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EEOC Nets More than $100 Million in FY 2011 For Plaintiffs Alleging Disability Discrimination

It pays to stay off the  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s enforcement radar. Employers paid more than $100 million in fiscal 2011 to resolve disability discrimination claims enforced by the civil rights agency, it’s annual annual statistical summary. Payouts to workers alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act produced the highest increase in monetary relief […]

News Notes: Employer Never ‘Paid’ Employee Whose Paycheck Was Illegally Intercepted

  Felix C. Villafuerte complained to the Labor Commissioner that Pasadena-based Inter-Con Security Systems Inc. never paid him his final wages when he quit. Inter-Con claimed it had mailed a final paycheck to Villafuerte but that an unknown person had illegally intercepted and cashed it by forging Villafuerte’s signature. A California Court of Appeal now […]

News Bulletin: Retail Grocery Store Draft Ergonomics Guidelines Available for Review

OSHA is seeking comments on its second set of draft ergonomics guidelines for the retail industry. The guidelines, published on May 9, include ways to implement ergonomic solutions, train employees, prepare injury reports, and evaluate progress. Another section provides preventive approaches that may be used by the industry, including recommendations for specific departments in grocery […]

10 Tips for Retaining Top Performers

Start by re-recruiting your best workers. Remind them of the unique benefits provided by your company. Emphasize what your firm has to offer. Then, invest in professional development. 1. ‘Re-recruit’ your best workers. Remind them of the unique benefits provided by your company. Emphasize what your firm has to offer. 2. Invest in professional development. […]

News Notes: HIPAA Security Rules Finalized

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released final security standards under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) for protecting individually identifiable health information. The standards require health insurers and certain healthcare providers and clearinghouses to establish procedures to protect the confidentiality of electronically maintained or transmitted health information. […]

Feds Loosen Contraceptive Coverage Rules in Response to Religious Objections

To further accommodate religious organizations outraged over a health care reform requirement mandating the coverage of contraceptive care, three federal agencies — Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services — jointly issued final regulations Feb. 1 that would exempt more group health plans and policies established or maintained by certain religious organizations from the requirement, […]

Is Guidance for Electronic Discovery Clear?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we shared some surprising results from Fulbright & Jaworski’s 7th Annual Litigation Trends Survey. Today, respondents’ views on electronic discovery and HR-related suits, and an introduction to the new training system that helps avoid litigation entirely. [Go here for more survey results and details on the survey.]   Do you think the […]

Same-sex partners of state employees will keep benefits

by Dinita L. James In a bit of housecleaning after its landmark rulings in two same-sex marriage cases on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Thursday not to hear an Arizona case that was one of 10 others that had been awaiting action raising similar issues. The Court’s action is significant to employees of state […]