Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Whenever there’s a major power shift in government, it’s time to look at employment law again … and especially at federal-state conflicts. Just over two weeks and counting. Who’s counting? The Democratic Party, of course, anxiously awaiting the day … January 4th … that their dozen-year exile from control of Congress ends. When power shifts […]
The Treasury Department and the IRS have issued additional guidance on Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, the recently authorized tax-exempt savings accounts employees can set up to pay medical expenses. For more information, go to the Treasury Department website.
A federal court in California has thrown out a lawsuit we mentioned in the August 1999 issue of California Employer Advisor, which was filed by long-term temps contending that, even though they were paid by employee-leasing agencies, they should be considered regular Atlantic Richfield Co. employees entitled to receive benefits. The temps sought retirement benefits, […]
The Bush Administration has released new regulations addressing medical privacy rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Group health plans generally have until April 14, 2003 to comply with the new rules.
Among the bills that failed to win the governor’s approval were AB 1715, which would have prohibited employers from requiring employees to sign agreements to arbitrate Fair Employment and Housing Act claims as a condition of employment; AB 1093, which would have set a living wage for employees of state contractors; AB 1133, which would […]
One of our employees who has recently returned to work after giving birth says that we have to give her a special room and special breaks to express milk. This would hurt our productivity. Do we have to allow this? —Rachel W., HR Manager in San Francisco
San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom has signed into law the San Francisco Health Access Program, which is designed to provide health care access to all city residents by 2007. The plan is expected to cover 82,000 uninsured in San Francisco, at a cost of approximately $200 million per year. Part of the cost of the […]
In a series of recent rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court has clarified limits on the damages claimants can recover in employment discrimination cases and other lawsuits. The court paved the way for bigger verdicts by ruling that “front pay”—which compensates a victim of workplace harassment or bias until they find another comparable job—isn’t subject to […]
The state Supreme Court has left in place a ruling that forces some church-backed institutions—such as hospitals and charity organizations—to pay for workers’ contraceptive health insurance benefits. Justices turned down an appeal from a Roman Catholic organization asking the court to overturn a requirement that employers who offer prescription benefits to employees also must cover […]