Author: HR Hero

New York’s Disposal of Personal Records Law Amended

On September 5, 2008, New York Governor David A. Paterson signed into law Bill No. A10625, which amends New York’s General Business Law. Effective immediately, the amendment clarifies who must abide by New York’s Disposal of Personal Records Law, which relates to the disposal of records containing personal identifying information. Personal identifying information consists of […]

Coping with Difficult People

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book Coping with Difficult People: The Proven-Effective Battle Plan that Has Helped Millions Deal with the Troublemakers in Their Lives at Home and Work. Review focuses on book’s profiles of employees who cause supervisors, managers, and coworkers stress and tips for how to deal with those employees. Coping […]

Is wrongful dismissal litigation reform coming to Canada?

by Karen Sargeant Can fired employees afford to take their prior employers to court? Are trials too expensive? Are there better ways to secure justice for employees? These are some of the questions a group of lawyers in Ontario, Canada, have been considering. Earlier this year, the Chief Justice of Ontario expressed concerns that employees […]

BusinessWeek’s Bestseller List

BusinessWeek ranks business books that are the most recent bestsellers and provides a short summary. 1. StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths by Tom Rath. Are you unsure where your true talents lie? Do you feel that you are both a person who gets […]

Lose Weight, Gain a Lawsuit

Litigation value: ($500,000 when all is said and done, mainly to Phyllis and Kelly) Wow, it certainly didn’t take the folks at Dunder Mifflin long to get into midseason form! And from a liability perspective, that’s not good. When corporate initiated a weight-loss competition among all the branches, the Scranton branch sprang into action. While […]

Risks, Benefits of Using Contingent Workers

by Craig Borowski Many employers use contingent workers: independent contractors, leased employees, consultants, and temporary employees. While using an alternative workforce has benefits, it can create legal and practical risks as well. If you use or are considering using contingent workers, here are some benefits and risks to weigh. Audio Conference: Independent Contractor Myths: New […]

HEART Act Provides New Employment Benefits for Military Personnel

President George W. Bush recently signed into law the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act of 2008, which provides the following employee benefit-related advantages to eligible military personnel and their families. Keep up with the latest changes in federal employment laws and regulations with the Federal Employment Law Insider Retirement plan requirements The […]

New DOL Rules Require More Disclosure to Workers with 401(k) Retirement Plans

Forty years ago, very few U.S. employees were personally affected by what happened on Wall Street. Six in 10 Americans were covered by a pension that they could count on regardless of the stock market. Today less than 2 in 10 workers in the private sector have a pension and most workers only option is […]

ADA Amendments Act Expands Definition, Interpretation of Disability

President Bush signed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) into law on Sept. 25. It will expand interpretation of the American with Disabilities Act’s coverage, reversing a trend toward narrow construction that began with a string of U.S. Supreme Court decisions starting in 1999. The amendments become effective January 1, 2009. Learn more from […]

A Manager’s Guide to Hiring the Best Person for Every Job

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book A Manager’s Guide to Hiring the Best Person for Every Job by DeAnne Rosenberg. Review includes tips for employers for reviewing resumes and recognizing warning signs they contain. DeAnne Rosenberg has written an interesting book, A Manager’s Guide to Hiring the Best Person for Every Job, and […]