Legal Update: New Obligations for Employers for Meal and Rest Period Premiums
On May 23, 2022, the California Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Naranjo v. Spectrum Security Services ...
Read MoreOn May 23, 2022, the California Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Naranjo v. Spectrum Security Services ...
Read MoreHuman resources departments are given more responsibility each year, often with budgets that don’t match these changes. As a...
No matter a company’s size, its day-to-day needs can feel overwhelming for human resources (HR) leaders, especially when faced...
This month's HR Brief newsletter discusses OSHA's vaccination and testing mandate, the release of 2021 ACA reporting forms,...
Complex Health Benefits Can Hinder Employee Productivity and Morale Health care is rarely straightforward for the average...
What the Delta Variant Means for Return-to-Work Mask Policies With a growing percentage of the United States population fully...
Employer Steps for COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Employers play a critical role in helping promote and provide accurate...
Using Technology in Learning and Development By leveraging technology in learning and development efforts, employers can help...
During the COVID-19 pandemic, hiring managers are struggling to get candidates in the door. Recruiting budgets have been slashed...
Preparing HR for Future Health Crises On March 1, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2021-20 to provide...
Preparing HR for Future Health Crises In the 2020 fiscal year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) resolved more...
The COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call for HR departments in 2020. Suddenly, employees were looking to HR teams for guidance...
CDC Guidance for Workplace COVID-19 Vaccination Programs Making COVID-19 vaccination part of your workplace wellness...
Communicating with Employees about COVID-19 Vaccines Employee communications related to the pandemic have played a major role...
Your resource for Federal and California office posting requirements It is one of HR’s most important (and seemingly old...
What You Need to Know About the New Strain of COVID-19 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a...
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have reported increases in anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide. The...
DOL Increase Civil Penalty Amounts for 2021 The Department of Labor (DOL) has released its 2021 inflation-adjusted civil...
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created massive change and concern for employers and employees across the world. Even as...
$500 Million for New COVID Relief Grant for Small Businesses The Governor announced the creation of a $500 million COVID Relief...
IRS Adds, Updates FAQs on FFCRA Tax Credits The IRS has added or updated more than 80 answers to questions in its series of ...
An appropriations bill, which was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, does not extend the leave mandates created by the...
EEOC Issues FAQs on Mandatory Vaccinations for COVID-19 On Dec. 16. 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)...
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has adopted a temporary emergency standard for COVID-19....
Improving workplace efficiency is about helping employees work smarter, not harder. Fortunately, in today's world, technology can...
5 Reasons Physicians Need to Protect Their Income It took you years of training, education and commitment to get where you are....
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the stigma associated with working remotely has disappeared. And, as the pandemic...
5 Strategies for Reducing Health Benefits Costs in 2021 Health benefits costs are almost certainly going to rise in 2021. They’ve...
How to Support Employee Behavioral Health During the Pandemic Fear, worry and stress are normal responses to perceived or real...
DOL Issues Guidance on Tracking Hours of Work for Remote Employees On Aug. 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued ...
Preparing for an Unprecedented Open Enrollment Period Open enrollment following the COVID-19 pandemic will be unlike any other in...
2021 Benefits Planning and COVID-19 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wage on, its effects on benefits planning for next year...
Employer Guidance for Common Return-to-Work Concerns In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many organizations are...
How Social Distancing Is Impacting Workplace Culture As the coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve, one guideline that is...
“At-will” employment is a common-law rule stating that the relationship between employer and employee may be terminated by the...
As we look into what the workplace will look like post-coronavirus, the reality for many employers may involve supporting a...
As businesses across the country continue reopening and the threat of a second wave of COVID-19 cases looms, employers are facing...
Legal Update The IRS and Treasury Department have issued Notice 2020-54, requiring employers to report compensation for leave...
Recruiting Post Coronavirus The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has upended the entire world, it seems. With fluctuating...
DOL Legal Update On July 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published additional Q&As addressing the application of the...
How to Prepare for a Second Wave of COVID-19 Cases Even as stay-at-home orders and restrictions are lifted, daily operations...
The ACA (Affordable Care Act) requires health insurance issuers and self-funded plan sponsors to pay PCORI (Patient-Centered...
Many organizations take pride in their company culture—often, it can be a core competency and a competitive advantage. As...
