We’re deep into spring, the time when cubicle-bound employees may be planning their escape and vying for prime spots on the time-off calendar. Or maybe they’re so busy with the daily grind that they don’t even dream of walks on the beach or majestic mountain views.
When it comes to time off, HR professionals deal with [...]

by Amanda Shelby
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) recently issued Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations became effective on March 8. Although the new regulations don’t radically change the landscape of the FMLA, they do contain some significant modifications. What do you need to know to ensure that your policies and practices are still [...]

Tammy Binford
Imagine a workplace where employees are eager, engaged, motivated, and loyal. Now think of what an employer can do to create such employees. Part of the formula will focus on rewards, recognition, and even a little fun.
When considering what perks to offer employees, the sky seems to be the limit. Paid time off and [...]

The best way to account for employee absences during the holidays is to plan ahead. Creating a plan allows you to make sure that your company still has enough employees to operate while allowing time off to those who request vacation leave.
Vacation leave is governed by the employer’s policies
Remember that while neither [...]

Although the calendar shows winter is still a month away, employers would be wise to think now about how they’ll handle the challenges hazardous winter weather will bring.
When snow, ice, or other extreme weather shows up in the forecast, employers’ thoughts turn to how weather might prevent employees from getting to work and how those [...]

Everybody enjoys a day off on a special occasion–especially if it’s a paid day off–and employers realize the benefits of offering such perks to employees. Employers may question, though, whether they’re handling holidays in the best way. The recent BLR Holiday Practices Survey provides insights on a variety of holiday practices.
Major holidays
The survey asked employers [...]

by James J. Rooney and Kerry Langan
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has released a 16-page guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) designed to make the law more accessible to employees. The publication, titled “Need Time? The Employee’s Guide to The Family and Medical [...]

by Mark I. Schickman
Too often, the workplace is viewed as a zero-sum game ― a win for an employee or loss for the boss, every savings for the company obtained from an employee concession. The political parties are playing it the same way; either employers pay more or workers get less ― nobody suggests a [...]

With summer in full swing, employers may find more than a few empty desks around the office. That’s not too much of a burden when employees plan in advance and schedule time for their vacations, but sometimes the beach beckons on short notice and employees may extend a weekend with a sick day or two. [...]

It’s summer and employers are deep into the peak vacation season — a time when they may be wondering if they’re handling time off in the best way.
The paid time off (PTO) system has gained popularity in recent years although a 2010 survey by WorldatWork, a group focusing on human resources issues, found that the [...]