agencies plan to begin sending out letters of inquiry to delinquent filers. Penalties for late filing can be steep, […]
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission may not sue an employer unless it has engaged in pre-litigation conciliation — even for pattern or practice claims — a federal district court has held. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Oct. 7 dismissed an EEOC suit alleging that CVS Pharmacy’s separation agreement violated […]
The IRS has decreased the mileage rate commonly used to reimburse employees for business use of a car from 36.5 cents to 36 cents per mile. The new rate—which applies to miles driven beginning January 1, 2003—was prompted primarily by the decrease in gasoline prices.
By Marcia Akers Baby Boomers are now entering their retirement years while some members of “The Greatest Generation” remain in the workforce. Gen Xers and Yers are looking for advancement and rewarding entry-level positions. This first-ever phenomenon of having four generations in the workplace at the same time is creating challenges for employers, including how […]
By Jane Meacham Employers and plan administrators may want to err on the side of providing more information, not less. That is one of the messages behind a recent decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division. In Arp v. Whirlpool Corp., Case No. 3:12 CV 770 (July 10, […]
Auto parts manufacturer Kelsey-Hayes Co. gave employees a summary plan description of their employee benefits plan stating that health insurance would continue at no cost when they retired. The summary didn’t mention the company had the right to modify or terminate benefits, even though the master health care plan paperwork did. Later, when Kelsey-Hayes informed […]