Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The Labor Department has extended the comment period for its proposed rule to provide minimum wage and overtime protections for in-home companions by nine days, the agency announced in a March 9 release. The division published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register on Dec. 27, 2011, with a comment period originally set […]
HRDA readers respond to our CEO’s suggestion that the gender pay gap isn’t decreasing faster because women simply often don’t know how to ask for more. A few Fridays ago, our CEO, Bob Brady, ignited a bit of a firestorm in this space with his column on why … and to what degree … women […]
Wal-Mart’s executive vice president of benefits recently drafted a memo to the board of directors proposing ways for the company to save on health care costs by attracting a “healthier, more productive workforce.” Among other things, the memo suggested that all jobs at Wal-Mart be redefined to include some level of physical activity–such as requiring […]
It’s a common situation. You send some employees to required continuing education courses after work. Others attend classes simply to learn more about your business or industry. Are the employees entitled to pay for the time they spend in class? Probably not, according to a recent U.S. Depart- ment of Labor opinion. But you might […]
By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor Experienced managers tend to talk trash about their “millennials,” their lack of loyalty, their other undesirable traits, but business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald (The Oswald Letter) thinks there’s a lot of potential in these young workers if you’re willing to unleash it. I’m not much […]
Leave for Crime Victims and Their Families Under SB 478, employees who are the victims of serious crimes and relatives and domestic partners of crime victims can take unpaid leave from work to attend legal proceedings. This new law applies to all employers, regardless of how many employees you have. Be sure to immediately update […]
A relatively new form of insurance, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) became popular in the 1990s after the 1991 Civil Rights Act amendments increased the frequency of discrimination claims in the workplace. EPLI typically covers defense costs, judgments and settlements of employment issues ranging from sexual harassment to wrongful termination. While many employers do not […]
Recent and soon-to-be college graduates often bemoan or revel in their grade point averages (GPAs), depending on the number, as they apply for postgraduation employment. Even those in the workforce for several years often keep their GPA as an important line item on their résumés.
As temperatures rise across California, Cal/OSHA is stepping up enforcement of heat illness prevention requirements at outdoor worksites across the state. The agency targets employers who evade the law, which protects employees from heat-related illness. Enforcement efforts include statewide traveling “heat sweeps.” These are local district actions launched when temperatures soar and workers are at […]
The federal Transportation Department’s announcement banning texting by drivers of commercial vehicles is sure to make employers think twice about their policies even if they don’t have trucks or buses on the road. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made the announcement January 26 that an interpretation of standing rules prohibits texting by drivers of commercial […]