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Student Loan Holders Would Greatly Value Employer Assistance

A new survey has found that many student loan borrowers in the U.S. would prefer to work for a company that offers student loan management help as part of their benefits package. The survey was conducted among 1,000 individuals with student loans by Iontuition Inc., a member of the Ceannate companies that helps students and […]

Indiana AG appeals Lake County judge’s ruling that right-to-work law is unconstitutional

On September 5, Indiana’s right-to-work law was declared unconstitutional by a state trial court judge.  On Thursday, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller filed a notice of appeal in the case. Lake County Superior Court Judge John M. Sedia ruled that the right-to-work law violated the Indiana Constitution by requiring unions to provide services without payment. […]

Arizona Medical Marijuana Vote Too Close to Call

By Dinita L. James As of Thursday morning, the outcome of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act remains too close to call. The no votes on Proposition 203 outnumbered the yes votes at one point late this morning by a slim 6,700-vote margin, with three precinct results incomplete and an unknown number of early voting ballots […]

IRS Lowers Standard Mileage Rate for 2009

The IRS standard-mileage-reimbursement rate for 2009 will be 55 cents per mile for all business miles driven, down from the rate of 58.5 cents a mile that was in effect in the second half of 2008. The IRS had made a special adjustment for the second half of 2008 in response to a spike in […]

Overtime Calculation: Do You Have to Include Benefits Opt-Out Payments?

By BLR Editor Kate McGovern Tornone The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington—has given employers another thing to worry about in light of the new overtime regulations. In a  case of first impression, the court ruled that when an employer pays an employee cash […]

IRS Standard Mileage Rates Drop a Half-cent

Employers whose employees use their own vehicles business can now adjust their reimbursement forms and procedures for 2014, since the IRS released the standard mileage rates for the year in Notice 2013-80 on Dec. 6. The IRS also adjusted the reimbursement rate for miles driven for medical purposes or a relocation, also by half a […]

News Notes: Is Same-Sex Horseplay Harassment When It Involves Heterosexuals?

Same-sex harassment is illegal under California law if the harassment is “because of” a person’s gender. The concept is easy to apply when the perpetrator and the victim are gays or lesbians of the same gender. But is crude behavior by a heterosexual employee against someone of the same gender-such as making sexually explicit jokes […]

DOL’s Top Independent Contractor Trouble Spots

As seen in yesterday’s Advisor, the determination of independent contractor status can be tricky. Today: DOL’s top contractor problem spots, and a guide that picks up your FLSA problems before the feds do. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) points out the following particular problem areas for employers when it comes to determining whether a […]

Health Benefits: A Look at Recent HIPAA Developments

If you have an employer-sponsored health plan, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest information about the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act, or HIPAA—which imposes requirements regarding the security of medical information, nondiscrimination in health plans, and much more. We’ll take a look at HIPAA developments that are new for 2007.