Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Mark I. Schickman It’s normal that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) changes direction with each president since presidential appointments change the composition of the five-person Board, whose members have staggered five-year terms. However, a president usually can’t make radical appointments because the Senate won’t confirm an appointee who is way out of the […]
It’s been busy recently for the federal government when it comes to implementing various health reform requirements. Here’s an overview of new guidance issued the week of Feb. 25-March 1 on health insurer fees, market reforms, the Small Business Health Options Program, multiple employer welfare arrangement regulation and information reporting. Self-insured Health Plans Exempt from […]
The list of employers’ FMLA obligations is long and the pitfalls are many. One of the earliest places to make a mistake is in the supposedly simple act of designating the leave as FMLA-qualifying. For help, we turned to the “FMLA Bible.” When the employer has enough information to determine whether the leave is being […]
Properly executed arbitration agreements can prohibit employees from bringing Fair Labor Standards Act collective actions in some federal courts. This is despite a National Labor Relations Board decision holding that mandatory arbitration for employment disputes violates the National Labor Relations Act, a federal district court has ruled. In doing so, the court joined other courts […]
A job function can be “essential” for Americans with Disabilities Act purposes even if it is rarely performed, recent case law illustrates. To qualify for ADA’s job protections, employees must be able to perform all of their job’s essential functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation. “Essential functions” are defined as the fundamental job duties […]
For 18 years, Brandon Hall Group, Inc., has recognized companies for their learning programs. The organization awards gold, silver, and bronze awards in 48 categories. “This year’s winners should be very proud of their achievements especially based on the rigorous judging process all submissions underwent,” said Mike Cooke, CEO of Brandon Hall Group. “We are […]
Salary Increase Budget Surveys Most employers are working with 3 percent for merit, as shown by this chart taken from a recent WorldatWork survey, says Pasteris. (Pasteris, president of TLMP Consulting Group, offered her suggestions during a recent webinar sponsored by HRHero/BLR.) Actual 2010 Mean Median 2.5% 2.7% Actual 2011 Mean […]
It’s always good to remember that people are people. In our society, we tend to put people on a pedestal. Athletes, actors, musicians, and even business executives are revered and idolized. Consider how Michael Jordan, George Clooney, Elvis Presley, and Steve Jobs are perceived. Elvis—only his first name is necessary—is still the second best-selling artist […]
In yesterday’s Advisor Attorney Martin Simon offered suggestions for managing 2013’s requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); today, definitions of “affordable” and “minimum value,” plus an introduction to the all-HR-in-one website, HR.BLR.com. Under what circumstances will an employer owe an Employer Shared Responsibility payment? In 2014, says Simon, Senior Legal Editor at BLR, if […]
One result of the new fee disclosures requirements and retirement plan sponsors’ new duty to ensure reasonable service fees has been increased review of many plans’ provider costs. Through requests for proposals, comparative benchmarking and renewed scrutiny of current providers, plan committees and sponsors are endeavoring to learn if they are paying too much for […]