Archive

July 2015

Global Assignments Enhance Employee Development

News Updates
July 31, 2015
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4-Tier Drug Plans on the Rise

News Updates
July 31, 2015

When an Employee Has a Seizure-What Next?

News Updates
July 31, 2015
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NLRB 'Ambush' Election Rule Upheld Again

News Updates
July 31, 2015
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Employers Struggle to Hire Hourly Workers as Turnover Rises

News Updates
July 31, 2015
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Telework option for foreign service officers’ families in pilot phase

Employers’ increased acceptance of telecommuting and flexible schedules is redefining the workweek.

“Workers want more flexibility in their schedules, and with improvements in technology that enable employees to check in at any time, from anywhere, it makes sense to allow employees to work outside the traditional nine-to-five schedule,” said Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder’s chief human resources officer, in a statement.

July 31, 2015

SHRM: Apply 'Seller's Carve-Out' to Small Retirement Plans

News Updates
July 30, 2015

Business-Labor Coalition Seeks to Repeal 'Cadillac Tax'

News Updates
July 30, 2015

OSHA Proposes Rule Clarifying Employers' Obligation to Record Injuries

News Updates
July 30, 2015
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What Is the State of HR Technology?

News Updates
July 30, 2015

Are Gender Diversity Programs Hitting a Brick Wall?

News Updates
July 30, 2015

 

 

As manager of public affairs for SHRM, I managed more than 40 bloggers during the SHRM 2015 Annual Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas in June. 

July 30, 2015

The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) is my professional association. I support other professional organizations, but my first HR job was as a generalist so SHRM was the first professional association I joined. Every employer I’ve ever worked for supported my membership in SHRM and allowed me to attend SHRM professional development events. They also supported me being a SHRM volunteer leader.

July 30, 2015

                    

Women start their careers with more ambition than men do, but they lose their confidence within their first years in the workplace. That’s the conclusion of a Bain & Co. study that compared employees with minimal work experience with more tenured workers. The study posed two simple questions:

        --Do you aspire to top management within a large company?

July 30, 2015

IRS to End Determination Letters for Qualified Retirement Plans

News Updates
July 29, 2015
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Employee Theft Costs Retailers Billions

News Updates
July 29, 2015
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White House Immigration Proposals Include 'Known Employer' Pilot

News Updates
July 29, 2015

Lawmakers, SHRM Seek Extension in Overtime Rule Comment Period

News Updates
July 29, 2015
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State Laws Ban Access to Workers' Social Media Accounts

News Updates
July 29, 2015

 

On July 29, @shrmnextchat chatted with Dan Cross @CrossOverHR about How HR Can Build a Dream Team.

In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat:

 

July 29, 2015

The work week starts and I’ll bet you do things in a certain pattern that has little variation. It’s great to be organized and have methods of doing your work. It keeps you efficient and allows you to perform.

The problem that creeps up on all of us ever so silently is complacency. Most people don’t even recognize that they’re trapped. We continue to do things the same way and never think that stagnation occurs. How many training sessions state that people won’t make change happen because things have “always been done this way”?

July 29, 2015

USCIS Issues Draft Template for L-1B Visa Evidence Queries

News Updates
July 28, 2015

Reducing Worker Hours to Avoid ACA Obligations Violates ERISA

News Updates
July 28, 2015
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States in Forefront of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity Bias Legislation

News Updates
July 28, 2015

Urge to Merge: What to Expect from Fewer but Bigger Vendors

News Updates
July 28, 2015

                         

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has now survived two Supreme Court lawsuits. And, odds are the ACA will continue to face legislative efforts to fully repeal the law through next year’s presidential election.  In the meantime, employers and employees are revving their engines and gearing up for the anticipated 40% excise tax also known as the “Cadillac tax.”

July 28, 2015

HR 'New Frontier' for Data-Driven Business Strategies

News Updates
July 27, 2015

Workplace Enforcement of Immigration Laws Down

News Updates
July 27, 2015
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How Will DOL's Overtime Rules Apply to Nontraditional Work Hours?

News Updates
July 27, 2015
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Interview Most Critical Factor in Hiring Process

News Updates
July 27, 2015

Employers Split on the Impact of Insurance Carrier Consolidation

News Updates
July 27, 2015

 

As you know, on July 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published its proposed changes to the overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under the Act, to be exempt (from overtime), an employee must meet 3 requirements:

The employee must be paid a minimum weekly salary;

July 27, 2015

OSHA Issues Inspection Directive for Revised HazCom Standard

News Updates
July 24, 2015
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More Employers Are Satisfied with Consumer-Driven Health Plans

News Updates
July 24, 2015

Apple Lawsuit over Security Checks Certified as Class Action

News Updates
July 24, 2015

Wages Remain Stagnant with No Relief in Sight

News Updates
July 24, 2015
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Overtime Rule Change Bad for Business?

