Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Kevin C. McCormick Maryland’s new Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, which takes effect on October 1, will prohibit employers from providing less than favorable employment opportunities to or discriminating against employees by paying different rates based on their sex or gender identity. Under the new law, which was signed by Governor Lawrence Hogan […]
By Kate McGovern Tornone, Editor A recent ruling by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee—has found that an employee who cannot explain discrepancies between her Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation request and her Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) application cannot bring a disability discrimination claim against her employer.
Johns Manville of McPherson, Kansas, which produces fiberglass insulation materials, was honored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for its commitment to safety. In 2007 Johns Manville earned membership in OSHA’s prestigious “star” Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The star designation is the highest level in the program. “Johns Manville has exhibited excellence in […]
An employer who discharged an older employee because she lacked modern computer skills was not guilty of illegal age discrimination, according to a Sacramento jury. Janet Davis, 49, worked in the accounting department of Yamas Control, Inc. Davis contended she was doing her job satisfactorily and had received several raises and favorable performance reviews. So […]
Recently, several big-name clothing retailers—including Polo Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Chicos—have been hit with charges that policies requiring employees to buy and wear the retailers’ own clothes violate California’s wage-and-hour rules stating that employers must pay for employee uniforms. Now Abercrombie & Fitch has agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle charges brought […]
Health reform’s requirement that employers insure work forces will hit the retail and hospitality industries harder than others, because they are staffed with more low-wage and part-time workers, consulting firm Mercer LLC reported on Aug. 8. Forty-six percent of surveyed firms in the retail and hospitality sectors predicted health care cost increases of at least […]
As Washington gridlock worsens, the states are getting more aggressive on employment law. Here’s a widely used tool to make sure you’re aware of the changes in your state. Yesterday’s Daily Advisor dealt with whether employment laws that require notice be given to employees about their wage and hour, safety, and other protections also say […]
When the sweeping new Medicare law was recently signed into law, bundled within it was an unrelated but key provision for employers—the creation of tax-free Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). We’ll explain what HSAs are, who’s eligible, and what they could mean for you and your employees. We’ll also highlight a few potential downsides you should […]
The Disability Access Office in San Antonio, Texas, has published The Disability Etiquette Handbook. The handbook, which is on the web, covers a variety of issues. We thought we’d give you a sample. Reception Etiquette Greeting someone with a disability often makes a person without a disability awkward and uncomfortable. That doesn’t make you a […]
by Mark Schickman, Freeland Cooper & Foreman LLP Politically, California bucked the national move to the right, reelecting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Barbara Boxer — two poster children for the perceived overreaches of the Obama administration. In the governor’s race, it rejected the claimed business savvy of former e-Bay CEO Meg Whitman, instead […]