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E-Alert Item: Most Employers Don’t Offer Holiday Bonuses, Survey Shows

According to a new survey from human resource consulting firm Hewitt Associates, most companies don’t offer holiday bonuses. Out of 432 employers surveyed, 67% won’t offer any type of bonus for the holidays this year–this includes cash, food or other types of gifts. Since 1999, the percentage of employers not offering bonuses has hovered between […]

Bulletin Item: Gov. Davis Signs Several Employer-related Pieces of Legislation

The newly signed laws expand privacy procedures for Social Security numbers (SB 25), provide leave for crime victims and their families (SB 478), mandate that state government contractors provide domestic partner benefits (AB 17 and AB 205), and require employers to protect workers from sex harassment by nonemployees (AB 76). We’ll have all the details […]

Wal-Mart Hit with Mega-Million Verdict for Missed Breaks

A jury in Alameda County has slapped Wal-Mart with a $172 million verdict for denying employees legally required lunch breaks. The verdict came in after just three days of juror deliberation, following a four-month trial in the class-action lawsuit, which filed back in 2002 against the retail giant. Wal-Mart has said it plans to appeal.

New Hourly Rates For Exempt Computer Pros

Under California wage and hour law, computer software professionals can qualify for overtime exemption if they meet certain duties requirements and are paid a specified hourly rate, set annually based on inflation rates by the state Department of Industrial Relations. On Jan. 1, 2007, the minimum hourly rate for exempt computer software professionals will be […]

Taxmageddon on the Horizon?

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor Taxmageddon is coming says Michael Aitken, SHRM’s Vice President, Government Affairs. If no action is taken by Congress, things could get especially tough for government contractors and military suppliers. What’s Taxmageddon? Taxmageddon comes at the end of 2012, when the payroll tax and unemployment benefits extension […]

Bulletin: San Francisco minimum wage goes up

As of Jan. 1, 2008, employees who work in San Francisco (including temporary and part-time workers) must be paid at least $9.36 per hour (up from $9.14). Visit the SFGov.org website to access the required minimum wage poster. Remember that the state’s minimum wage jumps to $8.00 per hour on the first of the year. […]

Staffing Companies See Profits Gain Despite High Unemployment 

U.S. staffing companies are seeing a gain in 2010 profits despite a 26-year high in the national unemployment rate, reports Bloomberg’s Steve Matthews and Anthony Feld. Private companies hired fewer new employees last month than they did in each of the previous 10, with hiring the weakest on record since January. However, this has created […]

News Notes: New Health And Safety Guidance

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released two new useful publications to address workplace health and safety risks. First, OSHA has a new guide to help international business travelers avoid health risks. You can download the guide on the OSHA website. Second, OSHA has prepared a Heat Stress Card, which contains valuable information for […]