Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
On February 10, 2009, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington) again introduced the Family Friendly Workplace Act, which, if passed, would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and authorize private employers to provide compensatory (or “comp”) time off in lieu of overtime pay. For almost 20 years, the public sector has been using comp time, […]
by Rachel Blue Lately, we’ve seen a lot of employees walking out of buildings and plants with boxes of framed photos from their desks or lockers, and maybe a severance check in an envelope. The job cuts this time are deeper, and the next job may be further away than in the past. As a […]
Employment law attorney Troy Foster reflects on the “Stress Relief” episode of The Office and reminds employers that while reruns may work in prime time, letting workplace problems reoccur is dangerous. Litigation Value: $615,000 and rising . . . Haven’t we been down this road before? The “Stress Relief” episode of The Office just keeps […]
On Tuesday, the California Supreme Court upheld the November amendment to the state constitution—Prop 8—that prohibits same-sex marriage. The court did, however, rule that the 18,000+ same-sex marriages already performed in California will remain legally valid.
One great way to understand the importance of a casually written e-mail is to think about how the jury will see it, says attorney Allison West. “In court, it will be blown up to the size of New Jersey,” she says. Yesterday’s Advisor presented West’s tips for bulletproof documentation; today we’ll look at more of […]
I grew up playing sports and have often looked back at those experiences to gain perspective on how a group of individuals might work together for a common goal. As I reflect on what caused certain teams to excel while others failed, I repeatedly come back to the subject of leadership. I believe the difference […]
Employment lawyers aren’t allowed to just say “Document,” says attorney Allison West; they are required to say “Document, document, document.” There’s a good reason for this mantra—documentation is critical. Documentation is what gives you credibility, West says. It’s how you show the world that you did what you say you did. It shows that you […]
Since Justice David H. Souter announced his intent to retire from the U.S. Supreme Court, there has been much speculation regarding President Barack Obama’s first nomination to the high court. After a long Memorial Day weekend, the wait is over. On Tuesday morning, Obama announced that he would nominate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the […]
The recent decline in financial markets has caused Canadian pension plans to become significantly underfunded. For instance, in Québec close to 97 percent of all defined benefit pension plans are currently underfunded. As this continues, many employers may look for ways to reduce pension costs or at least offset increases of those costs. Such losses […]
If you keep the lights burning 24/7 for round-the-clock service or production, you know that providing adequate training for your shift workers is a formidable challenge. Your key to success? Accessibility. Pull Them Off Work or Pay Them Overtime? The first question is whether to train during the shift or outside shift time. If you […]