Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.
In February, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a long-awaited proposal to update and retool Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations. The lengthy proposal covers notice requirements, medical certifications, eligibility, the definition of “continuing treatment” for a serious health condition, fitness for duty, and more. The changes are generally welcome news for employers.
With April unofficially “national tornado and storm month,” this is a good time to think about having a policy for handling externally caused shutdowns. Here are things to think about. If a company opens an hour late because of a storm, should an employer pay employees who show up earlier because they didn’t hear the […]
An increasing number of our employees are registering with domestic partners. Can an employee take kin care leave to spend time with his or her domestic partner?— Stephen D., HR Manager in Walnut Creek
In an important new development, the U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that when fiduciary misconduct diminishes the value of an individual account in a defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k), the harmed employee can sue for damages. In the past, courts have taken the contrary position that the federal employee benefits law only […]
A new survey reveals that even though 48 percent of U.S. employers acknowledge that employee stress caused by working long hours affects business performance, just 5 percent of them are taking steps to address the stress problem. The survey, conducted by global consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide, also found that although 29 percent of employers […]
You have no FLSA problems of any kind? Then it’s surely April Fools’ Day! Almost everyone has problems complying with this law. So what do you do when an FLSA audit reveals them? Let’s answer that … and alert you to an excellent self-audit guide to help you fix what needs fixing before it really […]
Organic grocer Sunflower Market has agreed to pay $125,310 in back overtime wages to 78 workers at its stores in New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to resolve charges that the employer misapplied executive and administrative overtime exemptions. The DOL also fined Colorado-based Sunflower $10,670 […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a settlement with McLane Co., Inc., under which the Texas-based food and grocery distributor will pay $1,559,316 in back wages to 570 employees. A DOL investigation found that the company misclassified employees as exempt and thus didn’t pay overtime wages. McLane erroneously regarded retail merchandising specialists as […]