Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Update: Mental Health Parity Changes Take Effect January 1, 2010 Congress deferred the effective date of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 to January 2010 for plans that otherwise would have been covered in 2009. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act amends the Employee […]
Fast on the heels of the latest pertinent appeals court ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court definitively announced on Nov. 14 it will decide the question of whether Congress exceeded its powers to regulate commerce when it required people to buy health insurance as part of health reform (or in the converse, whether the individual mandate is allowed […]
The California Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) is no longer in operation. State budget cutbacks eliminated the IWC, which determined wages, hours, and working conditions of employees in various occupations, trades, and industries. The agency also published wage orders. However, employers are still required to post the appropriate wage order in their workplace, and the Division […]
For the third week in a row, Congress and President Barack Obama have made changes to federal employment laws or regulations. First, it was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The next week, President Obama signed executive orders affecting federal contractors and unions. And this week brings us the stimulus plan with changes to COBRA […]
By David Slaughter, JD, Senior Legal Editor The month of July saw two hospitals reach multimillion-dollar Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy and security settlements with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Each case began with that most mundane of data breaches, the stolen laptop, but once HHS investigators started […]
Why is the Normal Retirement Age in defined benefit plans, like ours, usually age 65? Can we change our Normal Retirement Age? – Nancy C., Berkeley 400+ pages of state-specific, easy-read reference materials at your fingertips—fully updated! Check out the Guide to Employment Law for California Employers and get up to speed on everything […]
Thirty-nine percent of workers say senior executives earn more than they should, according to a survey by the staffing firm Hudson. The survey, which included 10,000 respondents, found that while 64 percent of workers said executive pay should be tied to company performance, just 38 percent of employees say the practice is applied at their […]
Fortunately we haven’t been accused of discriminating against our employees or potential hires. But with all the lawsuits we’ve been reading about lately, we want to be proactive. Do you have any strategies or advice for preventing possible discrimination claims? —Kris R., HR Director, San Jose Discrimination is a big—and often costly—issue faced by […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Bob Brady’s recent column on whether to have a “No jerks!” rule banning antagonistic empoyees brought intriguing responses. One reader expects “a little jerkiness” in everyone, and another invokes the “C.A.V.E.” rule. Here’s a sampling: “C.A.V.E. People and Loyal Oppositionists” “We’ve coined the phrase ‘C.A.V.E. people’ [standing for] […]
In yesterday’s CED, we covered issues surrounding electronic recordkeeping. Today, more principles — plus a valuable recordkeeping desk reference, specifically for California employers. 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 zones, here are more of the principles of […]