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.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced on January 9 she will step down, but no signs of immediate change to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) policy or pending audits are apparent. President Barack Obama praised Solis’ term as DOL leader but named no possible successor. “Over her long career in public service—as an […]
With the new year upon us, now is a good time to sit down and evaluate your pay grades, and pay-for-performance systems. Base pay grades aren’t a “set and forget” kind of thing. Employee salaries are fluid and always evolving. To remain competitive, base pay grades must be reviewed and adjusted periodically to keep track […]
An employee handbook can be your friend or your foe. Careless wording may create a contract promising employees advantages you don’t mean to promise, but on the flip side, a carefully-worded handbook can help shield your organization from liability. Employee handbooks are a powerful tool for any organization—if you get them right. Recently, Adam Keating […]
How can an employer make the decision whether or not to offer healthcare benefits versus paying the penalty for not doing so? This conundrum is referred to as “pay or play” when discussing the new healthcare reform law. However, the decision of whether or not to provide coverage is not simple and requires much more […]
In a BLR webinar titled “Depression and Other Mental Illness Under New ADA: Accommodation Practices for HR,” Susan G. Fentin and Ronald Schouten tackled the sensitive issue of handling depression and other mental illnesses that employees may face. This issue can be complex because employees are often reluctant to ask for help, the symptoms of […]
Reporting employer-provided health care coverage is required under the Affordable Care Act;while not a new 2013 payroll tax, it is a change to the W-2 form that employers need to be aware of. Healthcare Reform W-2 Reporting Requirements are Not New 2013 Payroll Taxes With all of the recent discussion over 2013 tax rates, it […]
by Mike Maslanka Anyone watch the Washington Redskins playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks? I am a Redskins fan, so I was naturally concerned about the health of Robert Griffin III, the phenom rookie quarterback, former Baylor standout, winner of the Heisman trophy, and all-around nice guy. Four weeks earlier, he had injured his knee […]
Special from the Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, Las Vegas When managers decide to fire someone (often way later than they should have decided) they always seem to want it done that minute. Of course, that’s one of the most dangerous things you can do, but how do you calm the manager down? asks attorney Dan […]
As with any other piece of equipment, ladders should be inspected before each use to make sure that they are in good condition and safe to use. It doesn’t take long to check out a ladder to make sure it’s safe to use. But those few minutes could be the most important of a worker’s […]
To avoid ladder accidents, employees have to set up ladders correctly. Train them to follow these 10 ladder setup rules. Place the ladder on a firm, level surface, and check to make sure the ladder is stable. Use wide boards under the ladder to give stability if the ground is soft. Never set a ladder […]