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.

Employers Beware: EEOC Making New Strategic Plan

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is seeking comment through February 1 on a four-year strategic plan, and it’s important for employers to know what that plan means to them. The draft of the 2012-2016 plan calls for the agency to: fight employment discrimination through law enforcement; prevent discrimination through education and outreach; and improve […]

Stay One Step Ahead of the Misclassification Police

What do short stories by O. Henry and independent contractor analysis have in common? You’re left guessing the outcome until the very end, says attorney Deanna Brinkerhoff. The federal Department of Labor (DOL) is cracking down on classification, and that makes now an excellent time to evaluate your organization’s classification decisions.

Welcome Home, Soldier: Your Obligations to Returning Troops and Their Families

Most every employer can expect to welcome returning veterans. Obligations (legal and moral) are many, and there won’t be any sympathy for employers who fail to honor their responsibilities. There are two primary laws that will come to bear, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), the subject of this article, and Family […]

Washington Could Be Seventh State to Allow Same-sex Marriage

Legislation is wending its way through both chambers of the Washington State legislature that if enacted would make Washington the seventh state where same-sex marriage is legal. It could happen: a sufficient number of Senators for passage in that chamber have said they would vote for it if it reaches the Senate floor, and Gov. […]

Novartis Agrees to Pay Drug Reps $99 Million to Settle Long-standing Overtime Dispute

The New Jersey drug manufacturer Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation has reached a $99 million settlement with its drug sales representatives. The agreement, announced jointly by management and plaintiff representatives Jan. 26, resolves overtime pay disputes pending since 2006. “We believe this settlement is in the best interest of our employees and the company,” said Novartis President […]

SM Background Checks—15% of HR, 100% of Hiring Managers

One expert suggests that 15 percent of HR departments are routinely doing social media background checks, but, astoundingly, 100 percent of hiring managers are. What’s up with that? We’ve talked about the advisability of doing social media background checks before. Briefly, the negative of doing such checks is that you’re guaranteed to find out things […]

Administration to Release Long-Awaited Family Leave Proposal Jan. 30

Regulations implementing expansions to the Family and Medical Leave Act will be proposed Monday, the White House announced today. The 2009 legislative amendments added FMLA coverage for caregivers of wounded and ill service members and veterans. It also provided eligible employees the ability to take FMLA leave to tend to “qualifying exigencies” stemming from a […]

Missing I-9? What To Do

Yesterday, we looked at some of the key aspects of the I-9 rules. Today, the penalties you face if you get it wrong—plus an answer to the question of what to do if you discover that you’re missing I-9s for one or more employees.

Managing Bosses, Be They Remarkable, Toxic or Perilous

Job satisfaction begins and ends with the boss, says executive coach Dr. Karol Wasylyshyn, author of Behind the Executive Door: Unexpected Lessons for Managing Your Boss and Your Career. To make the boss/you relationship work, first determine whether you have a Remarkable, Toxic or Perilous boss. Wasylyshyn. a licensed psychologist and executive advisor, is founder […]

Social Media: HR Should Heed Two Lessons From New NLRB Report

Based on recent case law, when it comes to social media, human resources (HR) professionals need to be mindful of the scope of their policies, as well as the context of employee comments on that platform, according to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). On Jan. 24, NLRB Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon released his […]