Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
By a vote of 315 to 116, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to approve legislation that would boost the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour in three steps over a period of 26 months. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration. Under the legislation, the federal […]
The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it collected $175 million in back wages in 2002. This is the largest amount collected in 10 years, and represents a 33% increase over back wages collected in 2001.
If employee turnover rates at your organization are high, it’s probably time to focus on what you can do to increase employee retention. Why? Frequent turnover can have a host of negative consequences for your company, including lost productivity, costs associated with hiring a new employee, the cost of temporary employees or overtime to cover […]
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is offering a “Cold Stress Card” that recommends ways to avoid health problems caused by prolonged exposure to freezing or cold temperatures on the job. According to OSHA, workers in construction, commercial fishing, maritime, and agriculture are at highest risk for these problems, which can include trench foot, […]
The National Labor Relations Board has said that temporary and contract workers who are jointly employed by a temp agency and the employer they work for may be included in union bargaining units together with regular employees in the client employer’s workplace. Temps don’t have to receive the same pay and benefits as regular employees, […]
A free new 10-page “fact sheet” designed to be given to injured workers has been developed by the state Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation. “Working After a Job Injury” explains employees’ rights and responsibilities in returning to work after a workplace injury. It covers such issues as work restrictions, modified jobs, disability […]
Week in Review—December 24, 2010 Note to Readers: This newsletter appears daily, but we know some of you don’t always have the time to read it everyday. For your convenience, here’s a re-publication of what we covered this past week. Daily, weekly, or anything in between, we’re pleased to keep you informed with the latest […]
In April 2003, comprehensive new privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act went into effect for large group health plans. Now, on April 14, 2004, the rules will also apply to small group health plans—which includes insured plans with total annual premiums of less than $5 million or self-insured plans with total […]
As of Jan. 1, 2003, the new hourly rate that you must pay certain computer software professionals in order for them to qualify for overtime exemption will be $43.58. And the new hourly rate for exempt licensed physicians and surgeons paid on an hourly basis will be $56.21. The California Department of Industrial Relations adjusts […]
By BLR Editor Sean Dean In light of important new rules on social security no-match letters the federal government announced last Friday, we’re forgoing our usual column to bring you this News Extra from our sister web site, HR.BLR.com. It details what you need to know about this tough new regulation, which takes effect on […]