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IRS Increases Standard Mileage Rate for Remainder of Year

In response to rising gasoline prices, the Internal Revenue Service has taken the step of boosting the optional standard mileage rate by eight cents, to 48.5 cents per mile, for the final four months of 2005 (effective from Sept. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2005). This is the rate most businesses use to reimburse employees […]

What Concerns HR? Survey Says …

Recent surveys of the profession show few surprises in what concerns HR. The surprises are in what doesn’t concern you as much. As fall is traditionally the time of year when businesses assess their positions and plan for their futures, we thought it might be a good time for a “state of HR” assessment. What […]

Public Employees: New Case Makes It Easier for Public Workers to File Lawsuits for Bias-Related Claims

Last year, the California Supreme Court made it easier for public employees to sue over job bias by ruling that they can bypass their employers’ internal grievance process and file a discrimination complaint directly with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). Now a California appeal court has clarified an issue left open […]

Is Motherhood Under Attack in the Workplace?

Just in time for Mother’s Day comes news that workplace discrimination based on parental status may be increasing. If your mom hasn’t already reminded you of it (subtly, of course), this Sunday is Mother’s Day. It’s a time when society traditionally extols the values of motherhood. But in the workplace, according to growing numbers of […]

Turn Your Supervisors into Team Leaders

In a recent survey, employees saw their workplaces sadly lacking in organizational teamwork. Here are some ideas from a new BLR audio training program that your supervisors can use to build effective teams.  Regular Daily Advisor readers know that we’ve recently been heavily involved in a project called the National Employee Attitude Survey (NEAS). The […]

News Notes: OSHA Recommends Workplace Precautions Against West Nile Virus

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released a bulletin providing information on workplace precautions against West Nile virus, an illness transmitted primarily by mosquitoes. This year, hundreds of cases of the virus have been reported in 33 states. And while the virus had so far bypassed California, as we went to press a […]

COBRA Subsidy Extension Legislation’s Effect on Employers

Last week, President Barack Obama signed legislation into law that extends the original federal COBRA subsidy created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The legislation extends: the total allowable time an individual could receive the COBRA subsidy by six months (from nine to 15 months); and the subsidy to individuals who […]

Wage/Hour: Good News Ahead (for the Attorneys, That Is)

There’s good news (sort of) and bad news for employers in the outlook for 2012, say attorneys from the Employers Counsel Network. They covered new developments in wage/hour compliance during a presentation at BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, held recently in Nashville and Las Vegas.

News Notes: Worker Can Sue Employer Who Said He’d Go To Hell

Del Erdmann said he quit his job as assistant director of nursing at Miguel Villa after owner/supervisor Velda Pierce repeatedly told him he would go to hell if he didn’t become a heterosexual and join the Mormon Church. Now a federal court in San Francisco has given Erdmann the green light to sue Miguel Villa […]