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Keeping the boom going: Baby boomers continue strong hold on workforce

Today’s workers are likely to celebrate their 65th birthdays with a cake and a short gathering of coworkers in the break room – not with a big retirement party complete with the awarding of a gold watch. Retirement has taken on a new look, and employers must be ready for that trend to continue. The […]

My wife made me do it

by Mark I. Schickman People often complain that California employment law is bizarre. My colleagues around the country call our judges “fruits and nuts.” To the contrary, however, while our legislature is farther left than most states’ legislatures and our juries are more profligate than most, our appellate courts are relatively centrist. The award for […]

Employer faces sex bias case after manager’s comments about choosing work over family

by Rich Voelbel Work-life balance is a reality that most employers have come to accept. Employees have children, and occasionally, they need to take days off to care for them when they are sick. While managers may not always like the fact that their employees have to miss work, as the case below demonstrates, it’s […]

Recent EEOC settlements and enforcement actions

by Cynthia Ozger-Pascu  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is continuing its aggressive pursuit of sexual harassment and discrimination claims through systemic enforcement actions. EEOC settles long-standing sexual harassment suit On January 9, the EEOC announced a $2.5 million settlement with Burger King Corporation regarding sexual harassment allegations on behalf of 89 female employees. The […]

$6 for Every $1 Invested in Wellness? Get on Board

According to at least one study, for every $1 an employer spends on a wellness program, it saves $3 in insurance claims and an additional $2.73 in reduced absenteeism, says attorney Frank C. Morris Jr. Furthermore, Morris adds, your wellness program may get way more important under the Affordable Care Act. Morris, who specializes in […]

A Dollar by Any Other Name Must Still Equal Minimum Wage

Some employers don’t just need to know the federal wage-and-hour rules — they also need to know the currency exchange rate if they pay workers in a non-U.S. currency. Paying workers in a foreign currency is acceptable under the Fair Labor Standards Act. But the amount paid still must meet the U.S. minimum wage, as […]

Piece-rate Pay System Makes Class and FLSA Collective Action Infeasible, Says 7th Circuit

A class action allegation cannot succeed when each employee works a different schedule and has countless other fact-dependent duties and responsibilities. For one employer, thousands of employees with varied work schedules and pay rates could not demonstrate “class” status for Fair Labor Standards Act purposes. This was particularly true when the employees were paid on […]

Picture This! Visualization Techniques for Trainers

Even as a seasoned trainer and speaker, Eric Papp still uses visualization before training sessions and presentations. The night before a management seminar, for example, he gets permission to go into the conference room where he will present the next day. He pulls up a chair, closes his eyes, and visualizes how he will greet […]

Health Care Survey Results in; How Do You Compare?

Highlights of the 2013 Health Care Benefits Survey:  Wide range of costs per employee ranging from under $3,000 to over $10,000 per year 22 percent still cover 100% of insurance costs; an additional 46% cover at least 75 percent of costs 25% have considered dropping health benefits as a result of Affordable Care Act Here […]