Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that in 2007, its Wage and Hour Division recovered $220,613,703 in back wages, the highest amount ever, on behalf of 341,624 workers. These back-wage collections exceeded the previous record levels from 2003 by 3.8 percent. In addition, the division assessed over $10.3 million in penalties in 2007.
A recent case provides a dramatic example of how great the financial incentive can be for employees to blow the whistle on their employer. Donald McLendon, a former health care executive, will receive over $34 million for giving the government information about unlawful billing and fraud by his former employer Olsten Corp. and hospital giant […]
Fraudulent workers’ comp claims cost employers millions every year. And while fraudulent claims can often be hard to prove, there are some red flags it can pay to look out for. Possible indicators of employee fraud include:
Have you had a “eureka” moment lately? How about a penetrating insight into the HR profession? Or maybe just strong feelings about an issue of the day that you just can’t keep to yourself? Well, here’s your chance to share. Regular readers of this column know that it’s often written by BLR’s founder and CEO […]
Washington State has followed in California’s lead, becoming just the second state in the nation to create a paid family leave system.
It’s time to check with payroll to make absolutely sure that you are geared up for the change in the federal minimum wage. The second of three increases will take effect on Thursday (July 24, 2008). The impact on employers may vary depending on the state in which employees work. This Thursday, July 24, the […]
As we reported last month, the California Legislature enacted a sweeping overhaul of the state’s 91-year-old system for compensating workers injured on the job—and Gov. Schwarzenegger quickly signed the workers’ compensation legislation, S.B. 899, which took effect immediately. Employers should soon see savings from the new reforms. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau has proposed […]
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which enforces laws requiring certain federal contractors and subcontractors to prepare and maintain affirmative action programs, has launched a new program to give contractors advance warning that they’ve been targeted for a compliance audit.
What do short stories by O. Henry and independent contractor analysis have in common? You’re left guessing the outcome until the very end, says attorney Deanna Brinkerhoff. DOL is cracking down on classification, and that makes it a good time to evaluate your organization’s classification decisions. DOL estimates that 30 percent of employers misclassify some […]
By Mary Jo Larson Nearly every 401(k) plan offers its participants some investment options that include revenue-sharing fee payments. For many years, employers were not even aware that their participants’ investments were generating these payments. Today, in the wake of new U.S. Department of Labor disclosure and reporting rules and well-publicized cases attacking employers for […]