News Updates
July 24, 2015
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On July 16, 2015, Gov. Brown signed into law AB 987, amending the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to reflect what many already believed to be the law: employers and other covered entities cannot retaliate against employees or other persons who request a religious accommodation or an accommodation for a disability. Effective on Jan. 1, 2016, AB 987 establishes that requesting such an accommodation is a protected activity under the FEHA, regardless of whether the accommodation is granted.  

News Updates
July 24, 2015

Robotic food service is replacing lower level workers.

July 24, 2015
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N.J.: No Heightened Bar for Whistle-Blower Claims by �Watchdog�

News Updates
July 23, 2015

Calif.: Employees Requesting Accommodation Are Now Protected

News Updates
July 23, 2015

How to Keep Employees Safe from Robots

News Updates
July 23, 2015
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On 25th ADA Anniversary, the Milestones and Challenges

News Updates
July 23, 2015
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Today's talent pool is better educated and more tech-savvy than ever. They use various technologies as consumers and in their personal lives, and they expect employers to have the same level of comfort with technology as they do.

July 23, 2015

Can Incident Management Software Replace Safety Professionals?

News Updates
July 22, 2015
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Retain Top Talent with Team-Based Design Principles

News Updates
July 22, 2015

Skills Gap, Turnover Are Top Talent Concerns

News Updates
July 22, 2015

Study Finds Most Workers Actively Seeking New Opportunities

News Updates
July 22, 2015

Penalties Doubled for Not Filing ACA Information Returns

News Updates
July 22, 2015

On July 22, @shrmnextchat chatted with the EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum (@ChaiFeldblum) and Jonathan Segal (@Jonathan_HR_Law) about the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In case you missed this important chat you can read all the tweets, many which include great links to ADA resources, here:

July 22, 2015

 

On July 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published its proposed changes to the overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The changes are significant and fall into two categories: salary basis and primary duties test. This post will focus on the minimum salary part of the proposal. We’ll address the primary duties test in a separate post.  

July 22, 2015

P.R.: Exec Cannot Sue Board Members for Breach of Contract

News Updates
July 21, 2015

N.C.: Employers May Sue for Employees' Property Theft

News Updates
July 21, 2015

Guidance Eases Use of Annuities in 401(k) Plans

News Updates
July 21, 2015

Holding Steady, Expect Salary Budgets to Rise 3.1% in 2016

News Updates
July 21, 2015

 

This morning I had a great conversation with a group of people who I consider to be recruiting masterminds.

One person had worked for a national, venture funded job board for the previous decade. Another has run a staffing agency for two decades. Another had helped create the employment brands for some of the nation’s most respected places to work.

Needless to say, it was a diverse collection of people with unique perspectives on today’s recruiting landscape.

July 21, 2015
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We all know that the Americans with Disabilities Act makes its unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an individual on the basis of his or her disability. But, the Act has even broader protections for employees.

July 21, 2015

AOL's Outing of 'Distressed Babies' Raises Questions About Medical Privacy

News Updates
July 20, 2015

E-Mail Curfew May Help Newly Nonexempt Employees Adjust

News Updates
July 20, 2015
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Overtime Proposed Rule Will Result in 'Hard Choices' for Some Employers

News Updates
July 20, 2015
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EEOC: Sexual Orientation Discrimination Is Sex Discrimination

News Updates
July 20, 2015
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How to Choose a Next-Generation Applicant Tracking System

News Updates
July 20, 2015

Editor's Note:  This post originally appeared on Social Security Matters blog, the official blog of the Social Security Administration.

July 20, 2015

Few Participants Invest Their HSA Funds

News Updates
July 17, 2015

A 401(k) Fiduciary Checklist

News Updates
July 17, 2015

Adapt Travel Policies for 'Sharing Economy' Users

News Updates
July 17, 2015

Pulse Report: HR Professionals Confident in Job Prospects

News Updates
July 17, 2015
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Starbucks-Led Hiring Effort Focuses on Youth and Disadvantaged

News Updates
July 17, 2015

Skills Credentials Proliferate, Causing Headaches for HR

News Updates
July 16, 2015

How to Start the Workforce Analytics Journey

News Updates
July 16, 2015

Help Employees Be Savvy Benefit Consumers

News Updates
July 16, 2015

EEOC Files Nationwide Lawsuit Against UPS Alleging Religious Discrimination

News Updates
July 16, 2015
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More Overtime Due? DOL Narrows Independent Contractor Classification

News Updates
July 16, 2015
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Here’s my common sense response to the FLSA proposed rule. Pay your people for the work they are doing. Seriously, that’s all. Ideally, pay them what they are worth. If you don’t think they are worth what you’re paying them, it might be time to part ways.


