Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Lunchroom gossip is common in most workplaces, and when it’s malicious, it can damage relationships and affect morale. But can it also create work-related injuries that employers are on the hook for? We’ll tell you why a California appeals court has ruled that one workplace gossip victim was not entitled to workers’ comp benefits—but why […]
Sacramento lawmakers are debating a host of proposals that would impact employers. We’ll look at some of the key legislation that’s on the table.
Two new federal Department of Labor programs will make it easier for employers and benefit plan officials to voluntarily correct certain employee benefit plan violations and avoid enforcement actions and hefty penalties. Here’s how these programs work.
In her first year as an Orange County deputy district attorney, Victoria Chen dated, and later married, Devallis Rutledge, a high-level management attorney in the district attorney’s office. After working there many years, Chen sued the county, arguing that she was discriminated against because of her relationship with Rutledge, who she claimed was not in […]
A Labor Department rule provides that when an employer fails to notify an employee that leave qualifies under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, the time off does not count toward the 12 weeks per year the employee is entitled to under the FMLA. Federal courts have split over whether this regulation is valid—and […]
For several years, the California Supreme Court has wrestled with the issue of when the employee of an independent contractor can sue the company that hired the contractor for on-the-job injuries rather than just collect workers’ compensation benefits. Now the high court has issued two new opinions further clarifying when you can be sued for […]
Suppose an employee shows up at work on her day off to see co-workers and gets injured when something falls on her. Could you be liable for damages? Or is workers’ compensation the employee’s only remedy? A new case provides some answers.
House Republicans have defeated a measure that would have forced insurers to cover mental health conditions to the same extent that they cover other medical problems. The provision, which the Senate had tacked on to a federal spending bill, would not have required employers to provide mental health coverage as part of employee benefits, but […]
Gov. Davis has signed a new measure, A.B. 1015, that creates new labor law protections for job applicants’ outside activities and political interests and strengthens remedies employees already have. The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2002, and applies to most public and private employees with a few exceptions. We’ll cover the key points.
Gov. Davis has signed into law a sweeping measure that expands domestic partner rights on insurance, sick leave and other issues. The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2002. Expanded Workplace Rights For Domestic Partners These are the measure’s key provisions that will affect employers: Domestic partner definition. Domestic partners will include opposite-sex couples if at […]