Most Popular

‘Victory’ in Court Is Always a Little Bitter

In employment law cases, “Victory in court is always a little bitter when the costs of achieving it are factored in,” says attorney Russell Adler. He was referring in particular to the potential dangers of giving references. Adler, who practices labor and employment law at WolfBlock, made his remarks on workforce.com. His advice: “Stay out […]

Compensation: Can We Insist on Salary Confidentiality?

As a result of an upcoming merger, we are going to have a lot of situations in which there is a disparity in salaries. We have a plan for addressing that over a period of three years, but in the meantime, I would like to institute a policy that prohibits employees from discussing their salaries […]

Ask the Expert: We have a time clock system that automatically deducts lunch hours from only one department. Is this legal?

November 11, 2010 Employers are not required to pay employees for time spent during bona fide meal periods. Bona fide meal periods are ordinarily breaks that last at least 30 minutes, but they may be shorter under special conditions. They do not include coffee or snack breaks; these are rest periods that may have to […]

Silica, Slip-and-Fall, and More

Yesterday, we took a brief look at what OSHA is focusing on this year. Today, some more areas you as an HR professional should know about—plus an introduction to a detailed California-specific safety desk reference.

QLACs could increase younger workers’ retirement readiness, EBRI

Qualifying longevity annuity contracts in 401(k) plans could significantly increase the retirement readiness of younger workers with longer life expectancies, the Employee Benefit Research Institute reported recently. Modeling two scenarios involving the recently approved QLACs, EBRI found that, while the general population might experience a “small reduction” in retirement readiness by purchasing a QLAC with […]

Getting a handle on emotional intelligence can smooth the way for a diverse workplace

by Tammy Binford Proponents of a diverse workforce understand that an employee group made up of all ages, races, and cultural backgrounds has a lot to offer. In spite of the advantages of diversity, though, employees’ differences can lead to a lack of understanding that holds everybody back. But is there a secret to capitalizing […]

Construction association sues to stop OFCCP’s new affirmative action rule

On November 19, 2013, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), a national association for the construction industry, filed a request for an injunction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to stop the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) final rule affecting federal government contractors, including construction contractors. […]

"I Wonder When Immigrants Became the Enemy"

Special from Atlanta–SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition Condoleezza Rice’s thought-provoking comment about the immigration situation in the United States came at SHRM’s Annual Conference and Exposition, held recently in Atlanta Georgia. Three Big Developments HR managers need to be aware of the effect of three incidents that are shaping our world today, Rice says. 9/11. […]

The Summer Job Rush Is On: But Is Change Coming in Child Labor Laws?

Teen employment is highly regulated under child labor laws. Those laws may be changing. Here’s what you need to know. June is the month when most schools close for the summer. That means it’s also the time that thousands of American teenagers look for summer jobs. At any given time, according to the Department of […]