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Is Sloth the Worst Compensation Sin?

[Go here for sins 1 to 4 and a bonus sin] Sin 5. Envy Envy makes managers do things that aren’t appropriate for the company. For example: Empire building. Trying to add more positions that aren’t important for the company to achieve its goals. Copycatting. The other department head has a French-speaking assistant; I want […]

DOL’s Final Independent Contractor Rule Returns to Six-Factor Test

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published its final rule on the classification of workers as either employees or independent contractors (ICs). Under the rule, the DOL returns to the “totality of the circumstances test,” with a focus on workers’ economic dependency on their employers. Why Properly Determining Worker Status Is Important Whether a […]

Appellate Court Rules for Employer on Interactive Process Issue

In a recent decision, the Appellate Division, Second Department ruled an employer’s alleged failure to engage in the “interactive process” wasn’t an independent element of a disability discrimination claim under the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL). Read on to understand what this decision means for your business and why it is normally always […]

All Aboard: You Can’t Change Healthcare Unless Your Members Opt In

Why do half the people who need healthcare opt out, choosing not to utilize their healthcare benefits? It’s the foundational question that, despite recent expansions of employee benefits offerings and the litany of digital health point solutions, continues to frustrate benefits managers and their employers. My career experience with both healthcare provider systems and healthcare […]

Shopify Requires AI Assessment for Applicants 

Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke has made it clear: in the age of AI, traditional headcount justifications won’t cut it. In a memo recently shared with employees—and posted publicly— Lutke announced that Shopify staff must prove that they can’t accomplish a task using AI before requesting additional resources or headcount. This move reflects a broader shift […]

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Balancing the Free-Speech Rights of Employees and Employers

Everywhere you turn in 2018, people are talking about politics. That includes your workplace. Since President Donald Trump’s election in November 2016, it seems like you can’t escape the constant drumbeat of other people’s political messages. With so much political talk in the air, what can an employer do to ensure that its employees’ speech […]

Sorry, You Didn’t Get the Promotion

If Mike (less successful as a salesperson but more qualified for sales manager) gets the promotion, how do you minimize the risk that Sara (the superstar salesperson who was less qualified to be manager) will be upset? (Go here for the first part of the story.) Janove, author of the  The Star Profile, suggests that […]

‘Comp’ Time Confuses FMLA ‘Hours Worked’ Eligibility

This content was originally published in January 2010. For the latest FMLA regulation changes, visit our FMLA article archives or try our practical FMLA compliance guide. An employee is eligible for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) if, among other things, he or she has worked for the employer for at […]