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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 […]

Work Schedules: The Secret to Improved Employee Morale and Retention

Work schedules do more than merely dictate when employees clock in and out. Employers must understand that schedules are a powerful tool that can empower employees, enhance their morale, and improve retention rates. This was further emphasized in our recent report, The State of the Hourly Worker, which revealed that 79% of shift workers agree […]

4 New Trends in Job Recruitment in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic

More than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic upended the nature of work as we knew it, it’s no surprise that there has also been a transformation in how people are recruited and hired for work. As a cascade of layoffs in hard-hit sectors flooded the labor market with job candidates and as other fields […]

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4 Common, Practical Problems in Employment Manuals

Every HR professional struggles, sweats, and possibly rips their hair out (if they have any) over what to put into an employment manual and how best to minimize litigation for their company in the future. Worrying exclusively about liability rather than practicality, however, can lead to significant concerns. Here some common issues with employment manuals.

Untouchable? Disciplining employees for disability-caused misconduct

by Nikki Hall and Eugene Park HR professionals regularly implement employee discipline and are adept at navigating the waters of reasonable accommodations for disabled employees. Mingling those two issues, however, can sometimes pull an employer in opposite directions when it’s responding to, for example, a chronically tardy employee suffering debilitating side effects from medication or […]

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.

Study Reveals Top Employee Caregiving Challenges Employers Need to Understand

Caregiving has been labeled a national health crisis by the National Alliance for Caregiving. According to a Gallup-Healthways survey, over 20% of employees are providing traditional caregiving to family members. As a result of their caregiving responsibilities, 70% report work-related difficulties and as many as 70% struggle with depression and other health issues. Caregiving also […]

Required certification for FMLA/CFRA leave

FMLA and CFRA leave requirements have a lot of overlap, but there are some important distinctions for employers to be aware of. Some of these can be found in the area of medical certifications required for the employee to take the leave. For example, did you know that a California employer should not use the […]

Ways to Reduce Employee Commuting Stress and Cost

Having a long or frustrating commute is something many employees deal with every day. This affects a lot of different things. Employees may arrive to work frustrated, which can impact their ability to be productive early in the day; it can make it more difficult to come to work during inclement weather; and it can […]