 

July 16, 2015
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Rhode Island Adds Workplace Protections for Pregnant and Nursing Women

News Updates
July 15, 2015
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Hawaii Bans Non-Compete and Non-Solicit Clauses in High-Tech Employment

News Updates
July 15, 2015
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Md.: Montgomery County Requires Paid Sick Leave

News Updates
July 15, 2015

White House Proposal Requires Employers to Provide IRA Option

News Updates
July 15, 2015

California's Paid Sick Leave Law Amended Already

News Updates
July 15, 2015

A series of corporate relocations, steady growth in real estate development and a jobless rate that is consistently below the national average have all made the Dallas region’s economy a top performer among major metro areas in the United States.

July 15, 2015
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SHRM, in collaboration with U.S. Travel Association, conducted a survey to examine HR professionals’ opinions about the importance of vacation. A large majority of HR professionals believe that when employees take vacation, it makes a positive impact on performance, morale, wellness, culture, productivity and retention. This study also looks at the amount of vacation offered to employees, rollover policies, and the number of unused vacation days. 

 

July 15, 2015

Follow These Best Safety Practices for Co-Employers

News Updates
July 14, 2015
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Who's Responsible Under OSHA's Multiemployer Citation Policy?

News Updates
July 14, 2015
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IRS Notice on Pension Lump Sums Causes Confusion

News Updates
July 14, 2015
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Texas Employers Have No Duty to Protect Against Obvious Dangers

News Updates
July 14, 2015
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Culture Savvy: Working and Collaborating Across the Globe

July 14, 2015

How HR Leaders Can Prevent and Mitigate Cyber Loss

News Updates
July 13, 2015

OPM Moves Background Checks to Paper

News Updates
July 13, 2015

Top Federal HR Official Resigns After Massive Data Breach

News Updates
July 13, 2015

Dropping (or Keeping) Domestic-Partner Benefits Has Ramifications

News Updates
July 13, 2015
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Poll: Many Will Now Drop Domestic Partner Benefits

News Updates
July 13, 2015
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Government action may have produced a roadblock on the trip to the future of work.

July 10, 2015

An airline pilot advocacy committee is not a collective bargaining representative under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), and its agreement with the airline did not bar the airline from changing terms of employment prior to negotiation with the new union, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled.

To continue reading, please click here

News Updates
July 10, 2015
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Job Vacancies Hit 14-Year High

News Updates
July 10, 2015
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The Viability of Banning Salary Negotiations

News Updates
July 10, 2015

Employing Minors Requires Attention to Laws

News Updates
July 10, 2015

Study: Male Leaders Who Ask for Help Often Perceived Negatively

News Updates
July 10, 2015
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Hiring conditions are perhaps in their strongest stretch since the Great Recession ended six years ago. Job openings have reached a level not seen in nearly 15 years, and more workers are quitting their current positions in search of something better, thus creating churn and opportunities for other job seekers.

July 10, 2015

Incorporating Millennials into Your Aging Workforce

News Updates
July 9, 2015

Racist Remarks During Picketing Somehow Protected

News Updates
July 9, 2015

Recent Cyberattacks Point to Insider Risks

News Updates
July 9, 2015

DOL Questions About Duties Tests Should Concern Employers

News Updates
July 9, 2015
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'Death Spiral' for Exempt Employees Predicted

News Updates
July 9, 2015
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Joe Gerstandt is one, of a group of people, you can find here in the HR/Social Media space who call Omaha, NE home.  Joe is a frequent keynote speaker on general HR topics and also in his own area of expertise on Diversity and Inclusion (D & I).  Joe is also one half of the duo called Talent Anarchy.  Under that banner, Joe works with his partner Jason Lauritsen.  Together they speak, host conference events and write books.

July 9, 2015

U.S.-Swiss Collaboration Planned for Apprenticeships

News Updates
July 8, 2015
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Job Gains Total 223,000 in June, but Wages Still Flat

News Updates
July 8, 2015
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2015 Midyear Job Cuts Total Highest Since 2010

News Updates
July 8, 2015
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Does ERISA Bar State's Collection of Health Care Data?

News Updates
July 8, 2015

SEC Proposes Requiring Clawback Policies on Executive Pay

News Updates
July 8, 2015
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On July 8, @SHRMnextchat chatted with John Dooney (@SHRMAnalytics) about "HR's Roller Coaster Ride From the Great Recession."

In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat:

 

 

July 8, 2015

 

Several years ago, long-time family and friends got together over the holidays for a good meal.  Grown children were back in the nest, and we enjoyed the repast reminiscing about days gone by.

July 8, 2015

. . . shouldn’t stay in Vegas !!

July 8, 2015

Will Generation Z Even Care about HR Technology?

