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.

Five Steps to Eliminating FMLA Fraud and Abuse

Yesterday’s Advisor featured attorney Susan Schoenfeld’s tips for reducing FMLA abuse and fraud; today, five strategies that work, plus an introduction to the guide we call The FMLA Bible.” Schoenfeld, a Senior Legal Editor for BLR’s human resources and employment law publications, offers five strategies for reducing FMLA abuse in your organization. 1. Make Training […]

Avoiding a Clash Over FLSA Contractor Classifications

Before they find themselves under a wage enforcement microscope, employers need to be aware of potential problems and misclassification errors when designating workers as independent contractors instead of standard employees. The U.S. Department of Labor has had the misclassification of workers squarely in its cross hairs for a while. In particular the designation of “independent […]

Get Off on the Right Foot by Drafting an Effective Handbook

Often, the first document a new employee reads is the company handbook. A handbook serves many purposes, among them introducing the employer’s culture, communicating important policies, and setting employee expectations. If approached thoughtfully, a handbook is also a key tool for minimizing exposure to litigation.

Rooting Out FMLA Fraud and Abuse—Doable with Diligence

FMLA with cooperative employees is hassle enough, but the challenges compound when employees abuse the system, says Susan Schoenfeld, a Senior Legal Editor for BLR’s human resources and employment law publications. One of the biggest frustrations for employers is trying to deal with an employee who appears to abusing FMLA leave, says Schoenfeld. Fortunately, there […]

Rest and Meal Breaks in California: When Must a Rest Break be Provided?

Rest and meal breaks in California aren’t just a nice-to-have, they’re legally mandated, all the way down to how frequently rest breaks must be given over the course of a workday. In a CER webinar titled “Meal & Rest Breaks in California: Long-Awaited Brinker Decision Is Finally Here; What It Means for You,” Marc L. […]

New Car Wash Operator Gets Soaked by Old Owner’s FLSA Violations

A car wash operator apparently had a clean record of complying with labor law, but because of a special California labor law, a California appellate court recently held that the car wash was liable for a previous owner’s Fair Labor Standards Act violations, resulting in a $120,000 judgment.  The case, People ex rel. Harris v. […]

Can You Require an Annual Physical? An Alcohol Test? A Prescription List?

Can you require an annual physical? An alcohol test? A prescription list? Generally, no, no, and no. These and other tricky ADA questions are answered in EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance on Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations. First of all, remember that there is a difference between applicants and employees, and the rules concerning disability-related inquiries and […]