PPACA private plan enrollment hits 3 million
January 24, 2014

About 800,000 people signed up for private health plans through Obamacare in January, pushing total enrollment to 3 million as negative perceptions about the program give way to more practical needs.

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NRLB Posting Rule Laid to Rest
January 24, 2014

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) posting rule has been laid to rest.

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Top 5 compensation lessons from 2013
January 24, 2014

Last year was a year of ups, downs, and shutdowns. The Affordable Care Act is still looming over us, the impact unclear. Some but not all companies are pulling free of the recession. Employees have continued moving around more and more since the official end of the recession. Yet amidst the turmoil, there are some key lessons. Essentially, in an uncertain time, compensation plans and strategies need to be flexible. In this article I’ll talk about the top 5 ways we can infuse flexibility into our programs.

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The Eight Myths of Mediation
January 24, 2014

The Employers’ Counsel Network includes the attorneys from each state who write BLR’s state employment law newsletters. Marcus is one of the EEOC mediators based in the Boston office of the EEOC.

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Forbes Tabs Bentonville Company Among America's Most Promising
January 24, 2014

A Bentonville company has been included in a Top 25 list of America’s Most Promising Companies for 2014.

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Target to drop health insurance for part-time workers
January 24, 2014

(Bloomberg) -- Target Corp. said it will end health insurance for part-time employees, joining Trader Joe’s Co., Home Depot Inc. and other retailers that have scaled back benefits in response to changes from Obamacare.

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Cargill To Pay $2.2 Million After Discrimination Claims In Springdale
January 24, 2014

Cargill Meat Solutions will pay out $2.2 million to applicants who were wrongfully rejected from job considerations at various facilities, including the plant in Springdale, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

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How Does the ACA Affect our W-2 Forms? Q&A
January 21, 2014

W-2 forms must be provided to your employees by January 31, and this is the second year health insurance should be reported on them. Make sure you know what the ACA requires employers to report and find out if your organization is exempt from the requirement.

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Yahoo COO's dismissal prompts excessive pay questions
January 21, 2014

It took just a few hours, if that, for the questioning to begin after Yahoo Inc. fired its COO, Henrique de Castro.

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New Laws for HR to Heed!!!
January 21, 2014

As HR managers begin the new year by updating their policy manuals, the Society for Human Resource Management has thoughtfully provided a list of new state laws that took effect on Jan. 1.

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EEOC collects record $372M in workplace discrimination cases
January 21, 2014

Despite much moaning about discrimination against aging workers — particularly during the recent recession — stats from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suggest that two old standbys still receive the lion’s share of attention from the enforcement agency.

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Closing gender wage gap would add billions to economy
January 21, 2014

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, named after Lilly Ledbetter, was aimed at closing the gender wage gap.

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Does An Employer Own Its Employees' Linkedin Profiles?
January 19, 2014

On March 12, 2013, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ("the Court"), determined in Eagle v. Morgan, that, absent a policy to the contrary, an employee's LinkedIn account is not the property of the employer. The decision means that employers, in general, should not have an ownership expectation in their employee's LinkedIn accounts, and an employer's attempt to lock the employee out of his account after termination may lead to legal ramifications. Furthermore, while the issue was not before the Court, the Court noted that, even if a policy is in place, it may not be legally enforceable due to LinkedIn's User Agreement, which states that, even if an employee uses a LinkedIn account on behalf of a company, the employee is nevertheless individually bound by the User Agreement.

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Top 10 OSHA trends to watch in 2014
January 19, 2014

Given the political climate these days in Washington, DC, we decided not to post a list of top OSHA predictions for 2014. But, we are much more confident about sharing our “watch list” concerning OSHA for the upcoming year.

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State Update: Taxation on Same-Sex Spouses
January 19, 2014

In the wake of Revenue Ruling 2013-17 issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a number of states have released guidance regarding state income taxation issues in relation to same-sex spouses.

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Acoustical trauma – a particular risk for call center workers
January 19, 2014

Acoustic trauma, also known as acoustic shock, can occur when a person is subjected to an extremely loud noise or series of loud noises such as gun shots, explosions or shouting at very close proximity.

