Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Gender identity disorder is a medically recognized condition in which a person’s gender identity doesn’t match his genetic sex. In some cases, the recommended standard of care is counseling and sex reassignment therapy, which includes representing yourself as the gender corresponding to your identity, hormone replacement therapy, and, eventually, gender reassignment surgery. Although federal law […]
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it intends to make big changes to child labor provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The DOL has released a proposal that would strengthen existing youth employment regulations to protect against workplace hazards and expand certain youth workplace opportunities that have been judged safe and […]
California public employees will pay more for doctor visits and prescription drugs in order to hold health care premium increases to 6%, rather than the 15% to 18% hike that had been projected for next year based on HMO bids. The decision by the nation’s largest public pension fund marks a shift toward employees picking […]
The State Assembly recently passed a bill (AB196) that would prohibit employment discrimination based on perceived gender, which includes trans-gender individuals and those who do not fit gender stereotypes. In Washington, the House passed a bill (HR 100) that would permit employers to offer retirement investment advice to employees and require that employers provide plan […]
Unless you have spent this week on another planet, you have heard that the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing three days of arguments on the health care form law passed by Congress in 2010. The Court is expected to hand down a decision by the end of June. On Tuesday, day two of the hearings, […]
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) are increasingly recognized as a valid and important business goal. Being inclusive of a diverse staff exposes the organization to insights based on that group’s background, experiences, and perceptions of the world around it.
In a recent meeting with President Vicente Fox of Mexico, a delegation of American senators led by Senator Phil Gramm (R-Texas) pledged to initiate a new guest worker program that would bring Mexican workers into the U.S. and effectively grant amnesty to as many as 7 million Mexicans currently working here illegally. According to Gramm, […]
In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held April 16 that because an employee received an individual settlement offer that fully satisfied her Fair Labor Standard Act claims, her individual and collective action claims could not go forward. The Court said that after her employer made an “Offer of Judgment” for the full amount […]
The federal Department of Labor has launched a new Web page to help employers comply with posting requirements for a number of federal laws. By answering a series of questions, you can determine which federal posters you must display and then print them directly from the Internet. The Web page also lists who to contact […]
In the November 2002 article, we reported on a California appeals court ruling that veganism–which is the refusal to eat and use any animal products–doesn’t qualify as a religion under state workplace discrimination laws. Now the California Supreme Court has refused the vegan’s plea to review the appellate court’s decision. As a result of the […]