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IRS Issues Alternative Per Diems for 2013

Employers and plan administrators have more options now in choosing a way to reimburse the expenses their employees incur for lodging, meals and incidentals during business travel. The IRS in Notice 2012-63 issued per diem rates that are an alternative to the CONUS per diem rates the U.S. General Services Administration issues. The notice also […]

Fighting Warm-Weather Dress Code Violations

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 […]

HR Feud Survey

HRHero is inviting all our HR and business friends to participate in our new HR Feud survey, where you’ll tell your opinion on employment law and HR issues. Then during lunch at the upcoming Advanced Employment Issues Symposium (AEIS), conference participants can see if they can guess the most popular answers to our survey questions. […]

News Notes: NLRB Ruling Makes It Harder To Withdraw Union Recognition

In an important ruling for unionized employers, the National Labor Relations Board has overturned 50 years of precedent and changed the rules for employers who wish to withdraw recognition of a union that may have lost majority support. Under the old rule, an employer could withdraw recognition based on a good-faith belief that the union […]

IRS Streamlines Employer Health Coverage Reporting in Proposed Rules

Self-insured employers may not have to report the portion of the premium they pay, because that is not needed to determine if an individual is covered by “minimum essential coverage.” That’s one of a number of reporting items removed or reduced in IRS proposed health care reform rules detailing and streamlining reports on coverage offered […]

Administration to Release Long-Awaited Family Leave Proposal Jan. 30

Regulations implementing expansions to the Family and Medical Leave Act will be proposed Monday, the White House announced today. The 2009 legislative amendments added FMLA coverage for caregivers of wounded and ill service members and veterans. It also provided eligible employees the ability to take FMLA leave to tend to “qualifying exigencies” stemming from a […]

Employers Will Bear Burden of Filling Reform Fund to Stabilize Individual Market

Employers that sponsor health plans are bracing themselves for a significant tax hit under health reform. Health reform’s transitional reinsurance program, which will require insurers and self-funded plans to pay billions of dollars to partly reimburse commercial insurers writing individual policies for patients with very high medical costs, imposes large costs on employers to further […]

HHS relaxes state insurance exchange decision deadlines

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires states to establish health insurance exchanges to provide individuals and small employers with access to affordable insurance coverage beginning January 1, 2014. States have the flexibility to design and operate exchanges that best meet their needs while complying with the ACA’s statutory and regulatory standards. A state that chooses […]

Discrimination: Huge Verdict for LA Firefighter

A jury in Los Angeles has returned a $6.2 million verdict to Brenda Lee, a former Los Angeles firefighter who claimed she was the victim of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation because she is African American and a lesbian. The award included $3.5 million in back and future wages and benefits, plus $2.5 million for emotional […]

Stay one Step Ahead of DOL’s Misclassification Efforts

What do short stories by O. Henry and independent contractor analysis have in common? You’re left guessing the outcome until the very end, says attorney Deanna Brinkerhoff. DOL is cracking down on classification, and that makes it a good time to evaluate your organization’s classification decisions. DOL estimates that 30 percent of employers misclassify some […]