The Wild, the Innocent, and the Super Bowl Shuffle
(January 22, 2010)
Super Bowl Sunday is February 7. About 140 million Americans will watch the game on TV, and 20 million will attend a Super Bowl party. While doing so, we'll eat 20 million pounds of potato and tortilla chips. Let's look at some other Super Bowl-related numbers for you to ponder in your role as HR quarterback. (Like many sports fans, I'm also a statistics geek.) Read on
Shorter Workweek in a Tough Economy
(February 5, 2010)
According to economist Dean Baker, President Barack Obama's own economic team believes the President's stimulus package will have no effect on unemployment -- currently at 10 percent -- two years from now. The announcement caught the attention of many employers, already worried about having to make future layoffs, and has initiated discussions about shortening the workweek to keep the unemployment rate from rising. Read on
Solis’ Proposed Budget Opens Door for 358 More DOL Inspectors, Staff
(January 29, 2010)
February 1, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis hosted her third live Web chat during her tenure with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). During the session, Solis answered questions on the department’s proposed budget for the 2011 fiscal year. She touched briefly on the agency’s plans with the requested $116.5 billion, a decrease from last year’s $193.6 billion. This decrease can be largely attributed to a decline in unemployment insurance benefit payments. Read on
Another Reason Employers Need a Social-Media Policy: New FTC Regulations
(February 5, 2010)
Recently, the FTC, issued regulations that affect nearly every business—at least every business with a workforce that has access to a computer (either on or off working time). The FTC is the government agency charged with the responsibility of protecting consumers against false and deceptive advertisements, among other things. The FTC’s newest regulations, called the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, sets fairly strict restrictions on employees’ use of social media to talk about a product or service offered by their employers. Read on
Obama Includes Another COBRA Subsidy Extension in Budget
(February 5, 2010)
The Obama administration proposed another extension of COBRA premium subsidy benefits on Monday, according to Business Insurance. President Barack Obama included this latest extension in his proposed federal budget for the fiscal year 2011. The proposed extension would reportedly extend the 65 percent premium subsidy to individuals whose employment is terminated between March 1, 2010, and December 31, 2010, and those individuals would be eligible for the subsidy for up to 12 months. Read on
DOL Releases Updated COBRA Model Notices
(January 15, 2010)
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration just released updated COBRA Model Notices that reflect the COBRA subsidy extension that was part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010. The EBSA’s COBRA page now has several new model notices available, including: Read on
2010 Employment Law Guide
(January 8, 2010)
Employers saw sweeping new employment law changes in 2009 and more are on the way for 2010. The push for same-sex partner benefits in the workplace is gaining momentum (President Obama recently extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees), EFCA could rear its ugly head after Congress passes health care reform, and the Healthy Families Act could require employers with 15 or more employees to provide seven paid sick days a year to employees working 30 or more hours a week. And there's more to come. Read on
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