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It’s that time of year again when Sacramento lawmakers are debating a wide variety of measures that could impact your workplace. Aug. 31 is the last day for legislators to pass bills, and Gov. Schwarzenegger must sign or veto them by Sept. 30. Here’s a look at some key proposals now on deck in the […]
GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney recently provided more details on his own health reform plan, stating that if elected, on his first day in office, says he will issue an executive order for the federal government to issue health reform waivers to all 50 states, and immediately work on repealing the health reform law passed […]
A growing number of Americans are unhappy with their jobs, according to a new Consumer Research Center survey. Only 51 percent of employees polled were satisfied with their jobs, compared to 59 percent in 1995. And while 40 percent were content with their wages, only 20 percent were happy with their companies’ promotion and bonus […]
by Tammy Binford With the clock ticking on the term of the only confirmed member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), reports are circulating that President Barack Obama will send two new nominees to the Senate and abandon his two previous appointees, who face opposition because of their disputed recess appointment status. On July […]
The U.S. Department of Labor will finalize new Section 503 regulations Sept. 24, according to the Office of the Federal Register. The rules create several new responsibilities for federal contractors and subcontractors, including a mandate that they aim to have workers with disabilities make up 7 percent of their workforces. If the rules are published […]
A study shows that the 401(K) automatic sign-up brings in more participants, but of lower quality. Here also is a tool to track developments as the law goes into effect. A recent Advisor article summarized key changes to company retirement plans brought on by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA). One is that now […]
Dealing with employees who have emotional or psychological problems can be challenging both personally and legally. And now, handling these issues is trickier than ever in light of two recent conflicting cases on the definition of mental disability. Court Finds Loophole In the first case, brought against Bowersmith Inc. based in the Tulare County town […]
A recent survey conducted by M Lee Smith Publishers offers some surprising insights on non-healthcare benefits. For example, only about 19 percent of respondents offer telecommuting, although 35 percent allow flex time. Nearly a third offer PTO, and about a third offer a wellness program. About 500 employers participated in the survey, which revealed many […]
The participants 50 or older who have taken advantage of contributing much more of their salary to 401(k) retirement plans through catch-up provisions already were among the highest savers — and so few workers overall are constrained by the annual IRS limits that catch-up contributions aren’t a solution for low retirement savings rates. Those conclusions […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal in Noel Canning v. NLRB. In the Noel Canning case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that three of President Barack Obama’s so-called recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) were unconstitutional. Without the three appointees, the […]