Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Clear plan document terms in ERISA group health plans are the best defense against legal claims asserting broad equitable remedies, the U.S. Supreme Court reinforced in an April 16 decision. In its holding, the Court affirmed that equitable theories, such as make-whole, common fund, unjust enrichment and double-recovery doctrines should not be allowed to override […]
By Keri Bennett When a long-service costume designer was dismissed following a workplace harassment investigation, a British Colombia arbitrator found the company’s no-hire ban for all future productions to be excessive, since there was a lack of progressive discipline. Despite finding that the fired employee had engaged in longstanding and widespread harassment of junior employees, […]
I was intrigued to learn this week that Hewlett-Packard had sued to prevent its former CEO, Mark Hurd, from joining Oracle Corp. as co-president. You may recall that a few weeks ago I commented that I thought HP had done the right thing by parting ways with Mr. Hurd after he violated the company’s standard […]
Do your employees and clients view your workplace as just a facility? At Square, founded by Jack Dorsey, inventor of Twitter, the workplace is an “experience”—complete with an on-site barista! According to an article in Fast Company, the mobile credit-card and money payment system company, with offices in San Francisco, New York City, and Atlanta, […]
Three liberal advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit alleging that President Donald Trump’s 2-for-1 regulation mandate violates the U.S. Constitution and directs agencies to violate federal law. In a January 30 Executive Order, Trump instructed federal agencies to cut two regulations for every new one issued during the current fiscal year. He said the order […]
Inspired by The Hunger Games trilogy, some employers may feel the urge to pile the employees onto a bus, head off site, and pit coworker against coworker in some form of physical competition under the guise of “team building.” Savvy employers are always looking for new and better ways to motivate the troops, solidify relationships, and build […]
To be victorious in the “talent wars,” use what Marketing uses to win customers: segmentation. If you’re having trouble recruiting the employees you need these days, the solution might just lie in your Marketing department, says consultant Eileen Levitt, founder of HR Team in Baltimore. “Can you attract all your desired customers using one sales […]
By Quint Studer Just My E-Pinion Do your employees really know what’s going on with your company? "Don’t be worried that they can’t handle the truth," says bestselling author Quint Studer. He offers convincing reasons for creating a culture of transparency in your company—starting now. The economy may be improving, but employees are still worried: […]
Believe it or not, as I write this, the first half of 2015 has come to an end. That’s right, the year is half over, and it’s a good time to mark your progress. Are you well on your way to achieving the goals—both personal and professional—you set for yourself this year? We have flipped […]
By Benjamin J. Conley, JD In late October, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a series of informal frequently asked questions (FAQs) addressing various unanswered questions under the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) preventive service mandate, the Mental Health Parity, and […]