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Feds Freeze Per Diem Rates for FY 2013

Reimbursement rates for lodging, meals and incidental expenses for fiscal year 2013, which begins Oct. 1, will be frozen at FY 2012 levels, the U.S. General Services Administration announced Aug. 27. GSA is the arm of the federal government that sets travel policy for federal employees. The reimbursement rates, commonly called per diems, determine the […]

When Must Employers Comply with New FMLA Leave Requirements?

Update: New FMLA regulations issued by DOL on November 14, 2008 The recently enacted military family leave grants two new types of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave to the relatives of military personnel. In short, the law requires employers to provide: 12 weeks of leave to employees who have a spouse, parent, or […]

IRS Details Procedures for e-Filing Hardship Waivers

IRS on Sept. 14 released a new revenue procedure guide for retirement plan administrators seeking to avoid filing certain annual forms electronically, usually for economic hardship reasons. The changes are most likely to apply to small plans. In Revenue Procedure 2015-47, IRS provided some clarity on when some filers can continue using paper to submit […]

Text Messages: The New Employment Files?

In the age of iPhones, BlackBerries, and similar devices, text messaging is becoming as ubiquitous in the workplace as it is everywhere else. But as an employer, are you at risk of dropping the ball on essential recordkeeping because vital communications are transmitted on phones — often personal phones that don’t belong to the company?

Employer Health Plans Could Face Unpredictability as State Responses to Reform Differ

Time will soon tell how many states will run health exchanges and expand Medicaid as directed in the federal health reform law. But for employer plans, the waiting game just draws out the inevitable confusion that may occur as those plans anticipate being impacted in different ways on a state-by-state basis, speakers explained at a […]

Expert Gives Tips on Preventing Intermittent Leave Abuse

This content was originally published in January 2010. For the latest FMLA regulation changes, visit our FMLA article archives or try our practical FMLA compliance guide. Barbara Dahlen, Human Resources manager for Bellefontaine Habilitation Center in St. Louis, Missouri, knows a few things about preventing intermittent leave abuse. As a speaker at a recent seminar […]

News Notes: Half-Million-Dollar Slander Verdict For Employee Accused Of Theft

A recent verdict provides a good reminder ofwhy it’s important to listen to and follow up on employee complaints. A juryawarded maintenance technician Bob Haist $500,000 on his clam that his managerat Chula Vista–based Goodrich Aerostructures slandered him by accusing him infront of his co-workers of stealing from the company. Haist’s co-workers alsoallegedly watched managers […]

To Pay or Not to Pay: Wage and Hour Is Heating Up

The number one question topic in HR is still FMLA, but wage and hour is now a close second, says Attorney Christine Walters, SPHR. You might think that people would have wage and hour down by now, but no. First, wage and hour lawsuits are coming hard and fast. Walters offered a few examples of […]

Court Multiplies Award, Saying Insurer Profited from Denial

Rather than merely finding that an individual was entitled to benefits due, a federal appeals court ordered an insurer to pay a large monetary award under ERISA based on the equitable theories of unjust enrichment and disgorgement of ill-gotten profits. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that the insurer used money it should […]

Nappers Respond—’Bravo!’ and ‘You’ve got to Be Kidding!

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor Four weeks ago our e-pinion featured tips for napping at work. Our readers responded quickly. Two brief responses sum up the views on napping: 1. “We do not permit napping. You’ve got to be kidding me!” 2. “Bravo! I love your topic—it helps me feel better […]