Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Whistleblowing has been front-page news in recent weeks. As an impeachment investigation roils the nation, we’ve heard debate about the handling of confidential complaints, speculation about the whistleblower’s identity, and discussions of the validity of the claims. What we haven’t heard, at least not yet, is a report from the whistleblower that he’s been retaliated […]
FedEx recently announced that it will offer health insurance benefits to same-sex domestic partners, according to The Commercial Appeal, a Memphis, Tennessee, newspaper. The Memphis-based company plans to begin offering the new insurance benefits beginning January 1, 2012. In the Appeal article, FedEx spokesperson Sandra Munoz noted that: FedEx employees have been asking for this […]
Traditionally, when employers have sought to prepare their work teams for big upcoming changes—e.g. new processes, a new organizational structure, new software, etc—in the workplace, the focus has been on “change management.” Speaking to an audience of human resources (HR) and employers at BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium (AEIS) in Las Vegas, keynote speaker Kelli […]
On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum for all federal agencies titled “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination.” This memo directly applies to entities which receive federal funding, such as universities receiving federal grants or federally funded state agencies. In addition, the memo advises that entities […]
Over the past 2 years, the way businesses have been run has changed dramatically. Since the early confusion that accompanied the onset of the pandemic, the business world has settled down, learned that hybrid and work-from-home business models actually do work, and started taking steps to evolve operations. This evolution has been more than simply […]
There’s a real possibility the United States will approve a COVID-19 vaccine in the coming months, but debate and uncertainty continue about when it will become public. When it happens, you’ll face the question of whether to require employees to be vaccinated, and you need to start planning now. Many of you confront a similar […]
Never before has the Equal Pay Act (EPA) gotten so much attention. In fact, “pay equity” has become a term that every employer must understand. That’s because courts have begun examining the meaning of pay equity under the EPA, and legislatures are expanding the reach of pay equity and limiting employers’ inquiries into prospective employees’ […]
Managing remote employees can be tricky, but it’s possible to overcome the challenges inherent in the hybrid workplace. Hybrid work plans, which combine in-office and remote work, are becoming increasingly popular as employees seek a balance between both models. Hybrid work plans give employees the opportunity to interact with one another in the office while […]
Thanks to cost pressures exacerbated by the Affordable Care Act, narrow-network plans have increased in popularity because of their lower premiums, but plans using such networks need to think about associated potential problems with poor provider access, balance billing and provider directory information. Detailed information about the latest regulatory and legislative measures to prevent balance […]
Most employers perform some form of background screening on prospective employees. Often, this is conducted as a condition of the job offer. The candidate proceeds through the hiring process and is made a conditional offer, and the offer proceeds if nothing negative is discovered through the screening process.