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Iowa: It’s Back to the Past with New Governor

by Greg Naylor, Whitfield & Eddy P.L.C. Twenty-five years ago, Michael J. Fox took us all Back to the Future. On Election Day, however, Iowa went back to the past, returning former Republican Governor Terry Branstad to a gubernatorial seat that hadn’t seen a Republican occupant in three consecutive terms. Republicans also will take control […]

Sign of the Times? Minimum Wage Boost Defeated in Maine

What a difference a couple of years makes. Not so long ago, a flurry of states passed legislation or ballot initiatives to increase their minimum wage rates. As recently as 2009, there were minimum wage increases in 24 states. Since then, it appears that changes in the political climate and in the economy have completely […]

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 […]

EEOC Issues New Guidance on Employing Veterans with Disabilities

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released new guidance addressing how changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) affect the employment of veterans with disabilities. One of the guides is aimed at employers, and the other is for veterans. Both are available at www.eeoc.gov. The guides reflect changes brought about by the ADA […]

BLR Launches Professional Development Network for Hospitality Industry HR Leaders

BLR® – Business & Legal Resources, a leading provider of employment law compliance and training solutions for HR, has launched a new professional network called HR Executive Roundtable | Hospitality. HR Executive Roundtable | Hospitality facilitates the sharing of ideas, best practices, benchmarking data, experiences, and cost-saving ideas among senior Human Resources leaders in restaurant, […]

Top 10 Benefits Trends in 2011

In a time of economic uncertainty, employers are looking for innovative ways to balance the needs of their workforce with the realities of the post-Healthcare Reform era. Kristen Allison, president of Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, a leading employee benefits consulting and brokerage firm based in Orange County, offers insight into today’s hottest trends set to […]

4 Steps to Investigate Wrongdoing—The Right Way

Be careful how you investigate employee wrongdoing, warn labor experts, or you could be setting the company up for a lawsuit for defamation or invasion of privacy. Follow these 4 steps to avoid potential litigation: 1.) Have a written policy that specifically states the type of unacceptable employee behavior in the workplace and that your […]

News Notes: Employer Can’t Offset Paid Lunch Break Against Overtime Pay

  Michael Ballaris filed a class action lawsuit claiming that his employer, Wacker Siltronic Corp. in Oregon, improperly subtracted “paid lunch” time payments from weekly overtime compensation. Wacker claimed the deductions were permissible because it wasn’t required to pay employees for their lunch period in the first place. But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, […]