Tag: news

Many Employers Plan to Invest in Big Data Training

Strong demand is expected for Big Data training, according to a recent study. Among other issues, the survey probed the need for analytics training and what companies are doing to fill the skills gap. The global survey by American Management Association, “Conquering Big Data: A Study of Analytical Skills in the Workplace,” asked respondents, “Does […]

Oklahoma prohibition on same-sex marriages found unconstitutional

by Charles S. Plumb The last several months have witnessed a flurry of court activity regarding same-sex marriage laws. On Tuesday, January 14, Oklahoma joined that activity with an order and opinion issued by Tulsa’s federal court. In 2004, Oklahoma voters approved an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution defining “marriage” to be exclusively a union […]

Social Learning Technology for Companies of All Sizes

In fact, more than 65 percent of companies that participated in a recent survey reported that they are using social learning technology. “State of the Industry Study: A Pulse on Social Learning” surveyed 500-plus decision makers at companies of all sizes and in a variety of industries. The study, conducted by Saba®, in partnership with […]

Employer groups applaud demise of NLRB poster rule

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has decided not to seek U.S. Supreme Court review of two appeals court decisions against a posting rule, and probusiness groups are claiming victory. In 2011, the NLRB issued a rule that would have required all employers under Board jurisdiction—including nonunion employers—to display a poster explaining that employees have […]

5 Key Training Trends for the New Year

Laura DiFlorio and Kerrie Main, regional sales directors for Nobscot Corporation (www.nobscot.com), identified these five trends for the coming year on HR.BLR.com: 1. Experiential Training With its emphasis on games and activities, experiential training is expected to be increasingly popular, says DiFlorio. Experiential training is especially effective with younger workers, who she says tend to […]

Certain religious employers get a reprieve from ACA’s contraceptive mandate from Supreme Court

On New Year’s Eve, just hours before the healthcare reform (also known as the Affordable Care Act or ACA) contraceptive mandate requirement was supposed to go into effect, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a stay and gave the federal government until Friday to respond to the Court. The stay applies to a limited group […]

Mental health parity regulations take effect January 13

The final regulations implementing the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 will become effective January 13. The Act requires group health plans that offer mental health or substance use disorder benefits to ensure that those benefits are equivalent to the medical and surgical benefits offered by the […]

How Videos Help Training

Hilton Garden Inn (www.hgi.com) has found out just how effective training videos can be. The hotel brand teamed up with Root, Inc. (www.rootinc.com) to create compelling internal training videos to support company initiatives. Two of their videos recently were named winners in the 34th annual Telly Awards. Hilton Garden Inn’s “You Can Count on Us […]

Rhode Island’s frequency of wage payment law changing

by Timothy C. Cavazza A new law going into effect January 1, 2014, allows private-sector employees to be paid every other week or twice a month provided certain conditions are met. Rhode Island’s Payment of Wages Act was amended so that private-sector for-profit employers can pay employees less frequently than weekly after gaining approval from […]

Work with Your Community to Train the Next Generation

Strong partnerships between employers, educational institutions, and local communities are essential for effective workforce training programs, according to a blog from the U.S. Commerce Department. Secretary Penny Pritzker had recently announced a strategic vision for the Department of Commerce, which includes a focus on ensuring that workers are prepared with the skills that employers need. […]