Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Douglas R. Chamberlain When facing financial difficulties, employees often look to their retirement plans as a possible source of needed funds. Many plans offer participant loans or permanent withdrawals, the latter generally on a hardship basis. However, plan loans and withdrawals can jeopardize the employee’s retirement benefits, and both are subject to complex rules […]
Before each term, the U.S. Supreme Court identifies the cases it will hear in that term. While the Court has identified only three cases directly involving claims under various federal labor and employment statutes, in an additional four cases, the Court’s decisions are likely to have a significant effect on the rights and practices of […]
You can hardly turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper these days without hearing or reading something about the health care reform debate. No matter the political party or industry, nearly everyone seems to agree that the current system is broken, with tens of millions of Americans uninsured and health care costs skyrocketing. […]
I recently handed a newspaper column written by Financial Times columnist Luke Johnson to my 18-year old son for him to read. I knew that my son would like Mr. Johnson’s message. The column topic was the “clash of generations under way at the top of so many organizations.” His premise was that we are […]
According to a new survey by Mercer, a global consulting firm, 63% of the employers surveyed would cut health benefits to avoid paying the “Cadillac tax” found in the U.S. Senate’s health care reform bill. Twenty-three percent of employers said they would keep their current plan but pass along the new cost to their employees, […]
Litigation Value: From Dunder Mifflin’s corporate perspective, likely $0, though it might find itself having to defend claims that it should be liable for Michael’s tuition promise. Michael on the other hand . . . but you can’t get blood from a turnip, right? Just how long has Michael Scott been wreaking havoc on the […]
ABA Journal editors this week selected the popular That’s What She Said blog, Delaware Employment Law Blog, Work Matters, and Tex Parte Blog to be among the top 100 best websites by lawyers. Now you can vote on your favorites among the Journal’s “Blawg 100.” To cast a total of 10 votes in any of […]
Corporate culture and leadership expert Gayle Watson reviews How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In, the newest book by Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t and Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies author Jim Collins. I just finished reading Jim Collins’ new book, […]
By Ida Martin Imagine there is a group of federal government employees that are engaging in a lawful strike. Because of the physical location of your workplace, your employees can’t get to work without crossing the picket line. Your workers are unionized and have decided they won’t cross the picket line of the striking federal […]
Update Dec. 21, 2009: President signs bill including COBRA subsidy extension By Ashley Gillihan and Carolyn Smith When Congress returned to session today, health care reform wasn’t the only piece of major legislation still left hanging as 2010 comes to a close. Also up in the air is whether the current COBRA health insurance subsidy […]