Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
About 85% of HR managers say they’ve hired people not suited to the work environment, says a recent survey. But one business leader says he has the three secrets to finding “the best people you’ve ever worked with.” It appears that, in spite of advances in Internet job posting, computerized résumé tracking, and electronic résumé […]
In an important new development, the U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that when fiduciary misconduct diminishes the value of an individual account in a defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k), the harmed employee can sue for damages. In the past, courts have taken the contrary position that the federal employee benefits law only […]
By Naseem Malikand Daniel Pugen McCarthy Tetrault Let’s say you are the human resources director for a Canadian-based operation with affiliates in other countries. One of your numerous responsibilities is to manage the company’s temporary foreign workers, including Americans, in Canada. A challenge you face is handling retention issues with some foreign workers. Given their […]
Shortly after the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 eased the conversion of defined contribution plan balances into after-tax Roth accounts, many employers indicated they were very or somewhat likely to add the in-plan Roth 401(k) conversion options the act created as a new federal revenue source. Global human resources consultant Aon Hewitt conducted a […]
Amazon.com updates its list of bestselling business books hourly. Here is a snapshot of what books were hot this morning — Monday, August 18. 1. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson. Following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, the […]
Concerns about the effect of lump-sum retiree distributions on the funded status of defined benefit pension plans with ongoing obligations to future beneficiaries were prominent as members of the ERISA Advisory Council tackled issues of “derisking” at a June 5 open meeting at the U.S. Department of Labor. There was high interest in the topic […]
Many companies are making major decisions about their compensation programs without even running their plans by HR, says Attorney Lisa Van Fleet. You can’t let the financial people make those decisions, she adds. Yesterday’s Advisor featured Van Fleet’s advice for dealing with deferred compensation changes. Today we’ll get her specific recommendations about compensation decisions, and […]
by Joanna Perini-Abbott With the Oregon Legislature’s passage of a minimum wage increase and the governor’s expected signature, employers need to be ready for a three-tiered minimum wage system. Under the terms of Senate Bill 1532, an employer’s location will affect the wages it must pay employees. Employers in the Portland metropolitan area urban growth […]
It takes a lot of time and effort to deal with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) issues, especially intermittent leave, says HR Manager Barbara Dahlen. Her pragmatic approach works, although she says she’s "not the most popular person" in her workplace. Dahlen says she’s "not a lawyer and doesn’t play one on TV." But […]
By Cathleen S. Yonahara, Freeland Cooper & Foreman LLP A California Court of Appeal has found that an employer may be liable under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) for failing to accommodate a nondisabled employee’s request to modify his work schedule to care for a disabled family member. The court’s interpretation of […]