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HR Quiz: Telecommuting and H1N1 Flu

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has declared H1N1 influenza, commonly known as the Swine Flu, to be an epidemic. It seems like every national nightly news program brings more stories of outbreaks, school closings, and even deaths — and it’s just the beginning of flu season. What’s a conscientious employer to do? Take the […]

CDC’s Flu Face Mask and Respirator Recommendations

Yesterday’s Advisor discussed the issue of face masks and respirators and H1N1 “swine flu.” Today, we’ll look at the CDC’s specific recommendations and find out about a special training tool for helping all your employees prepare for a flu pandemic. CDC has issued the following recommendations for face mask and respirator use in preventing infection […]

“No-Match” Rule Officially Dropped

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has officially dropped the controversial “no-match” rule, which required employers to fire workers if there was a discrepancy between a worker’s Social Security Number (SSN) and official government records. The rule also imposed penalties on employers who didn’t fire employees if the discrepancy wasn’t quickly explained.

Senate Finance Committee Approves Health Care Reform Bill

In a 14-9 vote, the Senate Finance Committee has approved Senator Max Baucus’ health care reform bill, titled America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009. All the Democrats on the committee and only one Republican voted for the legislation. Senator Olympia Snowe, a Republican from Maine who helped work on the bill and whose vote has […]

Will Face Masks Save Employees from Swine Flu?

The swine flu predictions are flying in all directions—from “no worries” to “half the population will be infected.” If you assume the middle ground is likely, should you be breaking out respirators or other protective gear for employees? CDC’s not sure. It might seem like a no-brainer to get everyone in face masks or respirators […]

Keays vs. Honda One Year Later: Have Canadian Courts Changed Their Approach to Punitive and Bad Faith Damages?

It has been just over a year since the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) issued its decision in Keays v. Honda Canada Inc. (Read our analysis of the court’s decision in that case). That decision mandated a change in Canadian courts’ approach to awarding damages in employment cases. Damages for bad faith conduct by the […]

Acceptable Affirmative Phrases for Discussing Disabilities

Sometimes it’s hard to know how to communicate with or assist     co-workers with disabilities. Over-eager assistants do more harm than good, while others, concerned that they will say the wrong thing, say nothing—further isolating people with disabilities. Using affirmative language is the first step in communicating well with people with disabilities, says DOL’s Office of […]

Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Paperback Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling paperback business books as ranked by the New York Times on October 12. 1. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (P.S.) by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. A maverick scholar and a journalist apply economic theory to everything from cheating sumo […]

How to Create a Disability-Friendly Workplace

In today’s world, simply complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) isn’t enough for many employers. They want to be more proactive in creating a disability-friendly workplace. Today, BLR’s experts offer some tips. First of all, the following indicators show that an organization is willing to “walk the talk” of a disability-friendly workplace: The […]

OSHA Fines MillerCoors for Employee Electrocution

by Jim Goh Behind efforts to assist organized labor and improve the balance between work and family, increasing workplace safety is a top priority for President Barack Obama and the 111th Congress. Both the President and congressional leaders have vowed more funding for the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) […]