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The power of a PIP – performance improvement plan

By Marie-Julie Lanctôt Under their management rights, employers may establish fair, accurate, and achievable performance standards. A recent decision from the Labour Relations Board of Quebec, Piché et Impérial Tobacco Compagnie ltée, 2012 QCCRT 0600 (decision available in French only), serves to illustrate how Canadian employers may properly dismiss employees for poor work performance despite […]

Workers’ Comp 101: When Can You Discipline an Injured Worker?

How can you stay in compliance with workers’ compensation laws when disciplining a worker who was previously injured? Administering discipline in this scenario can be tricky, but it can be accomplished by following some guidelines: have good cause, treat employees consistently, and have good documentation. Workers’ Comp 101: Disciplining an Injured Worker with Good Cause […]

DOL Throws Surprise Birthday Party for FMLA–Final Regulations Issued

It was a surprise birthday party for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), says Susan Schoenfeld, JD; on February 5, 2013, exactly 20 years after the FMLA was signed, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Final Rule ahead of the planned regulatory schedule. Just what HR was hoping for—more complicated regulations. The […]

How to Deal with Employee Depression and Work Restrictions

Dealing with depression and work restrictions for an employee can be complex. Oftentimes the first piece of information an employer receives about an employee’s medical condition, especially for depression or other mental illnesses, is a note from the doctor that outlines some type of restriction, such as “James must be off of work this week […]

Public-sector Employers Face Additional FLSA Classification Risks

Local governments and municipalities face many of the same wage and hour challenges as other employers, but they must deal with unique issues that could subject them to litigation if they aren’t fully up-to-speed on their compliance obligations. One tricky issue involves the proper classification of all workers — whether they fall under one of […]

6 Bucks Back for Every Buck Invested in Wellness? Get on Board

Furthermore, Morris adds, your wellness program may get way more important under the Affordable Care Act. Morris, who specializes in benefits, is a member of the firm Epstein Becker Green in its Washington, D.C., office. Wellness Is Popular, But Hard to Define A recent survey found that 70.3 percent of 539 employer respondents reported offering […]

Retirement Survey Results–How Do You Compare?

Only 33% of those who answered the question, however, automatically enroll employees, though 2.5% plan to implement auto-enrollment in the future. Other survey highlights: Most common match amount is up to 6% of salary (25% of respondents). Nearly half (48%) of employers offer more than 15 investment options. 26% plan to add a defined contribution […]

Survey Says: More Training Needed for Higher Technical Requirements

Almost half (49%) of Human Resources professionals expect that a higher education level will be required for most jobs within that time frame, according to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Achieve. And 46% said that most jobs today already require a higher education level than a decade ago. Manufacturing […]

Beyond Yahoo! hoopla: Legal issues have place in work-from-home debate

by Tammy Binford When Yahoo! Inc. CEO Marissa Mayer decided her company would be better off if home-based workers relocated to the office, she gave a lot of people a lot to talk about. And telecommuters, HR professionals, executives, and bloggers sounded off in a big way. The furor started with a memo in February […]

BLR’s 2013 retirement benefits survey results

Recently, BLR conducted a survey of 1,261 HR professionals to find out about the retirement benefits their organizations offer employees. Most respondents (86%) say they offer either a 401(k) or 403(b) retirement savings plan to employees. Employee contributions While a high number of employers represented in the BLR survey offer retirement benefits, only 33% automatically […]