Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Last year, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers California, decided that federal antibias laws don’t prohibit employers from requiring job applicants and employees to sign mandatory arbitration agreements as a condition of employment. The case then went before a full panel of the Ninth Circuit for review—which has now handed down another strong […]
The federal Labor Department has issued a memorandum clarifying its position on the rights of returning uniformed service members to take family and medical leave. The department says that active duty time must be counted toward these workers’ eligibility to take time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act. In particular, employees generally become […]
Providing references for current and former employees can be tricky. Improperly handling such requests can lead to lawsuits and claims from both the individual and the new employer. Each state sets its own thresholds for liability arising from employment references. Regardless of location, employers should exercise caution and err on the side of providing too […]
By Stephen Bruce, PhD, PHR Managing Editor, HR Daily Advisor Just My E-pinion Big surprise—health care costs are going up. In our recent survey, 56% reported annual costs per employee in the $5,000-10,000 range (compared to 47% in last year’s survey), and 18% reported costs of over $10,000 per year (compared to 12 % in […]
President Bush has signed the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4986), which, among other things, expands the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to permit leave for family members of injured military personnel and military reservists called to active duty.
Although California lawmakers were unable to pass a universal health insurance law during 2006, new proposals are now on the table. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senator Don Perata have unveiled measures that would require businesses to provide health benefits to employees or pay into a state insurance pool that would provide health coverage.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that an employee doesn’t have to include sufficient evidence to prove their bias claims at the time they file their lawsuit, and that such evidence can be developed later on as more facts are discovered. The new ruling involved Akos Swierkiewicz, a 53-year-old of Hungarian descent, who claimed that […]
Despite the growing sophistication of telecommunications tools and employers’ increasing willingness to allow employees to work remotely, being located in a desirable location can be a draw for companies looking to attract top talent.
The California Insurance Commissioner has ordered that the state’s average workers’ comp pure premium rate be increased 10.2% in 2002. The pure premium rate is a guideline that insurers use when pricing their workers’ comp policies, although the rate is not mandatory.