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Independent Contractors: Court Throws Out Contractor’s Unemployment Claim; 4 Defensive Strategies

Sometimes an unemployment claim can come from out of the blue. And if the worker who files it was improperly classified as an independent contractor, it could trigger an audit—leaving you open to having to pay back payroll taxes and penalties. We’ll look at a new ruling that involved a moonlighting worker who filed for […]

E-Learning FAQs: Answers May Surprise You (Part 2)

[Part 1 of this article appeared in yesterday’s edition.] Typically, organizations will use an LMS (learning management system) to manage their learning content and employee profiles, among other things. The type of LMS your organization will require will depend on its size and needs.

News Notes: Cash-Balance Retirement Plans Spark Controversy And Legislation

IBM¹s recent announcement that it was converting from a traditional pension plan to a cash-balance plan triggered angry employee protests and age discrimination allegations. Now, government agencies and federal legislators are vowing to take a closer look at the impact cash-balance plans have on older workers. Unlike traditional pension plans in which workers earn most […]

Harassment at work: Do victim’s wishes matter?

by Alexandra Meunier When assessing whether behavior constitutes sexual harassment, Canadian decision-makers usually look at the situation objectively. In other words, they don’t typically put much emphasis on subjective elements, such as the perception of the victim. Recently, an arbitrator in Quebec has done just that.

Illinois employers need to prepare for same-sex marriage law

Illinois’ same-sex marriage law, which was passed last fall, is set to take effect June 1. The new law will affect Illinois employers in various ways. Employers will need to treat same-sex spouses the same way they treat opposite-sex spouses. This will have ramifications for employer-sponsored health plans with spousal coverage and retirement plans. Also, […]

Whom Would You Choose as Your Career Coach?

The other day, a colleague sent me the results of a survey that says Americans would like to have Vince Lombardi or Oprah Winfrey as their coach. That got me thinking. It got me thinking about whom I would choose as my coach. Who should be in the running? What makes each an appealing choice? […]

Five Changes to Look for from Obama and New Washington Leaders

by Mark Schickman The historic Democratic Party election sweep is apt to have a major effect on America’s employment and labor policy. The policies promulgated by the Obama White House will receive a favorable reception from both houses of Congress. Here are some of those policies. Free HR Hero White Paper: What’s Next? Seven Possible […]

Tiger Doesn’t Need to Apologize to Me

When I heard that Tiger Woods was holding a press conference to apologize for his infidelity, I couldn’t imagine what he’d have to say to me. Let’s face it, Tiger never made any promises to me about how he would conduct himself either personally or professionally. So I was curious as to what he might […]

News Notes: Auto Club Ordered To Pay $576,000 On Sexual Harassment Claim

A San Fernando jury has awarded $576,000 to an Auto Club of Southern California employee who claimed she was repeatedly groped and subjected to unwanted attention for two years by a co-worker who was so persistent that he followed her into the women’s restroom. Cheryl Parker said she reported the problem in writing to a […]