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Employer Violated COBRA by Not Sending Notice After Reduction in Hours Hikes Premium

An employer/plan administrator erred by thinking that because it automatically kept employees covered under its health plan when their hours were reduced, there was no need to provide a COBRA election notice, a federal district court in Maryland ruled. The fact that the reduction in hours resulted in an increase in their premiums constituted a […]

What Is the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?

While Title VII of the Civil Rights Act already prohibits gender-based discrimination, including pay discrimination, there was an unfortunate problem created by a court interpretation back in 2007. Namely, the courts decided that the original pay decision was what started the statute of limitations to bring a claim—not the ongoing unfair pay. This all came […]

Continued Inflation and Employee Compensation

Many companies have weathered the impacts of inflation on the cost of their production inputs by simply passing such costs on to consumers; however, as central banks, led by the U.S. Federal Reserve, continue to raise interest rates, consumer spending is likely to decrease, hampering employers’ ability to pass along costs. One of the biggest […]

What Needs to Change for the Future of HR

Those of us in recruiting have noticed a decline in employee engagement metrics for some time now as new employee needs come into conflict with the more traditional ways of working. Some aspects of this decline are reflected in employees’ shifting perspectives toward the HR department. A 2022 report by Crucial Learning found the majority […]

What Does Luck Have to Do with It?

From The Oswald Letter By Dan Oswald CEO, BLR “I’d rather be lucky than good.” Those famous words were uttered by Lefty Gomez, a left-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees who played primarily in the 1930s. Take a minute to let that quote soak in. Would you rather be lucky or good?

Beyond Algorithms: The Irreplaceable Human Elements of HR 

AI is reshaping human resources. From parsing resumes in seconds to analyzing workforce sentiment in real time, the efficiency gains are undeniable. But amid the disruption, a quieter conversation is happening—about the boundaries of what AI can and cannot (or should not) do in the HR function.  The truth is, while automation is optimizing many […]

Addressing Employee Mental Health in Your Workplace—On a Tight Budget

Mental health has become one of the most pressing issues for HR leaders in recent years—and for good reason. The statistics surrounding mental illness in the workplace are staggering. Every year, around 35 million workdays are lost due to mental illness, while more than 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness. Additionally, […]

What is Upskilling?

Upskilling is the process of teaching or training employees to enhance their existing skills. The goal is to ensure they’re kept up to date with the latest industry trends, technologies, and processes to ensure their productivity, efficiency, and overall performance. Upskilling Matters for Organizations For instance, in the HR profession, laws and regulations are continually […]