Archives

IRS Doesn’t Want to Play High-low Anymore

The IRS announced July 19 that it intends to eliminate a set of alternative per diem rates called the “high-low” rates, which the federal government — and at their discretion, private employers — use to reimburse employees for meals and incidental expenses they incur while on business travel. In Announcement 2011-42, the IRS said it had […]

Shhh — It’s a Secret

It’s official. James Spader’s uber-intense character, Robert California, is going to be the new big boss on The Office. My colleague, Kristin Gray, excitedly revealed this news in her post two weeks ago. Kristin, its seems, was a fan of Spader’s character on Boston Legal, which I applaud her for admitting on the Internet. For […]

I’m Glad I Asked—A True Story

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor It’s important to seek an employee’s explanation for a policy violation before you discipline, says attorney Allison West, as this story true story illustrates. Sometimes You May Be Surprised West, who is principal of Employment Practices Specialists in Pacifica, California, says that you always want to […]

One Tip on COBRA Compliance: Don’t Phone it In!

It is tempting to use telephonic and e-mail delivery to send notices on COBRA continuation coverage rights, but this is hard to do and not very practical, says COBRA expert Paul M. Hamburger, Esq. of Proskauer Rose in Washington, D.C. So the best way to ensure success compliance with COBRA’s continuation coverage rules – and […]

Tip Four: Recertify

–Have the employee recertify the condition as often as you can, in many cases, as often as every 30 days. This is at the worker’s expense and has proved a strong deterrent to bogus leave claims. Go to Tip Five

FRD—Not Law, but Courts and EEOC Think It Is

In yesterday’s Advisor, we featured attorney Joseph L. Beachboard’s take on association discrimination; today, the third prong, Family Responsibility Discrimination (FRD), plus his tips for reducing liability and an introduction to a unique checklist-based audit system. What Family Responsibilities Discrimination Is Not … Family discrimination is not a new protected category, says Beachboard, who is […]

Did You Know COBRA Notices Make Good Wedding Gifts?

COBRA Administrators: No need to order gifts off a wedding registry for soon-to-be-married employees — just print out and present to the couple a copy of the general/initial notice for COBRA continuation coverage, according to COBRA expert Paul M. Hamburger, Esq. Well, before you take this too seriously, some context is necessary. Hamburger, contributing editor […]