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EEOC to Update, Simplify Leave Guidance
To alleviate confusion among employers, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said it plans to clarify and update its guidance on leave as a workplace accommodation. In a June 8 meeting, commissioners offered their insight and took suggestions from stakeholders. “I’ve been told that many employers have difficulty with leave as an accommodation,” said Stuart […]
Employment Law Tip: Nine Tips for Hosting a Safe Holiday Party
Like many other employers, you may be planning an office holiday party. But don’t get carried away with the excitement of the festivities and forget about keeping your employees safe and avoiding liability. Serving employees alcohol at company-sponsored parties can have serious and sometimes tragic consequences for your workers and your organization. If an employee […]
Arbitration Of Disputes: Recent Cases Offer Insight Into When Courts Will Enforce—Or Throw Out—Flawed Arbitration Agreements
When the California Supreme Court approved mandatory arbitration for employment disputes last year, one question left unanswered was how existing arbitration agreements that don’t meet all the standards the court set forth would be handled. The contrasting approaches taken in two recent Court of Appeal decisions provide some guidance as to how the line will […]
News Notes: New Survey About Family-Friendly Benefits
What are employers doing to help employees balance work and family needs? A survey by the Families and Work Institute of 1,000 employers with 100+ employees reveals that 90% of the employers gave workers time off to attend school events, and half let employees stay home with a mildly sick child without using vacation or […]
News Notes: EEOC Proposes Update of EEO-1 Reporting Rules
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has proposed changes to the EEO-1 form, which must be filed annually by private employers with 100 or more employees and some federal contractors with 50 or more employees. The changes would increase the number of categories for reporting racial and ethnic background and split the existing “officers and managers” […]
Short Takes: IRS Standard Mileage Rate
Has the IRS permanently changed the standard mileage reimbursement rate?
McDonald’s Workers Get $1.45 Million For Breaks Violations
Employment Law Tip: Shopping for a Retirement Plan Consultant
Under federal employee benefits law, fiduciaries of employee benefit plans must administer and manage their plans prudently and in the interest of the plan’s participants and beneficiaries. In carrying out these important duties, plan fiduciaries often rely heavily on pension consultants and other professionals for help. But sometimes these consultants fail to disclose potential conflicts […]
Rule on Reform’s Reinsurance Fee Clarifies Payments for Health Plans
Employer-sponsored plans that are secondary to Medicare are not subject to health reform’s expensive transitional reinsurance fee, nor are health flexible spending arrangements, health savings accounts and most health reimbursement arrangements. On March 11, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published its final regulation on the transitional reinsurance fee, which takes effect […]