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Proposed amendments to injury and illness recordkeeping rule spark heated debate
January 19, 2014

On January 9 – 10, 2014, OSHA held a public meeting at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. to give stakeholders the opportunity to provide oral remarks on the proposed rule aimed at amending its recordkeeping regulations with requirements for the electronic submission of injury and illness information. According to OSHA, the proposed requirements are not drastically different from the current requirements under the OSHA Data Initiative (ODI) where data is collected on injuries and illnesses from approximately 80,000 employers with 20+ employees and used to target enforcement and compliance assistance activities. However, representatives from businesses and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce beg to differ. The debate over the proposed requirements drew comments from representatives in business, labor, and safety councils and associations, and it was clear — according to our J. J. Keller representative who attended the meeting — that there is a balance of support for and against the proposed rulemaking.

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National Labor Relations Board: Wal-Mart Violated Labor Rules
January 19, 2014

WASHINGTON — Federal officials have filed a formal complaint charging that Wal-Mart violated the rights of protesting and striking workers last year.

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Latest Developments in Employment Law and Affirmative Action Compliance
January 19, 2014

 Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus, P.C., in conjunction with Lighthouse Compliance Solutions, will host a joint seminar to update our clients about the latest developments in employment law, affirmative action compliance, hiring trends and much more. 

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Supreme Court Upholds Availability of Premium Tax Credit in States That Have a Federal Exchange
January 19, 2014

The Supreme Court issued its opinion today upholding the availability of premium tax credits for individuals who purchase health insurance through a federal Exchange, King v. Burwell, No. 14-114 (U.S. June 25, 2015). The opinion maintains the status quo - it does not change anything under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("ACA"), and individuals and employers should proceed with ACA compliance.

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Failing to Track All FMLA'4 Hazards
January 05, 2014

It is generally in your best interest to capture all absences that are Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)-related, says consultant Kristi McKinzey, PHR. She offers four common hazards employers face when they don’t track all absences.

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University of Arkansas-- Global Campus
January 05, 2014

You can participate in the University of Arkansas Global Campus SHRM Learning System(r) for PHR(r)/SPHR(r) Certification Preparation Course in multiple ways.

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Employment Law Beyond the Basics seminar
January 05, 2014

 It is essential to understand the emerging developments in employment law. With the EEOC cracking down on employee classification and the NLRB redefining Section 7 rights, employment law problems can arise unexpectedly and the results can be costly. This seminar will help you understand the emerging critical developments and updates to provide the best management to your employees and best counsel to your clients. Our speakers provide expertise and insight to complex issues, ready to share their years of experience at both the state and federal level with you. Attend this seminar to expand your knowledge and enhance your abilities "beyond the basics."

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Thirteen States Raise Pay For Minimum-Wage Workers
January 05, 2014

The minimum wage rose in 13 states as 2013 drew to a close. As many as 11 states and Washington, D.C., are expected to consider increases in 2014, and approval is likely in more than half of the 11, according to the National Employment Law Project, says USA Today.

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Inside: Reduced schedule and intermittent FMLA leaves
January 05, 2014

A look at what reduced schedule or intermittent FMLA leave is and, more importantly, what it is not

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Top ten Facility Safety stories of 2013
January 05, 2014

West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion is biggest story on ISHN.com

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Arkansas Retaliation Claims Ruled to Have Three-Year Statute of Limitation
January 05, 2014

The Supreme Court of Arkansas recently ruled that employment-related retaliation claims may be filed in Arkansas within three (3) years of the alleged retaliatory conduct taking place. In Smith v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., the Supreme Court answered this question proposed by an Arkansas Federal District Court Judge in an ongoing employment discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The question was certified to the State's highest court because Arkansas's retaliation statute does not set forth a specific time period in which a claim must be filed to be timely.

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Avalanche of New Laws in 2014
January 05, 2014

An estimated 40,000 new state laws, regulations and resolutions were approved by state legislatures in 2013, and many of which take effect January 1, says USA Today.

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Gay marriage rulings trigger big changes to HR
January 05, 2014

The Supreme Court’s decision to declare unconstitutional key provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act is expected to mean a major overhaul of federal rules affecting employee benefits administration and payroll operations.

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California grants law license to undocumented immigrant
January 05, 2014

Although Sergio Garcia has lived in the U.S. for most of his life, his struggle to become a licensed lawyer has been a long one.

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