Short Takes: Undocumented Workers
Are undocumented workers protected by California labor laws?
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Roundtable: Performance Appraisals; Do Employees Get to See the Input from 360 Degree Reviews?
From time to time, we ask multiple experts to weight in on a reader’s question.
A Sample Policy on Workplace Gambling
Creating a policy on workplace gambling is not as simple as it first sounds. Here are some of the complexities … and a possible solution. You walk down the halls of your workplace and activity is at a level of frenzy you’ve seldom seen. It has nothing to do with work, of course. It’s all […]
Employment Law Tip: Tomorrow Is Deadline for Cal-OSHA Posting
Tomorrow, February 1, is the deadline for posting the Cal-OSHA Form 300A, annual summary log of injuries and illnesses that occurred in 2006. The form must remain posted until April 30, 2007. Even if you had no recordable injuries or illnesses in 2006, you must still post a summary with zeros in the total line. […]
Minimum Wage: Federal Minimum Wage Increase on Bumpy Road in Senate
In early January, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour over a period of 26 months. The legislation did not include tax breaks to offset the impact on employers. Now, however, the measure has failed to win enough votes in the Senate, […]
Wage and Hour: More Legal Woes for Wal-Mart
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will pay over $33 million in back wages to resolve errors in calculating overtime for 86,680 employees nationwide. According to the DOL, Wal-Mart brought the problem to the agency’s attention after an internal audit raised concerns regarding overtime computations, particularly with respect to incentives […]
Health Insurance: White House Proposal to Make Coverage More Affordable
In his State of the Union address to the nation last week, President Bush outlined a new plan to expand health care coverage for Americans. The plan would create a standard health insurance tax deduction, which would also act as a cap on the amount of employer-provided healthcare benefits that are tax-exempt.
Super Bowl Week: Is Gambling at Work a Problem?
As America revs up for the super-spectacle … and bets on the outcome … we wonder what gambling at work costs employers. The answer may surprise you. Sunday marks the biggest game in pro football, Super Bowl XLI, and the action will be hot and heavy … betting action, that is. Gamblers, from $2 small […]
Avian Flu: What to Plan for Now to Keep the Worst from Happening Later (Part 1 of 2)
No one can predict if so-called “bird flu” will spread to humans worldwide, but if it does, businesses need to be ready. Here are factors to consider in your planning. (First of two parts.) Good business practice means following the saying, “Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.” These days, one of he […]
The Electronic Time Bomb on Your Desk
by Albert L. Vreeland Recently, your job as Shepherd of All Things Employment became a lot more complicated (and legally risky) — for reasons you may not even be aware of. On December 1, 2006, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure were amended to include specific provisions for handling electronically stored information. That may sound […]