Month: September 2014

Recognition

Motivating on the cheap: Rewards don’t have to bust the budget

Dedicated, hardworking—and maybe even long-suffering—employees deserve rewards. Sometimes the appropriate reward is a well-deserved raise, but money isn’t always the best solution. And in today’s world of tight budgets, it’s often not even a possibility. But employers wanting to show appreciation have other options. In the Business & Legal Resources webinar “Small Budget, Big Employee […]

6th Circuit Vacates Ruling That Telecommuting Is Reasonable Accommodation

A federal appeals court has vacated and agreed to rehear a recent opinion in which it held that permission to work from home can be a reasonable accommodation required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. In the now-vacated ruling, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals departed from its precedent that “attendance” is almost always […]

Suit Seeking Plan Docs in Spanish Dismissed for Lack of Harm

A federal district court judge on Aug. 12 dismissed a suit by current and former employees of a Maryland construction company who alleged that the company failed to comply with ERISA disclosure requirements and to provide retirement plan documents upon request because the Spanish-speaking plaintiffs couldn’t understand the English documents. ERISA requires that plan sponsors […]

Train Your Leaders on 5 More Leadership Skills

In an article that first appeared on HR.BLR.com, guest columnist Elizabeth Dukes from iOffice.com writes that while the top leaders’ instincts are much of what helped them rise to the top, many of their most valuable tools are learned skills. If you are looking to advance into a top leadership position, here are 5 more […]

Forward-Looking HR Metrics Let You Act Before Problems Arise

HR activities, such as training, staffing, orientation, discipline, and benefits, are difficult to directly connect to operational performance metrics, such as sales, profitability, costs, delivery, quality, and service. And they tend to be reactive, not proactive. Consultant Rick Buchman shows you how to connect the dots.

Plan Identifier Rules Not Written for Self-funded Plans

With the HIPAA deadline for obtaining a health plan identifier less than two months away, plan sponsors have encountered major problems trying to get one — if they’ve started at all, according to a poll conducted by the ERISA Industry Committee. “ERIC’s members are really struggling with the requirements for health plan identifiers,” said Gretchen […]