Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The Internal Revenue Service has issued new regulations which clarify that plan administrators must provide 15 days’ written notice before the effective date of retirement plan amendments which result in a significant reduction in future benefit accrual. The rules apply to both defined benefit and money purchase plans. If some plan participants don’t receive notice […]
The U.S. Department of Labor has released three free brochures to help educate workers covered by employer-sponsored health plans. The brochures address topics such as how marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and divorce affect health care choices; what to do when a child is no longer dependent; how retiring or changing jobs impact coverage options; and how […]
Under a new policy, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which oversees government contractors, will no longer inspect I-9 forms when visiting a worksite to follow up on worker complaints about labor violations. The policy shift is an attempt to encourage undocumented employees to file such complaints without […]
Because of the huge stock market gains in recent years, many defined benefit pension plans contain more assets than are needed to pay out benefits. Since 1997, however, a ruling from the federal appeals court that covers California has sharply limited employers’ discretion in how to use that “extra” money. But in a recent unanimous […]
An employee has a history of fainting spells, and you’re worried that during one of these episodes the person may injure herself or another worker. What are your options? Although the Americans with Disabilities Act allows you to fire or refuse to hire an employee who poses a “direct threat” to herself or others, a […]
Figuring out how to administer family and medical leave can be tough. And one misstep-even if it seems minor-can lead to a lawsuit. Since the federal family leave law went into effect five years ago, the U.S. Department of Labor has processed thousands of employee complaints. Based on those charges, the department has pinpointed the […]
When hiring a new employee, promoting an existing worker or reviewing compensation packages, it always helps to know what your competitors are paying. You don’t want to shell out too much or discourage the best talent by paying too little. California employers have just gotten some new tools to assist them. The California Employment Development […]
After a 13-year wait, the Internal Revenue Service has just released its comprehensive regulations covering COBRA health benefits continuation coverage. The new regulations-which are a complex mix of final and so-called proposed rules-clarify several gray areas of the law but don’t change the basic COBRA mandates, including the detailed notice requirements. Even though the rules […]
Several injured prison guards who lost their jobs after their doctors prohibited them from having direct contact with inmates were not discriminated against under the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a new ruling by the federal appeals court that covers California. The King County Department of Adult Detention initially accommodated the guards’ injuries by […]
Seasonal workers who are hurt on the job are not entitled to 12 months of continuous modified or alternative work as a replacement for vocational rehabilitation benefits, a California Court of Appeal has ruled. The case involved Jennifer Henry, a ski instructor at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. After she injured her back, Henry requested vocational […]