Short Takes: Cell Phones
We have a lot of teenagers working here this summer. Does California’s new cell phone law have more stringent restrictions for them than for adults?
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News Notes: Jury Awards In Employment Lawsuits Skyrocket In 2003
The national median jury award in employment-practice liability cases, which includes discrimination and wrongful termination claims, rose 18 percent in 2003 to $250,000, according to a new report from Jury Verdict Research. At the same time, the compensatory award median for discrimination cases—including age, race, disability, and sex bias—fell slightly by 2 percent to $232,322. […]
EEOC: You Can’t Just Terminate When Leave Expires
The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently sent a strong warning to employers: You cannot just terminate employees who run out of leave without first exploring whether or not a reasonable accommodation can be provided.
Health Care Reform: Individual Mandate Penalties Further Refined
In proposed rules issued Jan. 27, the IRS clarifies how participants in employer-sponsored plans are to count employer contributions to HRAs and wellness program incentives when calculating their contributions to employer-sponsored coverage. In those rules, the IRS also allows temporary exceptions to health care reform’s definition of minimum essential coverage for government-sponsored limited-benefit plans, giving […]
Survey Shows Tenure Is Biggest Factor In Pay Level
Taxes: New Law Requires Earned Income Tax Credit Notice to Employees
A new law that goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2008, requires employers to provide a new notice to employees, along with annual wage summaries (such as W-2 or 1099 forms). The measure, A.B. 650, requires all California employers to give all employees written notice of employees’ possible right to take an Earned Income Tax […]
The 3 Key Criteria for Choosing Your Payroll Auditor
Yesterday’s Advisor featured tips for finding payroll fraud; today, consultant Vicki Lambert CPP’s tips on who should do your payroll audit, plus an introduction to BLR’s popular HR Department of One. Lambert, who offers payroll training as “The Payroll Advisor,” says that you can’t give payroll auditing over to just anyone who’s free. There are […]
News Note: No-Solicitation Rule Can’t Be Selectively Enforced Against Union
The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that United Parcel Service illegally enforced a broad no-solicitation rule that prohibited employees from distributing literature in nonwork areas during off-hours. UPS refused to allow a Teamsters union publication to be passed out in a warehouse area before work began, but routinely permitted drivers to hand out contest […]
Wellness Keys—Dial-in Diabetes? Mind, Body, and Soul Cooking?
As the Principal Financial Group® was conducting its wellness survey (see yesterday’s Advisor), Cornell University was conducting a wellness survey of its own—and demonstrating the importance of assessing needs before implementing. The responses of the 1,400 people who completed Cornell’s survey gave its wellness program clear indicators of where to focus its efforts. It also […]
Can tribunal rule on harassment complaint if alleged harasser works for different employer?
by Lorene Novakowski The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal had no jurisdiction to hear a complaint where the alleged harasser was employed by a different employer than the alleged victim. The alleged harasser was not in a position of control over the complainant even though they worked at the same site. So the complaint was […]