Most Popular

Health and Safety: New Pandemic Flu Guidance for Healthcare Workers

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has unveiled new guidance for healthcare workers and their employers on preparing for and responding to a pandemic flu, such as the avian influenza. Avian influenza—also known as bird flu—is caused by a virus that attacks wild birds and domestic poultry. A dangerous strain is rapidly infecting […]

News Notes: Self-Insured Employer On The Hook For Insolvent Insurer’s Portion Of Workers’ Comp Benefits

As some workers’ comp insurers struggle to stay afloat, you may be wondering what would happen if yours became insolvent. In a recent case, a Denny’s employee’s work-related cumulative injury occurred over a one-year period that overlapped two months with the time Denny’s was self-insured for workers’ comp. During the other 10 months, Denny’s was […]

Bulletin Item: New Cash Balance Regulations Proposed By The Treasury Department

The proposal would protect older workers during cash balance conversions by, among other measures, imposing a five-year hold harmless period. During this period the benefits earned by any employee would have to be at least as valuable as benefits under a traditional plan. The new regulations would also provide that cash balance plans do not […]

E-Alert Item: Ninth Circuit Says Biased Acts From Long Ago Can Support Lawsuit

Several African-American employees at the Naval Aviation Depot North Island in San Diego sued their employer, claiming that African-American employees at the NADNI were denied promotions over a several-year period. The Ninth Circuit said the employees couldn’t sue over many of the promotions because the employees had failed to file complaints about those promotions within […]

Wage/Hour—Good News (Courts Losing Patience), Bad News (No One’s in Compliance)

There’s good news (sort of) and bad news for employers in the outlook for 2012, say attorneys from theEmployers Counsel Network. They covered new developments in wage/hour compliance during a presentation at BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, held recently in Nashville and Las Vegas. Wage and Hour—‘No One Is in Compliance’ No one is in […]

Full 9th Circuit Refuses to Review California’s Same-sex Marriage Ban

Employers can expect continued uncertainty regarding whether they will need to adjust their plans, documents and policies to accommodate same-sex spouses. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 5 refused a petition that the full bench of the court rehear Perry v. Brown, Nos. 10-16696, 11-16577. That lets stand the ruling by a […]

News Notes: Consumer Privacy Law Takes Effect

As of July 1, 2003, a new law will require California businesses to disclose security breaches of computerized personal data. You will have to inform a California resident when you have a reasonable belief there’s been unauthorized access to their unencrypted personal information i.e., the person’s first name or initial and last name, in combination […]

News Notes: Aging Hollywood Writers Get Green Light For Lawsuits

  A California appeals court has ruled that a group of Hollywood screenwriters can proceed with 23 class action age-bias lawsuits against the major studios, television networks, talent agencies, and production companies. The lawsuits, filed by the Writers’ Guild of America, allege that the studios, networks, and production companies crafted a “youth-oriented corporate culture that indiscriminately […]