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Employees Not Helped by Slow Health Premium Growth

Employers have been shifting more premium costs to workers and increasing their deductibles. That, in addition to the fact that price growth in the health sector outpaces growth for the rest of the economy,  has resulted in a disproportionate increase in employee out-of-pocket costs, a new Commonwealth Fund report says. Growth in health plan costs […]

Retaining Star Power

In the 12 months through July, the U.S. economy created 66.7 million hires only to be nearly matched by 64.2 million separations. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has noted the high quit rates indicate a near full employment of the U.S. workforce.

3 Key Questions for Best Practice Wellness

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Francis Alvarez discussed legal risks of wellness programs. Today, practical considerations and an introduction to a popular wellness guide. Each organization has to decide for itself where it belongs on the wellness/risk continuum, says Alvarez, a partner in the White Plains, New York, office of national employment law firm Jackson Lewis. […]

Are generic antigay comments considered harassment?

by Steve Jones Q I have an employee who is outwardly gay. He is a great employee and says he loves working at my business. However, he recently mentioned that he doesn’t like when a specific coworker uses antigay slurs. The slurs are not directed toward the gay employee. Instead, the slurs are generic comments […]

News Flash: Microsoft Settles Temporary Worker Lawsuit For $97 Million

Microsoft Corp. has agreed to pay $96.9 million to settle a class action lawsuit brought by long-term workers who claimed the company misclassified them as temporary employees to avoid paying benefits. The so-called “permatemps”-who performed the same work as full-time staff-sought benefits such as health insurance and participation in the company’s lucrative employee stock purchase […]

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Employees Think Traditional 9-To-5 Is A Thing of the Past, Says Survey

A typical work day historically involved 8 consecutive hours of effort for full-time workers, but today, most don’t stop working when the clock hits 5 p.m. According to a new survey from CareerBuilder, nearly three in five workers (59%) believe the traditional 9-to-5 work day is a thing of the past. Forty-five percent of workers […]

Violent Employees: Court Rules Employer Not Automatically Liable For Criminal Assault By Employee; 3-Point Lawsuit Prevention Checklist

Maria D. (as she was referred to in court documents) claimed that late one night as she drove along the Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California, she was pulled over by an on-duty Westec Residential Security guard wearing a uniform and gun. The guard allegedly pointed a spotlight in her face, asked for her license, […]

Payroll Errors Cost Time, Money, Morale

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been handling payroll for years, Joe Sharpe urges you to heed this warning: Be careful. It isn’t that Sharpe, who prefers the title “Payroll Czar” at his firm Sharp Payroll, Inc., doesn’t trust your abilities, your education, or your dedication to the job. Rather, it’s just that people […]

Aging Workers Present Golden Opportunities

By Gary Jiles A wise employer recognizes that with age comes solid work experience. Thus, it is beneficial to both you and the employee to accommodate the needs of your aging employees. While an older workforce may trigger a few considerations, flexibility and additional training can ensure that your employees (and business) continue to prosper. […]

Bereavement Leave (Employee Version): HR Form of the Week

It’s a sad situation that every employer must face at one time or another—the death of an employee’s family member. While no federal or California law requires employers to provide bereavement leave in this situation, most employers do allow employees a few days off when an immediate family member dies, and sometimes the leave is […]