Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Telecommuting has gained in popularity in the past few years as employers look for ways to keep their businesses going during natural disasters and to help employees have a better work-life balance and cope with high gas prices. Telecommuting also can be a benefit to keep good employees when there isn’t enough money for raises […]
President Bush has proposed important changes to the types of retirement accounts available to American workers. The changes are designed to make retirement savings simpler and more attractive. The president proposes to create Employer Retirement Savings Accounts (ERSAs), which would streamline, consolidate, and simplify the maze of employer-sponsored plans, including 401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), 403(b), and […]
The debate over a national ergonomics standard continues. The Bush administration is currently reviewing the new ergonomics rules, and at least 31 lawsuits have been filed challenging them. Plus, the question of whether there is scientific support for the standard is still open. A long-awaited study by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that some […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Whatever you felt about it, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—arguably the most far-reaching piece of social legislation in the last several decades—is now law. Employers around the country—including BLR—are scrambling to figure out what the upcoming changes mean. It’s a huge challenge because federal regulators haven’t […]
Employees who want to help victims of Hurricane Sandy through leave donation may do so without being taxed on the monetary value of the vacation days, sick days and personal leave they donate, the IRS announced Nov. 6. In a leave donation program, employees forgo vacation, sick or personal leave and return it to their […]
Ernie Ruiz, a driver for Sysco Food Services of San Diego, was accused by a co-worker of brandishing a knife in an argument over a jacket. Ruiz was sent home, Sysco employees called police, and the next day, Ruiz—who denied the accusations—was terminated for violent and threatening conduct. He sued for defamation arising out […]
Can my employee take FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) leave to care for a domestic partner’s child?
Employers take many steps to try to prevent the loss of trade secrets. You ask employees to sign nondisclosure agreements, implement security systems and train your workforce on how to keep information confidential. Despite your best efforts, a breach sometimes occurs and your trade secrets end up in a competitor’s hands. In a new case, […]