Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Nearly 75% of employers nationwide—more than double the number from 1997—actively monitor employees’ phone calls, voice mail, e-mail, Internet use and computer files, according to a new survey by the American Management Association. The financial services industry had the highest incidence of electronic monitoring, with over 90% of employers engaging in such activities. The survey […]
The national median jury award in employment-practice liability cases, which includes discrimination and wrongful termination claims, rose 18 percent in 2003 to $250,000, according to a new report from Jury Verdict Research. At the same time, the compensatory award median for discrimination cases—including age, race, disability, and sex bias—fell slightly by 2 percent to $232,322. […]
Could I get some clarification on whether we owe overtime on predetermined bonuses? We pay a production bonus to our assembly workers when they hit certain production levels. The bonus is not a great amount of money, but it does seem to keep production levels up. Now we’ve heard that we should somehow be paying […]
We’ve recently elaborated on why your organization should foster a more transparent company culture, and here we will elaborate on what you can do to actually implement this type of culture.
A disaster or tragedy is not over for workers simply because the event has ended, says the American Psychological Association. While humans are remarkably resilient, not everyone bounces back from a dreadful event with equal speed. As many as 20 percent of catastrophe survivors develop full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder, a clinical condition characterized by flashbacks, […]
Several bills pending in Congress could impact your pension plans. HR 1102 would increase the amount workers can contribute to 401(k) accounts and require faster vesting of matching employer contributions. It would also introduce new Roth 401(k)s and 403(b)s, allowing employees to contribute after-tax dollars but receive tax-free retirement benefits. Another measure, S 659, would […]
The California Supreme Court has issued two new decisions of importance to employers.
As the Principal Financial Group® was conducting its wellness survey (see yesterday’s Advisor), Cornell University was conducting a wellness survey of its own—and demonstrating the importance of assessing needs before implementing. The responses of the 1,400 people who completed Cornell’s survey gave its wellness program clear indicators of where to focus its efforts. It also […]
There is some persistent confusion over what the implementation of the health reform law means for health flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts. The short answer is that with one exception, employers and plan administrators must follow different steps for health FSAs and HSAs. Understanding these steps is crucial, because the time to prepare […]