Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
“Equal pay for equal work” is a key talking point for President Obama’s re-election platform, and last night’s presidential debate gave both candidates the chance to discuss the growing issue of pay disparity between male and female employees. While Gov. Mitt Romney’s “binders full of women” comment in response to a question on this issue […]
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, Californians will go to the polls to vote in the presidential primary election—and this means it’s time for California employers to brush up on their voting leave and posting compliance duties. Here’s a quick checklist you can use:
If you have employees who drive motor vehicles for work purposes, it’s important to take a close look at whether you’re doing all you can to ensure employees drive safely and avoid accidents—and your best bet is to implement a comprehensive driver safety program. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an […]
Surveys consistently show that managing Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) issues is one of the most time-consuming—and annoying—areas HR professionals tackle. BLR’s experts at Compensation.BLR.comshare answers to some of the trickier questions they get. Q. The law defines a health condition as serious if the employee is treated by a healthcare provider for more […]
Following on the heels of a recent California Supreme Court ruling that approved mandatory arbitration agreements for employment disputes, California appellate courts continue to enforce arbitration provisions between employers and employees. In the latest case, a California Court of Appeal required the arbitration of an employment claim even though the employee had never signed an […]
Changes to California’s disability bias laws, which took effect Jan. 1, 2001, broadened the class of disabled persons to include those with conditions that make a major life activity “difficult.” This new definition of a disability is a more lenient standard than the “substantial limitation” of a major life activity that was previously required under […]
In the December 2006 issue of the California Employer Advisor, we reported on a new ruling in which a California appeals court ruled that placing a video surveillance camera in an employees’ office, without notice, could amount to an invasion of privacy. This was true even though no actual viewing or recording of the employees […]
Providing references for current and former employees can be tricky. Improperly handling such requests can lead to lawsuits and claims from both the individual and the new employer. Each state sets its own thresholds for liability arising from employment references. Regardless of location, employers should exercise caution and err on the side of providing too […]
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that the number of injuries and illnesses in private industry workplaces continued to edge down in 2001. The 2001 rate of 5.7 injury-and-illness cases per 100 full-time workers was not only an 8% decline from 2000 but also the lowest rate since the agency began reporting this […]