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Overtime Lawsuits: State High Court Increases Risks Of Group Overtime Awards; How To Minimize The Dange
A new California Supreme Court ruling makes it much easier for employees to sue you for unpaid wages—not just for themselves, but also on behalf of their co-workers. We’ll explain the facts that led to this decision and suggest ways to minimize the possibility you’ll be hit with one of these wage claims.
110-Year-Old’s VA Pension Increases
By Kyle Emshwiller A 110-year-old woman had been receiving a $36 monthly pension for her husband’s military service. Her husband, a WWI veteran, had died in the 1970s. The woman’s son told NBC News that he applied for a higher veteran survivor benefit amount in 2008. Earlier this year, with the help of a state […]
News Notes: Court Rules You Can Correct Family Leave Mistakes
A court has decided that an employer who granted federal family leave to someone who wasn’t qualified to take it can later correct its mistake, despite a government regulation that says otherwise. The employer in the case had told a pregnant worker, Susan Seaman, that she was entitled to family leave, but it turned out […]
News Bulletin: Retail Grocery Store Draft Ergonomics Guidelines Available for Review
OSHA is seeking comments on its second set of draft ergonomics guidelines for the retail industry. The guidelines, published on May 9, include ways to implement ergonomic solutions, train employees, prepare injury reports, and evaluate progress. Another section provides preventive approaches that may be used by the industry, including recommendations for specific departments in grocery […]
DOL Collected $166 Million for Employees in 2005
Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division collected $166 million in back wages on behalf of 241,000 employees for employer violations of laws enforced by the division. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the federal wage-and- hour law, the division recovered a total of $134.2 million, including $119.4 million for […]
Health Insurance and Health Care Reform Survey Results Are In
Each year, HR Hero surveys readers about your organizations’ benefits packages. Because 2010’s health care reform laws created sweeping changes in how businesses offer health insurance to workers, this year our January survey focused only on health insurance and health care reform. According to the survey, an overwhelming majority (96.46%) of you work for organizations […]
Senate Approves Pension Security Bill
It’s no secret that the private pension system in the United States is in crisis. Last week, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), which insures pensions for about 44 million Americans, announced that it has a startling deficit of $23 billion, fueled largely by having to take over pension plan liabilities of bankrupt airlines. But […]
OSHA Announces Details on I2P2 Stakeholder Meetings
During a series of Web chats held last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unveiled an ambitious prevention program as part of its spring regulatory agenda. The program, known as I2P2, is a major paradigm shift for the department, and as a result, input on the development of the program will be worked […]
News Notes: Pension Reform May Be Coming; IRA Payroll Deductions Urged
Several bills pending in Congress could impact your pension plans. HR 1102 would increase the amount workers can contribute to 401(k) accounts and require faster vesting of matching employer contributions. It would also introduce new Roth 401(k)s and 403(b)s, allowing employees to contribute after-tax dollars but receive tax-free retirement benefits. Another measure, S 659, would […]