Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Peter Lowe A new year means different things for different people, but for Portland employers, the first of the year means a new hike in the minimum wage along with related posting requirements. The new minimum wage, set at $10.10 per hour for all employees, comes as the result of a municipal ordinance passed […]
by Judith E. Kramer The first Monday in October (October 5) marked the beginning of the U.S. Supreme Court’s new term. While during the course of the 2015-2016 term the Court could agree to hear additional cases, these are the labor and employment cases currently on the docket, as well as a case involving affirmative […]
Each new year brings new resolutions. You might not be surprised to learn a 2015 Nielsen survey showed getting in shape was the most common new year’s resolution for last year. This year is likely to bring more of the same. I know in my own household, Santa brought my wife and me matching Fitbits for Christmas. (St. […]
by Dan Oswald The opening line of Carly Simon’s 1971 song Anticipation is “We can never know about the days to come, but we think about them anyway.” As I write this, it’s the first day back at work in the new year, and anticipation sums up the way I feel today. Webster’s defines anticipation […]
by Shane Todd Disability claims management is never easy. It is particularly difficult when employees refuse to provide enough medical information to substantiate their absence and entitlement to benefits, while also refusing to return to work. The decision in Betts v. IBM Canada Ltd., 2015 ONSC 5298, provides guidance to employers dealing with such cases. […]
by Paul M. Lusky One of the annual goals of a good CEO, manager, or supervisor should be to reduce the company’s exposure to employment litigation. The cost of litigation keeps going up, and just one lawsuit can make a sizeable dent in a company’s budget. In 2016, I resolve to . . . : […]
by Elizabeth J. Boca The minimum wage in California will increase from $9 to $10 an hour as of January 1. Employers must understand that paying the higher minimum wage alone doesn’t satisfy their obligations because the upcoming increase will spark a domino effect in various compliance areas. Exempt “white-collar” employees. Each time the state […]
by Jerome Rose The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has been pursuing cases beyond its traditional reach to expand its enforcement authority toward a goal of developing and litigating systemic cases (i.e., cases in which a policy or practice discriminates on a broader basis, as opposed to a single decision affecting a single employee). As […]
by Jackie VanDerMeulen Establishing proactive measures to ensure accessibility is becoming common ground in Canada. Ontario has the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Manitoba is in the process of rolling out similar legislation, which will start impacting the private sector in 2018. British Columbia is in the process of rolling out its Accessibility […]
by Vanessa L. Goddard ‘Twas the holiday season upon us once more, Not a single employee was at HR’s door. The silence was heavy; I was starting to freak. I hadn’t a complaint in more than a week. No lawsuits or grievances were pending at all. Instead of unease, I should be having a ball. […]