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EEOC Discrimination Charges Set Records in 2009

According to an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announcement yesterday, 93,277 workplace discrimination charges, the second highest level of charges ever filed with the agency, were filed in 2009. Additionally, the EEOC obtained over $376 million in monetary relief for discrimination victims in 2009. The EEOC received a record high number of private-sector charges alleging […]

Are College Alums Displacing High School Grads in the Workforce?

One-third of hiring managers and HR professionals said they are hiring more employees with college degrees for positions that were historically held by high school graduates, according to a recent CareerBuilder® survey. This hiring trend varies across industries: Financial Services—53 percent Healthcare—40 percent Manufacturing—38 percent Transportation & Utilities—37 percent Information Technology—33 percent Professional & Business […]

Michigan Firm Wins Reprieve From Contraceptive Mandate

In other legal action over health reform’s inclusion of reproductive services as mandated benefits, one company blocked the government from forcing it to include contraception coverage in its health plan coverage. The injunction in Legatus v. Sebelius, 2012 WL 5359630 (E.D. Mich., Oct. 31, 2012) was at the request of Weingartz Supply, a for-profit outdoor […]

Senate confirms Acosta as secretary of labor

On April 27, the Senate confirmed Alexander Acosta as secretary of labor by a vote of 60-38.  Eight Democrats joined the Republican majority in voting for President Donald Trump’s nominee, completing Trump’s Cabinet just shy of his 100th day in office. Acosta, a former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member, previously served as assistant attorney […]

Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Paperback Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling paperback business books as ranked by the New York Times on November 24. 1. The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shales. A reinterpretation of the New Deal and the Great Depres­sion. 2. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by […]

NLRB coming after employer’s blog/internet policy

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed a complaint against a Connecticut company, claiming that it illegally fired an employee for comments she made on Facebook. The complaint also alleges that the employer maintained an overly broad blogging and internet posting policy.

News Notes: New Fed/OSHA Ergonomics Rules May Be On Hold

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have blocked funding for new national ergonomics rules intended to reduce repetitive motion injuries in the workplace. The rules, which would affect an estimated 27 million employees whose jobs involve repetitive tasks or manual labor, would impose heavier burdens on employers than existing California standards. The vote prevents […]

Deferral Rates Beat Asset Allocation, Fund Choice for Retirement Goals

Plan sponsors and participants both want to ensure better retirement savings but they often wonder which factor in the process matters most. A study from Putnam Institute suggests sticking with the obvious: The higher the deferral rate during an employee’s working life, the greater the long-term returns. Despite intense focus on fund performance in the […]

E-Alert Item: New Opinion Letter Explains Guidelines for Paying Exempt Workers During Temporary Shutdowns

If you’re planning to close your doors for the holidays to help trim costs, and you want exempt employees to use up their accrued vacation during this period, you may want to review whether your plans comply with state wage and hour rules regarding exempt employees. A recent opinion letter from the state Division of […]