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Identifying Employee Training Needs

Anyone reading this post already agrees with the notion that training and development for employees is extremely important. But the devil is really in the details, and no detail is more important than understanding exactly what your training requires.

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Theft was Gross Misconduct, but Inconsistencies May Make COBRA Ineligibility Less Clear

When an employee is terminated due to “gross misconduct,” the termination is not considered a qualifying event, and an employer does not have to offer Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) coverage to the ex-employee (or his or her covered spouse or dependents). Neither the statute, legislative history, nor regulations specifically define the term “gross […]

I-9 Forms: Correction Considerations for Employers

Do you conduct audits on your I-9 forms? Do you have a written policy in place on how to correct deficiencies or errors? It’s important that you do, as having a policy in place before starting to correct errors can ensure you are consistent in your treatment of employees. It can also allow you to […]

Will City Slickers Give You Your Next Big Idea?

Among my favorite movies is the 1991 film City Slickers. Billy Crystal plays radio ad salesman Mitch Robbins, who is having a bit of a midlife crisis. Mitch and his two best friends decide to leave New York City to spend 2 weeks on a cattle drive in the Southwest. It’s there that Mitch meets […]

Critical HR Policies—What Are Best Practice Companies Doing?

For years, BLR® has surveyed HR and compensation/benefits professionals to find trends in policy and practice. We appreciate your participation in our series of brief, targeted surveys. Today’s survey topic: HR Policies. (We’ll publish the results in a future issue.) Please participate in this brief survey and we’ll determine what employers are doing with this […]

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Trump Administration Proposes Expanding HRA Use

Federal regulators have proposed allowing employers to sponsor health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) for their employees to go purchase health coverage on the individual market—a practice that is currently prohibited under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

IRS Announces 2017 Standard Mileage Rates

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued the 2017 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes.

’Tis the Season for Religious Accommodations

The holiday season is the busiest time of year for many employers. It’s also when you’re flooded with time-off-work requests for religious observancnes. What are your obligations when it comes to accommodating the requests? The answer is important, considering the costs associated with getting it wrong. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers […]

Tips for Creating Sound Documentation to Avoid Lawsuits by Employees

Although there’s no sure-fire method to prevent a disgruntled employee from filing a lawsuit against an employer, there’s a readily available tool that can help you defeat the majority of lawsuits: documentation. Employment lawsuits often are won or lost on the soundness and completeness of an employer’s recordkeeping practices. Here are a few tips to […]