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News Notes: Court Changes Its Mind On Retaliation And Religious Accommodation Cases

The federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal has reconsidered two opinions it issued last year. In one case, the court had ruled that the anti-retaliation provisions of the federal wage and hour laws don’t protect workers who are fired for griping about overtime violations directly to their employers rather than to the government. The court […]

Employment Law Tip: Voting Time Off Checklist

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:

EEOC Issues Final GINA Regs

Final regulations implementing the employment provisions (Title II) of the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) were issued today by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). GINA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants on the basis of genetic information about the employee, applicant, or their family members.

Free Leadership Report for HR Managers: Not a Ticket to Slide

The HR Daily Advisor announced today the release of a free leadership report for HR managers, Not a Ticket to Slide: 7 Most Common Accountability Excuses, which will help employers to hold employees accountable for their results. According to Rick Lepsinger, president of OnPoint Consulting, and author of Closing the Execution Gap: How Great Leaders […]

Retirement Benefits: Auto 401(k) Enrollment Good for Employees, New Survey Shows

Employers that offer automatic enrollment for their 401(k) plans significantly increase employee participation, according to an annual study conducted by Hewitt Associates. The study, which examined the savings and investing habits of over 2.6 million employees, found that the overall participation rate of employees in companies offering automatic enrollment was 14 percent higher than the […]

Employment-Related Legislation on Governor’s Desk

Last Friday, Sept. 9, was the last day for the California House and Senate to pass bills. In the last-minute flurry of activity, a number of important employment-related measures made it to Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk, and he now has until Oct. 9 to sign or veto the bills. Some of the important workplace measures now […]

News Notes: Ninth Circuit Issues Pair Of Free Speech Rulings

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a public employee whose First Amendment rights are violated can sue even if the employee wasn’t terminated or disciplined—if an adverse employment action was taken that was reasonably likely to deter the employee from engaging in constitutionally protected speech. But in another case, the same court gave […]

E-Alert Item: Bush Administration Proposes Rules on Converting to Cash-Balance Plans Without Violating Age-Bias Laws

When employers convert traditional retirement plans to cash balance plans, the conversion often results in less money for workers who are closer to retirement age. And, as a result, cash balance plans have come under fire in recent years as being unfair to older workers–and possibly illegal under federal age bias laws. But the Bush […]

News Notes: Assembly Proposes Higher Fines For Gender-Based Pay Discrimination

The California Assembly has approved a bill, A.B. 2317, that would hike the penalties for employers who violate the state’s prohibition against gender bias in pay for employees who perform jobs of equal skill, effort, and responsibility. Under the current law, employees who suffer pay discrimination can sue to recover the wage differential plus an […]