Category: HR Management & Compliance

There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.

How Will the Election Affect Health Care Reform?

Here’s the third in our popular series of “Eye on the Election” posts which are focused on helping employers prepare for post-election changes, no matter who is elected. Eye on the Election For today’s topic—likely changes to health care reform after the election—we turned to BLR legal editor Jessica Webb-Ayer, J.D., editor of the Benefits […]

Strong Documentation Defeats Employee’s ADA, ERISA Claims

Good recordkeeping and documentation is key in defending employment discrimination claims, a recent court ruling illustrates. An employee terminated for performance problems alleged that he was fired in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, because of his wife’s disability. The employer, however, produced evidence showing that: (1) the employee’s performance was subpar; (2) he […]

How Many of Your Employees are Jobseekers?

A majority of U.S. and Canadian workers fit are also jobseekers, according to a new study by CareerBuilder and Inavero. According to the study, 69 percent of full-time workers reported that searching for new job opportunities is part of their regular routine. “Digital behavior has blurred the distinction between an active and a passive job […]

How Are Your Employees Using Social Media at Work?

New research from SilkRoad Technology sheds light on how employees use social media at work, as well as how employers are approaching social networking. SilkRoad’s “Social Media and Workplace 2012 Report” surveyed more than 1,100 employees in North America to understand how people are using social media at work to communicate and collaborate with coworkers, […]

How Can Wage/Hour Bring Us Down? How Hard Is It?

Yesterday’s Advisor featured common—and egregious—wage/hour missteps; today, four more, plus an introduction to the simple-to-use, popular guide that answers all your FLSA questions. [Go here for failures 1 to 3] 4. Providing inaccurate or falsified payroll records to the government Obviously, providing falsified records is not a wise practice. However, many submitted records are merely […]

Employers: Best to Have ‘Binders Full’ of Employment Law Info

“Equal pay for equal work” is a key talking point for President Obama’s re-election platform, and last night’s presidential debate gave both candidates the chance to discuss the growing issue of pay disparity between male and female employees. While Gov. Mitt Romney’s “binders full of women” comment in response to a question on this issue […]

When is overtime pay due in California?

When must you start paying overtime to a nonexempt employee? The answer depends on what state you’re operating in. Overtime pay rules in California differ from the federal overtime laws. If you’re an employer in California, it’s important to understand when your overtime obligations begin.

Census Data Supports Telecommuting as a Reasonable Accommodation Under ADA

Using home as a “reasonable accommodation” under the Americans with Disabilities Act, approximately 316,000 disabled employees regularly work from home, according to TeleworkResearchNetwork.com data. Those whom ADA protects join more than 13 million U.S. residents who currently work from home at least one day a week, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released last […]

The 7 Paycheck Failures that DOL Targets Most

DOL recently settled a case against a major construction company, whose list of legal failures provides a good checklist of infractions every company should strive to avoid. (You’ll also avoid the almost $1 Million fine the company will pay to settle the case.) DOL’s action against Lettire Construction Corp., which was punctuated by the substantial […]

Tips on FLSA’s Training Rules Can Help Employers Avoid Trips to Court

Many employers get sued for failing to properly administer compensable time — including the requirement that generally, employers must pay employees for time spent in training programs, meetings or similar activities. So to avoid costly litigation or enforcement challenges, an employer needs to understand — and correctly apply —the Fair Labor Standards Act’s basic criteria […]