Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by David S. Fortney and Judith E. Kramer Effective February 28, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is changing its approach to compliance audits and enforcement proceedings related to how contractors pay their workers. The changes effectively open nearly every federal contractor’s actions, policies, and practices on compensation to […]
Responding to a surge of discrimination complaints from employees of Middle-Eastern descent following the events of Sept. 11, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has released two new fact sheets to answer questions about the employment of Muslims, Arabs, South Asians and Sikhs. One fact sheet is geared toward employers, the other for employees. The […]
A bipartisan accord to fund the federal government until Jan. 15 and raise the government’s debt ceiling until Feb. 7, was reached by leaders in the U.S. Senate on Oct. 16, but the final agreement did virtually nothing to change the health care reform law. The only part of the compromise affecting health care reform […]
Warning a new employee that coworkers might behave offensively won’t get you off the hook for being sued for harassment. When Larhonda Williams interviewed for a receptionist position with Snyder Roofing and Sheet Metal, the company told her she would be exposed to coarse language on the job, and she said she could handle it. […]
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has implemented the first major changes to the EEO-1 Report in decades. EEO-1 Reports must be filed annually by employers with 100 or more employees, or employers with federal government contracts of $50,000 or more and 50 or more employees. The EEO-1 Report provides the federal government with […]
Employers of all types and sizes should take note of a new study released by the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. The report, “Caregivers in the Workplace: Family Responsibilities Discrimination Litigation Update 2016,” identifies workplace trends that have led to rapid growth in lawsuits brought by […]
A little-noticed law that goes into effect on January 1, 1999, may enable companies to eliminate or reduce waiting periods for new hires who want to participate in 401(k) plans. Many employers are reluctant to immediately allow new employees to join 401(k) plans. The primary reason is that their typically lower contributions can pull down […]
As Minnesota’s cabin season kicks into high gear, employers may find themselves fielding a familiar request: “Can I work remotely?” For many employees, the ask is simply a lifestyle preference—a desire to swap the office for a deck overlooking the water. But for others, the request may be rooted in a medical condition that makes […]
United Healthcare of Florida, Inc., has agreed to shell out $1.8 million in back pay and damages to resolve a same-sex harassment and retaliation lawsuit. The suit, filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), charged that a male regional vice president subjected a male senior account executive at the company’s Sunrise, Fla., office […]
The best defense against Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits, whatever their motivation: Comply with the letter … and the spirit … of the law. Andrew Imparato doesn’t want you to get sued for failure to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That’s rather ironic since, as president of the American Association of People […]