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Short Takes: Benefits
Once we hire an employee, we provide full medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage to the employee, spouse, and children. Are we able to request marriage certificates and birth certificates for eligible family members for the purpose of insurance benefits? We have found that employees will often list nonrelatives for insurance benefits (e.g., a boyfriend, […]
Family Leave: Court Says Employee’s Misleading Memo About Need for Leave Not an Adequate Notice; What’s Required
Suppose an employee asks to take vacation time over the Christmas holiday to visit his ailing parents—but he doesn’t mention that he will be caring for them during the time off. Do you have to grant the request for time off under the family and medical leave laws? A California Court of Appeal recently answered […]
Flexible Workweek Measures
Employee Leave: Update on SF Sick Leave Ordinance
On Feb. 5, 2007, San Francisco’s controversial paid sick leave law went into effect. Under the new law, all employees working in the City and County of San Francisco accrue paid sick leave at the rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 72 hours (or 40 hours for […]
BusinessWeek’s Paperback Bestseller List
BusinessWeek ranks paperback business books that are the most recent bestsellers. 1. Blink By Malcolm Gladwell (Back Bay Books $15.99) 2. J.K. Lasser’s Your Income Tax2008 By The J.K. Lasser Institute (Wiley $17.95) 3. What Color Is Your Parachute? By Richard Nelson Bolles (Ten Speed Press $18.95) 4. A Guide to the Project Management Body […]
The #1 Most-Easily-Prevented Lawsuit
Retaliation claims are on the rise, and it’s no surprise, says attorney Joseph L. Beachboard. They’re relatively easy to establish and they often pay off even when the underlying charge is not sustained—but they’re also easy to prevent. What makes retaliation suits so easy to bring? asks Beachboard, who is a shareholder in the Los […]
Safe Driving on the Job: What You Can Do to Avoid Motor Vehicle Crashes
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death at work. The highest rate of fatal work-related crashes occurs in the transportation, communications, and public utilities industries, but employees who drive on the job in any industry are at risk. Thus, if your employees […]
Deaf Federal Express Worker Wins $108,000
A federal jury in Baltimore has socked Federal Express Corporation with a $108,000 verdict for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide a deaf employee with a reasonable accommodation.
Health Care: California Health Care Reform Gets a Step Closer
The California Assembly has voted in favor of a landmark health care reform measure—A.B. x1 1, the Health Care Security and Cost Reduction Act—which is backed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. If approved there and signed by the governor, the bill would then go to voters in November […]