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Study Finds Significant Gender Gap in Retirement Savings–How Employers Can Help

A new study from financial education and counseling company Financial Finesse highlights the practical implications of the greater retirement savings shortfalls female employees face for numerous reasons, which result in a gender-based financial “confidence gap.” However, the study also shows that women are more likely than men to utilize retirement-planning services offered by employers.

Arbitrator upholds employer’s dismissal of grievor who exaggerated her medical symptoms

by Louise Béchamp Exaggerating one’s medical symptoms in order to avoid a return to work can be cause for dismissal. This is a lesson that a grievor learned the hard way following the finding of a Quebec arbitrator in Fédération des paramédics et des employées et employés des services préhospitaliers du Québec (FPESPQ) and Services […]

Littler’s EEOC Activity Report–No Relief for Employers

Littler Mendelson’s recently released Annual Report on EEOC Developments—Fiscal Year 2012 indicates that the agency recovered a total of $365.4 million in monetary benefits in FY 2012, the highest level ever achieved through the administrative process. In addition, in settlement of 254 EEOC lawsuits, the EEOC recovered an additional $44.2 million. Employers beware. The report, […]

Court Supports Sponsor Interpretation of Plan, but Equitable Relief Claims Still Possible

Plan sponsors may take heart at a district court’s ruling supporting the interpretation of plan language by one of their own — but a partial dissent could spell more claims for equitable relief. The 6th U.S.  Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a ruling for the plaintiff in a surviving-spousal benefits suit and supported the defined […]

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 […]

Escaping the ‘Incredible Pain’ of Retaliation

Retaliation cases are an “incredible pain,” says Michael Faillace. “They are the 21st century weapon for plaintiffs’ lawyers who have no case.” Retaliation claims are growing, notes Faillace, and it is no wonder—employees with baseless claims can make their retaliation claims stick. “You just don’t want to be in front of a jury on one […]

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Great expectations? Let’s tip off with reasonable expectations

Expectations are a funny thing. They can be good in that they set forth an objective measure for expected performance, goals, and standards of conduct. On the other hand, they can turn bad if they are unreasonable or prone to differing or subjective interpretations. Watching the NBA draft last week, I was struck by how […]