Overtime Concerns for Employees with Mobile Devices The increasing use of mobile devices has reshaped working practices...
Weeks ago, businesses across the country sent workers home to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Now, America is opening back up....
Many employers are still wrestling to understand the rapid changes with state and federal laws. On April 17, 2020, the temporary...
March 27, the United States House of Representatives passed the “Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security Act” or the...
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick...
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents a host of extraordinary challenges to employers. On March 19, 2020, Governor Newsom...
Overview: In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Congress enacted a bill providing various forms of relief,...
In a time where (hopefully) all companies are switching to remote working, most workers do not know how to make the change into...
Coronavirus and the Workplace – Compliance Issues for Employers As the number of reported cases of the novel coronavirus...
The prospect of corrective action or termination makes a lot of managers nervous. That’s understandable. For employees, being...
On January 31, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new Form I-9. The form is dated...
We recognize that it can be very challenging for business to stay up to date regarding the minimum wage ordinance that applies...
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) revealed a final ruling on Overtime "White Collar" exemptions. These regulations were last...
All California health insurers are now offering a one-time Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Californians who need qualifying...
Payroll management is a difficult thing. A simple error can have profound effects down the line. That is why it is necessary for...
The Key to Better Hiring: Be Honest About Compensation When you’re hiring for a position, you’re making an important business...
What to Do When ICE Visits Your Company What are employers required to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)...
With wildfire season upon our state, employers may not be aware that they are responsible to monitor the air quality of their...
With 5 million truck and bus drivers sharing the road with more than 250 million motorists, the safety of your clients' fleets is...
Millennials—those born between 1980 and 2000—are projected to make up 50% of the workforce by 2020 and 75% by 2025. This HR...
Employee Turnover can be an Opportunity for Growth All businesses experience turnover, and how you deal with that turnover says a...
On Sept. 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a new final rule that updates the salary thresholds that some...
Nobody likes mistakes, but they happen anyway.
Once upon a time, there were very few ways to effectively communicate.
As of July 2020, California will expand state benefits available to workers who lose wages while taking time off to care for a...
In simple terms, ergonomics is the study of making work comfortable for employees in an effort to avoid on-the-job injuries, poor...
This may be hard to imagine, but people are not choosing your company, product, or service because you’ve been in business for a...
3 Hiring Mistakes That Can Cost You Many job seekers sell themselves short by giving up on a position before even applying.
Communicating with Problem Employees and Dealing with Challenging Situations Employee engagement is one of the most significant...
You already know that strategic planning and succession planning are important components to your business success. But what...
If you’re hiring the wrong people, you may find it necessary to micromanage their every move.
CYBER SECURITY 1.0HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CUSTOMERS, PROTECT YOURSELF! Register Now You’ve received one before: An e-mail from a...
If your employees are willing to go the extra mile, you’ll want to make sure they are rewarded accordingly. Doing so could mean...
If you are looking for ways to expand your new talent pool and make your current and future employees happy, offering remote work...
When a position opens up in your organization, what’s your first reaction? For many recruiters and HR teams, it’s an external...
It’s not just bad employees who don’t succeed. Sometimes, even your best hires aren’t performing to the level you want and...
It’s no secret that today’s employees value flexibility. If your company hasn’t looked into ways to attract and retain talent by...
Some businesses think that compliance is all about following rules and staying out of trouble. But smart companies know that...
Knowing what risks and exposures your business faces is a good start to building a solid risk management strategy. But just being...
Raise your hand if you love sitting in meetings! Anyone? Hello?
Depending on the type of business you’re running and the kind of work your employees are doing, it can be difficult to manage the...
We work with a lot of small businesses, many of which are struggling with very similar challenges. Depending on your size,...
The human resources talent acquisition dynamics are changing, and employers are working harder than ever to find and hire great...
Download Now This webinar delves into the introductory compliance principles and utilities of an employee handbook – a legal...
Providing health benefits for your team is expensive. So is constant employee turnover.
As we head to work each day, our minds are often occupied with things we’re going to do after our shift ends. Stop by the store....
You know it’s important for businesses to have an employee handbook, but you may be wondering how having one in place can benefit...
Managing payroll correctly is a critical part of doing business, especially for small to mid-sized companies. Fewer employees and...
Under the California Family Rights Act of 1993 (CFRA), if you have more than 12 months of service with us and have worked at...
