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How Your HR Department Can Develop an Ethical Stance on AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace is rapidly progressing from fantasy to a pervasive reality impacting the entire employee journey, from hire to retire. It’s an exciting time for our industry, with great opportunities ahead. However, I also believe that our industry should not breathlessly rush to deploy ever more powerful yet poorly understood capabilities […]

California

Employer’s Past Practices Can Actually Expand Liability for Failure to Accommodate

In this case involving police recruits who were injured during training at the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Police Academy, the court confirmed that an employee may not be a qualified individual for purposes of a discrimination claim but may be a qualified individual for purposes of a failure-to-accommodate claim. The case also illustrates how an employer’s past practices can affect the scope of its duties to disabled employees under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

independent contractor

Economic Reality Check: Is Your Independent Contractor an Employee in Disguise?

The traditional lines between contractors and employees are fading fast as outsourcing continues to gain popularity. The “gig” economy leads people to pursue freelance careers, working several jobs or maintaining a “side hustle.” Technological advancements allow more flexibility in where, when, and how jobs are completed, further blurring traditional distinctions between contractors and employees. Yet […]

Massachusetts

Commission Structure Doesn’t Justify Failure to Pay Wages Due at Termination

Commission payments often make up a significant portion of the compensation paid to employees who work in sales. The structure of commission payments varies from industry to industry and from region to region, but commissions serve the same basic purpose: financially motivating employees to increase their sales with the promise of receiving higher income.

When Opportunity Knocks, Will You Open the Door?

Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered these thoughts on Lincoln, leadership, and opportunity in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter: It’s Lincoln’s second item—opportunities will present themselves—that I believe is most overlooked by those supposedly seeking opportunity. Often we are looking so hard for a certain opportunity or for opportunity to look a specific way […]

Name, Sex, and (Not) DOB? Connecticut Bill Could Ban Asking About Age

In January, Connecticut joined the growing lists of states that have banned employers from asking about an applicant’s salary history. Now, during the state’s 2019 legislative session, a new bill is making the rounds that could ban Connecticut employers from inquiring about an applicant’s age.

Comp Thinking That Pleases the CFO and the CEO

Rather than basing promotions and their associated salary increases on acquired knowledge and certifications, says Epps, who is managing partner of EP2S Compensation Solutions, LLC, base them on competencies. A competency-based job evaluation system is a method of structuring and evaluating broadly defined jobs based on a demonstrated level of job complexity and job accountability, […]

Making Every Employee Feel Valued: The Link Between Gratitude and Employee Mattering

Have you ever wondered why some teams are bursting with energy and innovation, effortlessly achieving their goals, while others struggle to find their rhythm? The secret often lies not in skills or talent but in feeling valued. Imagine being an employee who knows your contributions are not only recognized but deeply appreciated. In such an […]

Recognizing Differences While Celebrating Similarities

Issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have been top-of-mind for many organizations over the past several months as the country continues to mourn George Floyd and heal from other racial injustices that have been ever-present in the media as organizations of all kinds sound a rallying cry for better behavior, more inclusion and […]