Employment Law Tip: Ready for the Minimum Wage Hike?
As we head into the last week of 2006, employers that haven’t done so already must take quick steps to ensure they’ll be ready to comply with the new California minimum wage come January 1.
Category: HR Management & Compliance
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.
Immigration: H-2B Visa Cap Reached
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach H-2B cap of 33,000 H-2B workers for the first six months of fiscal year 2007 (FY 2007). The H-2B visa program allows U.S. employers to request foreign workers to fill a one-time, peak load, intermittent, or […]
Health Benefits: New HIPAA Nondiscrimination Rules for Wellness Programs
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has published final rules regarding compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for wellness programs. The rules will be effective on the first day of the plan year beginning on or after July 1, 2007. For calendar year […]
Winter’s Here! Does FMLA Cover the Flu?
The flu can affect 10 to 20 percent of your workforce. But is it serious enough to warrant FLMA coverage? Here’s the government’s typically fuzzy answer. December 21 marks the first day of winter. That means joyous holidays and great skiing, (snow or water, depending on where you are.) But it also means the return […]
Progressive Discipline: What Supervisors Need to Know
You can’t … and you shouldn’t want to … just terminate problem employees. There’s a better way. Here’s how to train on it. Attendance problems. Poor job performance. Safety violations. Abuse or theft of company property. If you’ve got problems like these at your workplace, you’re far from alone. But more important than knowing that […]
The 13 Deadly Sins of HR Documentation
So you think you’re safe because you document every employment action? Read this lawsuit-losing list of common errors and see if you’re “guilty” of any of them. You’ve been sued by a former employee, and now you’re facing the music in court. You’re not worried, though. At your side is a briefcase of documentation showing […]
Growing Within Boundaries
By BLR Founder and Publisher Bob Brady Contrary as it may sound, the best way to grow might just be to define limits, says BLR’s CEO. Most of my experience as a manager has involved getting a handle on quickly changing processes. During one 5-year period, we grew from 10 people to 150, going from […]
Employment Law Tip: Avoiding Colds and Flu
The cooler weather that has arrived in many parts of the state has also ushered in cold and flu season—which could mean the beginning of high rates of absenteeism in the workplace. Here are some measures you and your employees can take to help keep everyone healthy and productive:
Safety: DOL Offers Nine Tips for Safe Holiday Parties
If you’re planning a holiday party for employees, be sure to check out the U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace website, which offers nine important tips for planning a safe holiday party and preventing impaired driving.
GOP Out! Democrats In! What Federal-State Law Conflicts Are Most Likely Now?
Whenever there’s a major power shift in government, it’s time to look at employment law again … and especially at federal-state conflicts. Just over two weeks and counting. Who’s counting? The Democratic Party, of course, anxiously awaiting the day … January 4th … that their dozen-year exile from control of Congress ends. When power shifts […]