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.

401(k)s, Free Food, Pet Insurance—What Benefits Are Best Employers Offering?

Health Care gets the bulk of the benefits attention these days, but what’s happening with other benefits, and what are your competitors offering? Sabbaticals? Free Food? PTO? Flex? Let’s find out what’s happening in the real world. For years, BLR has surveyed HR, compensation, and benefits professionals to find trends in benefits. We appreciate your […]

California Supreme Court Issues Meal and Rest Break Ruling

By Mark I. Schickman California employers have been waiting since October 2008 for the California Supreme Court to issue its ruling in the Brinker Restaurant case, clarifying whether employers must “ensure” that employees take meal and rest breaks or simply “provide” those breaks. Today, the court unanimously served up a major victory to California employers […]

EEOC on the Lookout: Ensure Your Attendance Policies Are Legal

By Kelley E. Kaufman, Esq. These days, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is on the lookout for both inflexible leave of absence policies and no-fault attendance policies. While few employers welcome news of a targeted enforcement initiative, the best defense is a good offense. According to the EEOC, the Americans With Disabilities Act requires […]

California Supreme Court Decision In Brinker Is Here!

The California Supreme Court has just released its long-awaited decision in the Brinker case, ruling that employers must relieve employees of all duty during meal periods – but need not ensure that no work is done during that time. For more on the case, check out the California Courts press release on the breaking decision.

Independent Contractor? … I Don’t Think So

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Christine V. Walters offered tips on legal dangers associated with volunteers, interns, and independent contractors. Today, more of her tips, plus an introduction to the 50×50, a unique guide to 50 employment laws in 50 states.< Walters, who is a consultant with the FiveL Company in Westminster, MD, gave her recommendations […]

Avoid Overtime Overages From Mobile Device Use

Employers need to spell out their policies for off-hours use of mobile devices for work purposes or they risk racking up unnecessary overtime. Mobile devices have worked their way into virtually every area of our lives, both at work and at home. You may even be reading this blog on a smart phone or tablet […]

Retaliation Claims: So Common, and So Stupid

Retaliation is now the leading basis for charges against employers, and it remains the stupidest of all charges. Stupid because most retaliation charges can be avoided if managers and supervisors just think before they act.