Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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 […]
On Jan. 1, 2008, the controversial San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance went into effect, extending health coverage to uninsured residents and requiring medium- and large-sized employers to either provide employees with health benefits or pay a fee to the city to help fund the insurance program.
I came away from last week’s health care summit scratching my head. What exactly was accomplished that moved our country one step closer to resolution of the health care debate? From what I can tell, absolutely nothing. There was certainly plenty of posturing. Both Democrats and Republicans pretended to be interested in working with the […]
After 10 years of debate, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a national ergonomics standard that covered 102 million workers and took effect in January. But the much-criticized rule—which some said would cost businesses more than $100 billion per year—has now been scrapped by Congress, within weeks of President Bush’s taking office. And the […]
According to a recent survey by consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide, 15 percent of multinational companies operating in the United States already have a plan in place in the event of an avian flu outbreak. The survey of 90 multinational companies also found that 48 percent of companies operating in the United States are considering […]
In August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a new rule describing the steps an employer must take to verify an employee’s Social Security number (SSN) when it receives a “no-match” letter from the DHS or the Social Security Administration. Under the rule, employers would be required to fire employees—or face government legal action—if […]
As the Yahoo! suit against MForma Inc. highlights, things can get ugly if you suspect former employees have walked off with your trade secrets and joined a competitor. The best way to head off trade secrets disputes—and the potentially disastrous business consequences of your trade secrets getting into a competitor’s hands—is to take steps on […]
Hiring the right people is key to a company’s success. And the job interview is one of the most important ways you can assess whether someone is a good fit. So how can you get the most out of interviews? A good place to start is to ensure that the interviewer has the right skills […]
The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that United Parcel Service illegally enforced a broad no-solicitation rule that prohibited employees from distributing literature in nonwork areas during off-hours. UPS refused to allow a Teamsters union publication to be passed out in a warehouse area before work began, but routinely permitted drivers to hand out contest […]
When you offer employee perks, it’s critical to make clear whether the program is a vested benefit or a company bonus that is subject to change or cancellation. Former Hewlett-Packard engineer Mark G. Leonard is suing the high-tech giant, claiming that it cancelled a program to provide thousands of retirees lifetime rebates on its products, […]