Archives

℞ for Your PBM: ‘Here’s what we’re willing to pay …’

Haas, who is vice president of Wells Fargo Pharmacy Consulting, spoke to BLR about the problem of generic drug pricing. To attack the problem, Haas and his team at Wells Fargo created a unique procurement strategy. “About 4 years ago, we listed every generic drug—and there are about 2,750 of them—by their specific identifying codes. […]

FMLA’s 20th anniversary: New survey shows use and impact of law

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) observed the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) on February 4 by releasing a survey on its use and impact. The survey, conducted in 2012, follows previous assessments in 1995 and 2000. Both employees and worksites were surveyed. Here are some of […]

Play or Pay? IRS issues Q&A on ACA

In the case of most employers, these requirements will be simple to implement, Simon says. But in the case of employers that are on the borderline of being covered or on the borderline of providing minimum essential and affordable healthcare coverage, the requirements can become very technical. Some of the questions and answers are presented […]

FUN with One: Effective Safety Training for a Safety Department of One

Effective and fun safety training is possible even for the safety director of a small company, who manages to deliver quality, cost-effective training that lives up to his company’s slogan “Safety Always.” For Jerry McGlynn, safety director for McWilliams Electric Co., bringing training in-house was a strategic decision. The family-owned business of about 90 employees […]

Valentines’ Day Infographic—Love, Romance … and Lawsuits

February 14 approaches and we’re filled with thoughts of love and romance … and lawsuits. Unfortunately, when the romance wears off, the retaliation and harassment charges begin. Why Does Love Matter to Employers? Joan Farrell, BLR Legal Editor, says it matters to employers because they are exposed to potential legal liability if a relationship goes […]

The price of leadership

As I write this, it’s Super Bowl Sunday, and tens of millions of viewers will be tuning in to watch the big game tonight. In fact, I heard this morning that 177 million people watched last year’s game. For most of us, our team’s season is over. With 32 teams in the NFL, there’s only […]

Flextime Innovations, Impacts, and Challenges

Yesterday’s Advisor offered insights into flextime successes from DOL’s website; today, more about flex in financial organizations, plus an introduction to the all-HR-in-one website, HR.BLR.com. Who Has Access to Flex Options? In the financial services companies questioned, professional-level and non-exempt staff usually have access to the same array of both regular flexible work arrangements (including […]

Flex Report: Innovations, Impacts, and Challenges

Who Has Access to Flex Options? In the financial services companies questioned, professional-level and non-exempt staff usually have access to the same array of both regular flexible work arrangements (including flextime, telework, compressed workweeks, and part time) and occasional flexibility (shifting work hours on a daily basis or just occasionally, occasional work at home, and […]

Don’t Overlook Introverts in Your Training Prospects

Lawyer-turned-author Susan Cain admits she’s an introvert and has encountered some challenges because of it. But she firmly believes that introverts have important contributions to make to U.S. business that employers usually aren’t aware of. That’s because employers have been trained, says Cain, to seek out extroverts. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World […]

You Could Get Sued for Lack of Adequate Training

In the case of Freitick v. SMS Rail Lines, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania had to determine whether the company was negligent and, if so, whether negligence caused the employee’s injuries. In addition, the court had to decide whether the employee knew before the accident that he was required to […]