Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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 […]
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. […]
By Mark I. Schickman California employers have been waiting since October 2008 for the California Supreme Court to issue its ruling in the Brinker Restaurant case, clarifying whether employers must “ensure” that employees take meal and rest breaks or simply “provide” those breaks. Today, the court unanimously served up a major victory to California employers […]
As if it weren’t enough of a hassle, FLMA’s just gotten messier. The feds have added “servicemember family” leave—but without the regulations needed to administer it—and “qualifying exigency” leave—not required but “encouraged.” Here’s what you need to know. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), already HR’s least favorite law, has just gotten more so. […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down a ruling that permits the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to sue you for job discrimination, even if the employee has signed a mandatory arbitration agreement. We’ll explain this new ruling and its impact.
With Congress considering a couple of bills aimed at preventing wage discrimination—and several states with pay equity laws already on the books—employers may want to take a close look at their compensation practices, according to attorneys who help employers with pay matters.
The U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services, and the Treasury recently published interim final regulations in the Federal Register that implement the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). These regulations are effective April 5, 2010, and apply to plan years beginning on or […]
I’m up against an ethical brick wall here. I recently had an excellent candidate for one of our sales positions who was visibly pregnant. The hiring manager gave her a brief interview, then told me to reject her. He said, “Don’t send me any more pregnant women; they just get started and then they’re out […]
Yesterday’s Advisor covered hiring mistakes Today we look at other common goofs managers make and a BLR program uniquely designed to help smaller HR departments avoid them. Yesterday, we described major hiring mistakes companies make, per the research of top consultancy, Gevity HR. These include relying exclusively on traditional sources, failing to market your organization […]