Day: November 1, 2012

Retention: Know why employees leave and how to make them stay

Not many HR professionals take the importance of retaining top performers for granted. Recruiting, hiring, and bringing new employees up to speed can bring on a sense of dread. Plus, having to slog through daily work while a position goes unfilled adds to the burden. So employee retention and engagement becomes a priority, and the […]

Gender Pay Gap? Readers Respond… and How

Wow, readers. In response to our recent column on gender pay disparity, some didn’t like the headline (one thinks it “smells of link bait”), a number want more meaningful comparisons of similarly situated, same-job workers, and some shared stories, such as “Hell on heels.” And some men think the pay gap discriminates against men, not […]

Take Precautions when Using Humor in Safety Training

Before we get into what not to do when using humor in safety training, let’s look at why it matters: Using humor and promoting some laughter and fun in safety training sessions helps trainees relax, interact more with you and other trainees, and be more open to new ideas. Laughter can also help perk up […]

Pregnant Employees? What the FMLA Requires

The PDA applies regardless of how long an employee has worked for you. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), however, has stricter eligibility requirements but also offer more potential benefits. For example, the FMLA applies to new fathers as well as mothers. To be eligible for FMLA leave, an employee must have worked for […]

Contractors for Storm Clean-up Pose Misclassification Risks

Hurricane Sandy’s path of destruction has left many homeowners, municipalities and businesses in need of reconstruction and repairs — and when such weather-related disasters require massive reconstruction efforts, many landscapers and builders hire subcontractors to help. Increased joint employer liability, particularly in those industries that frequently use subcontractors, often goes hand-in-hand with worker misclassification. Employers […]

Hurricane Sandy prompts extension of affirmative action form deadline

by Tammy Binford The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has extended the deadline for federal contractors and subcontractors to file their VETS-100 and/or 100A reports because of the effects of Hurricane Sandy. The deadline was extended from October 31 to November 9. All paper reports and electronic files in the 2012 cycle are now due […]

Are California employers legally obligated to have a PTO policy?

Are California employers required to implement a paid time off (PTO) policy? It may seem so, since paid-time-off banks (as opposed to sick leave banks) are becoming increasingly popular. It may be surprising to learn that California law doesn’t actually require employers to provide PTO, vacation, sick time (with limited exceptions), or even paid holidays.