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Court: Employers Can Condition Health Benefit on Wellness Participation

An employer may require its workers to participate in a wellness program in order to receive health insurance benefits, a federal district court has ruled, dismissing a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Granting summary judgment for the employer, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin said it disagreed […]

News Notes: “Mailbox Rule” Applies To Benefit Plan Claims

Karla Schikore, a Bank of America employee, resigned and requested a lump-sum payment of her retirement benefits. She swore that she’d mailed the bank a form electing to receive lump-sum benefits more than a year before, as required under the terms of the bank’s retirement plan. Unfortu-nately, the bank said it had never received the […]

Aggressive NLRB Has Surprises for HR

Special from BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium Unions are desperate, says attorney Kevin McCormick, because their numbers are down and many of the things they once promised workers (like safer workplaces) are now mandated by government agencies. The result? They’re getting aggressive in new ways. As an example of new union tactics, McCormick points to […]

NLRB Settles Facebook Case

Late last year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) came after a Connecticut employer, claiming that it had illegally fired an employee over comments she made about her supervisor on Facebook.

News Notes: Courts Disagree Over Retroactivity Of Disability Bias Law

We earlier reported on a ruling by a California Court of Appeal in Los Angeles that a new law broadening California’s disability bias statutes, effective Jan. 1, 2001, was a major change that could not be applied retroactively. Now a different appeals court in Los Angeles has come to the opposite conclusion, holding that the […]

Workplace Diversity, Part 1: 4 Reasons You Should Implement a Diversity Program and 4 Ways to Get Started Today

In earlier articles we reported on two new U.S. Supreme Court affirmative action decisions with implications for workplace diversity programs. Cultivating and maintaining a diverse workforce is a complex and ongoing process, and it’s not always easy to know how to proceed. This two-part series will address why organizations adopt diversity programs, ways to get […]

E-Verify Requirement for Contractors Delayed

The federal government has decided to delay implementation of a rule that requires federal contractors to use E-Verify to verify their employees’ eligibility to work in the United States. The rule was scheduled to take effect January 15; implementation has now been delayed until February 20. We’ll keep you posted.

News Notes: Big Disability Verdict Over Physical Agility Test

A San Bernardino jury’s $1.45 million verdict for a disabled employee underscores the importance of making sure that physical agility tests actually measure the ability to perform essential job functions. Judy Tousignant was a part-time juvenile hall counselor for San Bernardino County for eight years. In a physical agility test required for promotion to a […]

Think Teen Workers Not Harassed? Think Again

Teens tend to be especially vulnerable to sexual harassment. They are new to the ways of the workplace and they are reluctant to report wrongdoing. However, although they may not be sure what their rights are, judges and juries surely will be. We turned to The HR Red Book® by BLR® for guidance. "Because of […]

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 April 19. 1. The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The evolving business of football, viewed through the rise of the left tackle Michael Oher. 2. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can […]