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With commitment, the only way out is forward

by Dan Oswald A man is in a restroom standing in front of a urinal when he finds himself with a dilemma. He has somehow dropped a $5 bill into the urinal. As he is contemplating what he should do about his five bucks, another man enters the restroom. The second man quickly sees the […]

Going Fishing ‘Under Doctor’s Orders’ While on FMLA Leave Gets State Official Fired

A state government official has stepped down after the Better Government Association and news outlets began investigating a long pattern of Family and Medical Leave Act absences that, they said, smelled fishy. Namely, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources deputy director missed more than three months of work, mostly using paid sick time, to fish […]

New resources available on upcoming rules for federal contractors

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has posted new resources on its website to help federal contractors comply with new regulations pertaining to recruiting people with disabilities and veterans. New regulations going into effect March 24 strengthen requirements under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and […]

Four S’s of Social Media Risk

The 4 S’s of Social Media Risk Yip, who is litigation partner at the Honolulu office of law firm Cades Schutte LLP, offered his four S’s at the Advanced Employment Issues Symposium held recently in Las Vegas. S #1. Searches What’s the Risk? The biggest risk in searches is that you might learn information that […]

Agencies Add Safe Harbors to 90-day Rule for Health Plan Enrollment

Generally, waiting periods to enroll in health coverage cannot exceed 90 days, and eligibility conditions based solely on the lapse of a time period are permissible for no more than 90 days, under new final rules issued by the U.S. Departments of Labor Health and Human Services and the Treasury. In addition, the employer has […]

California travel pay: Blended rate calculation example

Travel pay can get expensive. Is there a way around it? Actually employers can get some relief: under both state and federal law, employers are allowed to pay a different rate for travel time than for regular work hours. In other words, employers are legally allowed to pay a different (lower) rate for overnight travel time than regular working time.

360 Performance Reviews—Powerful But There Are Pitfalls

By William Taylor Performance reviews and 360-degree feedback are important in any company because they help boost productivity and revenue, facilitate the assessment of potential issues at the workplace, and find sensible solutions to compel employees to do their job at their fullest potential. A 360-degree performance review has the power to transform a one-way […]

Do You Train Workers To Leave Job Dangers At Work?

Here is an overview of what you need to know to put together an effective training session. Background Who needs to be trained? If your employees work with hazards that could inadvertently be carried home, they need to know that they could place family members at risk and how to avoid doing so. Also, some […]

Handbook Not Enough—You Must Train Supervisors

Yes, you have handbooks, but you need to train to be sure your supervisors know the material provisions of your policies and rules, says attorney Mark Schickman. And they need to understand that policies must be fairly and consistently applied.   While you are at it, Schickman adds, make sure that your practices match your […]