Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Our healthcare premiums have gone through the roof (whose haven’t?), and management is putting pressure on me to get the costs down. They think we can have an impact by establishing health criteria to screen out applicants who will be likely to have high health bills, e.g., smokers, those who are overweight and/or have high […]
An employee who claimed her boss sexually harassed her was awarded nearly $400,000 in damages—but the supervisor, not the employer, will have to pay the tab. Maria Kaul worked for a short time as a secretary for Orion Systems, Inc., in Santa Clara. She claimed her boss, Morton Kessler, repeatedly commented on her clothing, kissed […]
According to a recent story by Mark Anderson in the Sacramento Business Journal, The Sacramento Kings basketball team is now offering its full-time employees an unusual perk: genetic testing for ovarian and breast cancer.
The April 2011 unfair labor practice charge that was filed against the Boeing Co. and that became an immediate flashpoint for criticism of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), has been withdrawn. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union asked to withdraw the charge after its members ratified a four-year collective bargaining agreement […]
Apparently, Congress isn’t done expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA.) Just a few weeks ago, two different bills were introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would expand the scope of the Act. FMLA Compliance Manual, including a quarterly compliance bulletin with updates on the FMLA Specifics of proposed legislation On April […]
The agency responsible for enforcing the Americans with Disabilities has revised several of its guidance documents to reflect recent changes to the law. The May 15 changes were necessary because of the ADA Amendments Act, which expanded the law’s coverage in 2009, the U.S said in a press release. The documents explain how ADA applies […]
The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) is warning employers about recent incidents in which a man has allegedly impersonated a Cal/OSHA inspector and defrauded restaurant owners. The incidents have occurred in Southern California and in Roseville (near Sacramento).
"Why do we have substance abuse testing programs?" asks Dr. W. Smith Chandler. The answer is simple—they save money. Chandler, an SPHR and physician who is board-certified in occupational medicine, has helped many employers develop substance abuse programs. His comments came during a recent audio conference sponsored by BLR®. How Do Substance Abuse Programs Save […]
The overwhelming majority of defined contribution plan participants at retirement age roll their retirement savings over from their employer’s plan to an individual retirement account within five years of leaving the company, according to new research by Vanguard. But most refrain from taking distributions for years afterward. This common decision has implications for the “to […]
According to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau, 37 percent of working women and 35 percent of working men had attained a bachelor’s degree or more as of 2010. However, when looking at all adults 25 and older, the report showed that 29.6 percent of women and 30.3 percent of men had at […]