Tag: news

Federal government eases stance on state marijuana laws

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announcement updating the federal marijuana enforcement policy means the federal government won’t sue to keep states from allowing controlled recreational use of marijuana, but the effect on employers isn’t yet clear. The DOJ announced on August 29 that it was revising its policy because of state legislation in Colorado […]

New regulations toughen requirements for federal contractors

Federal contractors soon will have to establish benchmarks for hiring veterans and employing individuals with disabilities as a result of two new rules from the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The new regulations are expected to be published in the Federal Register within the next couple of weeks, […]

More low-wage worker strikes are set for August 29

Fast-food and other low-wage workers who have staged strikes in a handful of cities around the country in recent months are planning to take their efforts nationwide on August 29. Strikers and their supporters are calling for $15 an hour as well as more protections for workers interested in unionizing. The latest wave of strikes […]

Picture This! You Using Visuals Effectively in Training

Trainers have a tendency to avoid using pictures in training materials, but “all of the research on learning with pictures indicates that pictures used in combination with words create better learning,” says Jack Massa, owner of Guidance Communications, Inc. (www.guidancecom.com). Massa uses a broad definition of “pictures” to include “any visual that is meant to […]

Corporate Training Trends to Watch for in the Coming Decade

“This next decade is really crucial to the way we develop our people,” says Cottone, a founding faculty member of The Leadership Conservatory and a managing consultant in the Chicago area. “I think a lot of changes are going to take place in the next 10 years.” For example, Cottone expects that employers will identify […]

Obama administration delays another ACA provision

The Obama administration has delayed another Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision. The administration has postponed a consumer protection provision that limits out-of-pocket costs until 2015. Under the provision, the limit on out-of-pocket costs was not to exceed $6,350 for an individual and $12,700 for a family. According to the New York Times, the one-year grace […]

Senate vote puts NLRB at full strength

The U.S. Senate’s July 30 vote to confirm nominees for all five seats of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) means the Board will have a full slate of confirmed members for the first time in more than a decade. Republicans Harry I. Johnson III and Philip A. Miscimarra and Democrats Kent Hirozawa and Nancy […]

New Hampshire new-hire reporting requirements changing August 3

by Heather L. Devine New Hampshire House Bill 440, which made several changes and clarifications to new-hire reporting requirements, goes into effect August 3. Most important, the new law requires employers to complete a new-hire report to the Department of Employment Security when a former employee has been rehired (regardless of whether she was laid […]

Do You Train Supervisors to Be ‘Caring’?

From familiarizing supervisors with federal and state employment law to keeping them updated on the company’s policies and procedures, trainers must manage multiple training priorities—often on a limited budget. It can be easy to overlook a “soft” topic, such as training supervisors and managers to demonstrate care for employees and to build positive relationships with […]