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Same-gender Marriage Debate Continues in the States

Employers still have to contend with plenty of uncertainty regarding employees’ same-gender spouses, regardless of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in U.S. v. Windsor (No. 12-307, June 26, 2013). That decision may have declared Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, but it was a narrow ruling that left divergent state laws […]

DOL Lets Retirement Plan Sponsors Reset Timing for Participant Fee Disclosure Charts

The U.S. Department of Labor on July 22 announced temporary relief for retirement plan administrators from some participant fee disclosure deadlines approaching in August. In Field Assistance Bulletin 2013-02, DOL said it would allow a one-time “reset” of the requirement that administrators “at least annually” provide to participants detailed comparative charts of plan investment options. […]

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 […]

Get Off on the Right Foot by Drafting an Effective Handbook

Often, the first document a new employee reads is the company handbook. A handbook serves many purposes, among them introducing the employer’s culture, communicating important policies, and setting employee expectations. If approached thoughtfully, a handbook is also a key tool for minimizing exposure to litigation.

7 Deadly Timeclock Sins

The following 7 deadly sins were explained by Sandra Rappaport, Esq., an attorney at the San Francisco office of law firm Hanson Bridgett LLP. Rappaport made her remarks at ERI’s recent 2010 California Employment Law Update conference, held at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco.

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.

Finally – Relief for ‘HR’s Number 1 Headache’ … The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

HR professionals have long wondered how to make the mandates of FMLA work in their businesses. A solid briefing can help. On October 17, we’ll deliver one. Yesterday’s Daily Advisor reported on the upsurge in family responsibilities discrimination (FRD) lawsuits. According to those tracking the actions, the number of suits filed for adverse job actions […]

News Flash: Federal Contractors Pay Out Record Discrimination Penalties

According to a new U.S. Department of Labor report, thegovernment collected a record $41 million from federal contractors last year for victims of discrimination. This was up from just over $35 million in 1998. The report also discloses the DOL’s plans to increase the number of government contractors in compliance with equal employment opportunity laws […]