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Do You Offer Financial Training?

You know that personal problems can have an adverse effect on employee performance. And one of the biggest personal problems is often finances–a burden which can sometimes come into stark focus at this time of year when holiday spending binges may occur. But even ongoing financial responsibilities can sometimes get out of hand–sometimes through no […]

What Motivates an Employee’s Lawyer?

by Jeff DeGraffenreid Recently, I met a plaintiff’s lawyer during a particularly expansive mediation. He was on the opposing side, and after we were through, I had the chance to sit down with him over a beer and pick his brain. I’d gone in with the notion that he was “in it for the money.” […]

What You Can Learn from the Blue-Collar Gig Economy

The U.S. unemployment rate is at its lowest in years, and there’s a growing demand for blue-collar workers, with many workers turning to gig opportunities—a sector that is booming right now. Rather than freelance work and creative services—like white-collar gig work—blue-collar gig work focuses on labor, manufacturing, warehouse, and delivery jobs and is often temporary.

Political Comments Can Land Employers in Hot Water

With less than a month to go before the 2012 election, political passions are peaking. In a close race, some employers may be tempted to try to influence how their employees vote. It’s not a rare occurrence. Four years ago, a Maryland construction executive happened to mention during the course of an interview with me […]

Fox and Found

Litigation Value: Squiggle Quips = $3.95 per package; delicious dinner without your wallet = an embarrassing (and defamatory) mugshot on the restaurant wall; finding out Angela publicly joked about urinating on Gabe = priceless. Last night provided us with an evening of reruns, but I love The Office and have been known to watch episodes […]

EEOC’s controversial EEO-1 change would root out pay discrimination

by Amanda Shelby On January 29, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency charged with administering and enforcing the civil rights laws that prohibit workplace discrimination, proposed a significant revision to its Employer Information Report (also known as the EEO-1). The federal government uses the EEO-1 to collect demographic data about an […]

2012 Holiday Pay Practices Infographic

A new BLR Holiday Practices Survey examines employer practices for providing paid holidays and paying nonexempt employees during the 2012 holiday season and provides information on planned paid holidays for 2013. A total of 1,936 organizations participated in the survey, conducted in October 2012. The infographic also links to answers on frequently asked questions (FAQs) […]

DOL to address overtime rules by June 30

A federal court of appeals has granted the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) its third extension in defending a lawsuit challenging new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations. A lower court temporarily enjoined the rules last year, and the Obama administration appealed that order. Now the Trump administration must decide whether to continue with […]

Before you do job training, check out the need

Job training can improve your organization, but only if you use it in situations that complement your business plan When an organization isn’t reaching potential, the snap answer is often “do some job training.” Indeed, there are many powerful job training programs now available in a variety of formats. The power of video and computer-based […]

banking

COLA and CPI: What’s the Difference?

By Sharon McKnight, CCP, SPHR, BLR Senior Editor I can remember when a candy bar cost a nickel. Now, it’s a challenge to find one under a dollar. The cost of placating my sweet tooth, however, didn’t just leap from five cents to nearly a hundred pennies all at once. It crept up in itty-bitty […]