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California Courts Throw Out Arbitration Agreements

Breaking News: DOL Issues Model COBRA Subsidy Notices As we reported last month, the new stimulus package includes 65% COBRA subsidies for certain workers laid-off or terminated since September 1, 2008. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued model subsidy notices for employers to use when notifying employees.

Pro-Union Bill Highlights Need for Good Internal Problem Solving

Earlier this week, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) was introduced into both the U.S. House and Senate. Both supporters and opponents of the bill anticipate that the proposed legislation will spark fierce battles over the next few months. Employer advocacy groups have already launched aggressive lobbying efforts to defeat the bill. On the other […]

Quitting Time

Litigation Value: $60,000 Michael, Michael, Michael. What went wrong? What happened to turn you into this new, bitter man? And why couldn’t you have quit before you cost the company thousands more in potential judgments? Before we get to Michael’s actionable conduct, let’s first touch on the new guy, Charles Minor. Fortunately, it is almost […]

New Index Measures Unretirement

The changing attitudes and expectations of American workers regarding retirement have been measured in Sun Life Financial Inc.’s first “Unretirement Index.” Unretirement is defined as working at least 20 hours per week after reaching the age when one is eligible to receive full social security benefits. The Unretirement Index measures consumer opinions toward five factors […]

The Time for Bold Action

In difficult times such as these, with the economy in disarray and unemployment at a 20-year high, the natural reaction for many is to pull back. We want to do the safe thing. Recessions are a time to make cuts, reduce risk and weather the storm. Whether you’re talking about individuals or organizations, this is […]

New I-9 form effective April 3; H-1B visa deadline

Two important deadlines are approaching for HR. On April 3, employers must start using the new I-9 form. Initially the change was set to happen in February, but the Obama administration delayed it and other unimplemented regulations to allow time for further agency review. April 1 marks the beginning of the annual race for the […]

Your Leaders: Forged in a Holiday Inn Express?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady BLR founder and CEO Bob Brady says the results of a recent study underscore the vital role of HR in selecting and nurturing your organization’s leaders. Once again well-credentialed academics from an esteemed university (this time the University of California at Berkeley) have spent time and money “discovering” […]

DOL Issues COBRA Model Notices

Update Dec. 16: House Passes COBRA Subsidy Extension and Expansion Today, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued model COBRA continuation coverage notices that reflect the new nine-month, 65 percent subsidy on COBRA premiums. The notices are available online at www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRAmodelnotice.html. There are four types of notices, each tailored to a particular employee, beneficiary, or […]

SEIU, Nurses Union Boost the Employee Free Choice Act

Two large and powerful health care labor unions have signed a pact that is expected to provide a shot in the arm for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Under the pact announced on March 19, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CAN/NNOC) will work together to […]

‘Other Duties as Assigned’ Won’t Cut It in 2009

Writing job descriptions that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is tricky. In your efforts to be clear, you can also be exclusionary. Here are tips for handling this delicate duty. Pritchard’s tips for job descriptions are included in an article on HRTutor.com. Do You Have to Have Job Descriptions? No, says […]