Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Because of an important new Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, employers may now have an uphill battle to fight when faced with allegations that discrimination was one factor—even if not the only factor—in an adverse employment decision such as a termination. We’ll explain what this is about and suggest ways you can avoid this […]
California’s new workplace ergonomics rules won’t take effect until they are rewritten to make them easier to understand. The California Office of Administrative Law, which must approve all new state regulations, has just rejected the rules and asked for clarification of several different sections. The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board expects to have […]
It’s been a hot summer here in California—and in many workplaces, the rise in temperature has ushered in a rise in inappropriately dressed or scantily clad employees, which can lead to flirtatious behavior and even to a general decline in productivity and office professionalism. What can you do to keep dress code standards up when […]
An Alameda County Superior Court judge has certified a class action lawsuit on behalf of as many as 10,000 women who claim they were passed over for promotions and paid less than male colleagues at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. An attorney representing the scientists estimated that the employer may face damages of more than $250 […]
Handling employee requests for time off because of illness, injury, or a disability is undoubtedly one of the most difficult — and frustrating — parts of your job.
You’re probably among the millions of California employers eagerly awaiting a definitive ruling from the state Supreme Court about meal and rest breaks.
How health insurance exchange money is spent, which private insurance products may be offered on exchanges, who advises exchange consumers on plan choices and how well exchanges handle personal data will be under federal scrutiny, as explained in proposed program integrity rules issued by CMS on June 17. The rules also propose tweaks to existing regulatory language […]
If a nonexempt employee is sick one day of the week but works some extra hours and is paid for more than 45 hours that week, does the employee get overtime?
During a series of Web chats held last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unveiled an ambitious prevention program as part of its spring regulatory agenda. The program, known as I2P2, is a major paradigm shift for the department, and as a result, input on the development of the program will be worked […]
Emergency situations — such as the April 15 explosions during the Boston Marathon — can result in employees performing multiple job duties. For example, a store manager may have spent time cleaning up glass and debris in and around the store. This type of work does not normally qualify as the manager’s duty; however, the […]