News Updates
July 7, 2015

How to Handle Difficult Conversations

News Updates
July 7, 2015

SHRM Certification Holders to Get Digital Badges

News Updates
July 7, 2015

Key to a Good Recognition Program? Tie It to Values

News Updates
July 7, 2015

Calif.: Sick Pay Mandate Is Here

News Updates
July 7, 2015

Several years ago, long-time friends and family got together over the holidays for a good meal.  Grown children were back in the nest, and we enjoyed the repast reminiscing about days gone by.

July 7, 2015

Stop talking about the gender confidence gap!

I keep hearing a lot about the “confidence gap”.  Premise: women are less confident than men.  I believe those raising the issue are well intended, but I worry about the constant drum beat on this issue for three reasons:

July 7, 2015
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Dr. Michael Woodward, a member of the #SHRM15 Blogger Team, chats with Ernie Anastos about what employees fear most at work. The three fears discussed: Not knowing where they stand, automation and being too digitally connected.

 

 
 

 

 

July 6, 2015

Justices Will Review Fee Collection by Public Employees' Unions

News Updates
July 6, 2015
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Demand for Workers with Digital Skills Increasing

News Updates
July 6, 2015

Overworked and Burned Out-But Still Happy at Work?

News Updates
July 6, 2015

Study: Employers' Failure to Adopt Tech Trends May Damage Engagement

News Updates
July 6, 2015

How to Tackle 'Time Bandits'

News Updates
July 6, 2015
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At the #SHRM15 national conference, speaker, writer, entrepreneur Marcus Buckingham talked about his research and writing on leadership. He was releasing a new book Standout 2.0, in which he talks about assessing your strengths as a leader in order to be better in your job and in your life. During his presentation, he was talking about his son and his playing FIFA soccer on his Xbox. I had a minor “wow” moment there.

July 6, 2015

#SHRM15 the conference is a wrap! We had a lot of fun, it was really hot, I met great people, hung out with old friends, and had a classy time!


 

Now that we’ve learned lots of great tips and tools and received some wonderful advice, it’s time to get to work! Where should we start? Well, let’s talk about engagement. Engagement is something we learned a LOT about this week. Let me recap:

July 6, 2015

 

I attended a great event at #SHRM15.  A few social media influencers Rayanne Thorn, Dwane Lay, and Jason Lauritsen organized a fundraiser for “No Kid Hungry”.   Here’s the deal:

July 6, 2015

Ahh, Vegas - how we love to hate you! You're hot, you're sleazy, you're crowded, you're expensive and you cheat...of course we hate you!

The annual SHRM conference was held in Las Vegas this year and over 15,000 attendees gathered to learn more about their profession. I have been to Vegas for conferences before but this is the first time in which I gambled...and by gambled I mean I played PaiGow.

July 6, 2015

 

As an American living abroad, I often get asked 'why did you choose to build a company in the UK'?  My answer is simple -- I believe that finding top talent is the number one priority for building a successful company, and being based in the UK allows me to access the best from all over the world. Let me expand on this further.

July 6, 2015

I am still pumped up after watching @IAMJHUD’s performance last night. She is absolutely an amazing artist. Her music touches your soul and will bring you to tears. Her connection and interaction with the crowd was so natural and appeared effortless.

July 2, 2015

 

With over 600 vendors, about 200 sessions, daily Smart Stage, and thousands of attendees, SHRM 2015 was successful in educating HR pros and novices in trending ideas and practices that can give HR a seat at the table. Between sessions with Marcus Buckingham and the more intimate ones with those presenting on the Smart Stage like Blake McCammon and Stacey Carroll, the conference this year revitalized attendees.

July 2, 2015

 

“Find buttons we can push to make a change overall.” - Ben Eubanks (@beneubanks), Analyst, Brandon Hall Group
 

July 2, 2015

The wonderful thing about SHRM’s Annual Conference is that there is “something” for everyone.  The networking opportunities are endless; the speakers’ topics have a wide reach; and the Tuesday night concert always brings energy. 

July 1, 2015


So much information comes from a conference of this size. It is clearly impossible to attend every session and soak up all of the great content shared. That’s why Twitter is amazing. I spent much of yesterday and last evening scrolling through the tweets from day 3 of the conference. I am listing what I think are the best below. Obviously I couldn’t have read through every tweet so this isn’t to slight anyone else’s brilliance, but these are the best of what I read through.

July 1, 2015

Today is the first full day of #SHRM15 and we bloggers have been busy bees! I’m pretty proud of myself for getting up before the sun over here and cranking out a run AND getting back to the room and ready in time for a 7 am session! By the way, it’s really, really hot here. As our friend Penn Jillette says, “Its 100 and hell out here.” This morning’s session is the one I have been looking forward to the most, even more so than the general sessions lined up this week.

July 1, 2015

The importance of traditions in employee engagement

July 1, 2015