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Hiring Temps And Independent Contractors: Employers Brace For Fallout From New Microsoft Ruling; How To Avoid Owing Benefits

By HR Daily Advisor Staff Jun 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

The federal appeals court covering California ruled several years ago that software giant Microsoft Corp. had to pay certain retroactive employee benefits to workers improperly classified as independent contractors. Now, the same court has made clear that its earlier ruling will require Microsoft to provide millions of dollars in stock-purchase rights not only to contractors, […]

News Notes: Religious Employees Not Covered By Anti-Discrimination Laws

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

A California Court of Appeal has ruled that employment decisions made by religious institutions about ministerial employees, like clergy members, are not covered by state anti-discrimination laws. The case was brought by a female chaplain at Chapman University. The chaplain claimed that her hours were cut back in retaliation for reporting incidents of alleged sexual […]

News Notes: Pension Reform May Be Coming; IRA Payroll Deductions Urged

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 Uncategorized

Updated: May 1, 1999

Several bills pending in Congress could impact your pension plans. HR 1102 would increase the amount workers can contribute to 401(k) accounts and require faster vesting of matching employer contributions. It would also introduce new Roth 401(k)s and 403(b)s, allowing employees to contribute after-tax dollars but receive tax-free retirement benefits. Another measure, S 659, would […]

News Notes: New Medical Child Support Notice Expected This Year

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

The federal government is developing a new employer notice dealing with court-ordered medical support obligations for children of divorced or separated parents. The “National Medical Support Notice” will notify you of your obligation to withhold pay when necessary to enroll a noncustodial parent’s child in an employer-provided healthcare plan. Although new regulations were to be […]

News Notes: EEOC And Labor Department Team Up their Enforcement Efforts

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor have announced plans to share information and resources in enforcing anti-discrimination laws. Among other things, staff in the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division will be trained to detect violations of equal pay laws and share their findings with the EEOC. The agencies tout the […]

Bias In Promotions: Are Your Procedures Adequate? A 4-Point Checklist

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

You’ve probably put a lot of effort into implementing a well-defined and nondiscriminatory application process for hiring new employees. But many employers don’t always apply the same careful planning when it comes to promotion decisions-an oversight that can be costly. In one recent case, an African-American employee successfully sued her employer for damages after being […]

Personal Liability Of Supervisors: Latest Ruling Increases Your Risk Of Getting Sued

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 19, 2015

Late last year, the California Supreme Court ruled that only employers-not individual managers and supervisors-can be forced to pay damages for workplace discrimination claims arising out of routine employment decisions. But the ruling left the door open for lawsuits against individual managers for harassment or retaliation. Now, a new decision illustrates just how easily a […]

Wrongful Discharge: Why Four Workers Fired For Eating Candy On The Job Won $20 Million; Avoiding Termination Mistakes

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

You fire an employee for breaking a company rule. This common event may not seem risky, but a recent verdict shows that how you handle a termination can often get you in more trouble than the firing itself. In fact, Wal-Mart is now facing a whopping $20 million verdict partly because of how it discharged […]

Military Leave: New Ruling Addresses Rights Of Employees Who Serve—Do You Know Your Obligations?

By HR Daily Advisor Staff May 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

As thousands of reservists are being called to military action in the Balkans and taking leave from their jobs, it’s a good time to brush up on the intricacies of the federal law that protects the rights of workers who serve in the armed forces. And a new federal court decision upholds the special benefits […]

News Notes: Worker Who Lost Pregnancy Bias Suit Ordered To Pay Employer’s Attorney’s Fees

By HR Daily Advisor Staff Apr 1, 1999 HR Management & Compliance

Updated: May 18, 2015

A trial judge has turned the tables on a lawyer who failed to convince a jury that the law firm in which she was a partner had refused to accommodate her pregnancy. Finding that Shari Cohen Rosenman’s lawsuit was unreasonable, the court ordered her to pay $231,000 toward the attorney’s fees and costs of the […]