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Wage and Hour: More Legal Woes for Wal-Mart

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will pay over $33 million in back wages to resolve errors in calculating overtime for 86,680 employees nationwide. According to the DOL, Wal-Mart brought the problem to the agency’s attention after an internal audit raised concerns regarding overtime computations, particularly with respect to incentives […]

Health Care Reform and Employers

New Urgency on Healthcare Reform: More Pointers for Employers

By Jason Lacey Foulston Siefkin LLP The legal underpinnings of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on healthcare reform are complex, but the bottom line is very clear for employers: Nothing has changed. The law that went into effect March 23, 2010 (the Affordable Care Act, or ACA), and has been in effect ever since, remains […]

H-1B Visas Still Available for 2010

In a remarkable about-face from the past few years, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced today that after a week of receiving petitions for H-1B nonimmigrant visas, the 65,000 cap for the coming fiscal year hasn’t been reached. For the past several years, the USCIS has received far more petitions for H-1B […]

It’s 9 A.M. Do You Know Where Your HR Records Are?

In the last Advisor, we covered issues surrounding electronic recordkeeping. Today, more principles plus how to get your questions answered at a timely BLR webinar on this increasingly relevant HR topic. Electronic recordkeeping is wonderful in many ways, but the pitfalls are varied and deep, as we saw in yesterday’s issue. To skirt those danger […]

Stepping Up Security with Panic Buttons

Wisconsin lawmakers and others working in the state capitol in Madison now have access to panic buttons. The devices have been installed underneath the desks of legislators, aides, and other officials. Reportedly, the buttons were introduced with the arrival of a new capitol police chief who has also increased the numbers of citations and arrests […]

Leave Policies: Why You Can’t Automatically Terminate A Disabled Employee Whose Leave Runs Out

Zenaida Garcia-Ayala was working as a secretary for drug manufacturer Lederle Parenterals Inc. when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Lederle held her job open during several disability leaves while she underwent multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and ultimately a bone marrow transplant. But when Garcia-Ayala’s leave finally ran out, the company fired her. She then filed […]

IT Cracking Down on March Madness—Unless You’re the Boss

March Madness is here, and it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement if you’re a sports fan. But before you try to sneak a peek at scores at your work station, you may want to think twice. One-third of IT professionals will take some action to prepare for March Madness, according to a […]

Behavioral Health in U.S. Is Improving, Says SAMHSA Report

In its most recent National Behavioral Health Barometer report, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) highlights many important trends in behavioral health across the nation. Results from the report suggest the behavioral health of the United States is improving. The Barometer reports no change in the level of adults seeking treatment for serious mental illness, which […]

News Notes: EDD Rescinds New Pregnancy Disability Policy

Last month we reported that the California Employment Development Department announced it would pay maternity disability benefits only for the time period a woman is actually disabled from working rather than for the four weeks before childbirth and six weeks after (or eight for a cesarean). The agency has now abruptly reversed itself-and reinstated the […]