You’ve worked hard to get where you are, and you expect the same of your employees. But at some point, hard work can become...
There’s a well-known story that Microsoft started out as two guys building software in a garage. Whether or not this is...
Do you excel at providing tasks, parameters, and instructions, but insist on hovering over every part of the process? You could...
You may be wondering what sleep has to do with workplace productivity. The answer is pretty much everything.
One of the best things about being on a team is the camaraderie that comes with working really hard together, and then...
Work at home options are becoming more and more popular with employees, but are these arrangements good for employers?
With sexual harassment cases getting a lot of media attention, it might seem like that is your company’s biggest liability risk....
When you’re busy running your business, succession planning can often take a back seat to other, more time sensitive tasks and...
Someone in your organization has probably spent a lot of time thinking about the company brand. Perhaps there has also been a...
Having a team of successful salespeople can do wonders for your business, just as having a team of lifeless salespeople can bring...
Would you like to see your managers lead their teams more effectively, your employees more engaged in their work, and everyone...
Technology is an amazing tool, especially when it comes to communication. It can make us faster, more accurate, and more...
Remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for?” Many of today’s clients aren’t buying in. Instead, the current customer...
Companies with great cultures have higher levels of engagement. And companies with high levels of engagement have happier...
They say the only constant in life is change. And like most clever sayings, this one is also very true. Especially when it comes...
Great job descriptions can perform several important HR functions for your business. When written correctly, they can provide...
When it comes to your business, it’s important to constantly examine key behaviors to see which ones are serving a purpose and...
Everyone loves a cute little puppy, but is bringing Spot to work taking it too far? Can pets in the office be too much of a good...
What do you think when you see this sign?
If you’re introducing a new initiative in your company, you understand the significance of getting your team onboard. After all,...
We all have things we say we’d like to do, but just can’t seem to find the time for. Some of them are merely ideas, some have...
When done well, employee surveys can gather important feedback and information quickly, efficiently, and anonymously.
Providing great client service is a claim that nearly every business makes.
What Just Happened? During the week of July 16, 2018, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security...
In an effort to ensure compliance, an emergency Record Keeping Regulation has been issued to bring Cal/OSHA in line with...
Separation. Termination. Departure. No matter what you call it, the fact remains the same: People on your team will come and go.
Many businesses have one or two people who are the glue that holds everything together. It could be the founder, owner, CEO, CFO,...
Almost all California employers are exposed to the risk of inspections and citations for violation of Cal/OSHA regulations. The...
Business is all about competition, but the question you need to ask yourself is:
Think back over your life. Is there someone who helped you become the person you are today? Someone who saw your potential even...
As business becomes more and more competitive, simply filling open positions isn’t enough.
There’s plenty of evidence that communication can make or break a company’s reputation. Social media storms can quickly turn into...
To be a successful business, you need to be able to find and keep great talent. But depending on who you’re looking to hire and...
Have you ever watched a truly great athlete swing a bat, complete a pass, or sink a sweet jumper? If so, you’ll notice they all...
HR WEBINAR: HOW TO ATTRACT AND KEEP TOP QUALITY EMPLOYEES Download Now Attracting and retaining a skilled work force as the...
You hear about these things all the time, but what’s the real risk? What are the consequences if it happens to you or your...
Employers work hard to offer great benefits, flexible schedules, and a fantastic working environment so they can attract and...
Every organization has its own unique structure, priorities, and requirements, but when is the last time you took a good, hard...
They say it’s better to have one person working with you than to have three people working for you. And while working for someone...
These days, it seems like everyone is swimming in content. Every time you log in, check email, or go online, there is a pile of...
Just what is employee engagement, anyway?
Wage and hour claims are a big headache. And a big deal. And a really big expense.
When it comes to animal-friendly offices, the answer depends on who you ask. But one thing we can all agree on is that the topic...
No matter what kind of organization you’re running, chances are you’re facing the same critical challenge— lack of time, money,...
Do you or your employees feel exhausted from having too much going on? Does it ever feel like there’s so much to do, and not...
You might think you don’t need to invest in training and development, especially when it comes to the basic office programs and...
Many of us give presentations regularly as part of our work lives. We deliver them in staff meetings, employee meetings, client...
Election Day is right around the corner, so California employers need to be aware of their obligations toward their employees....
Recruiting new employees can be challenging. If you’re constantly hiring, you’ve got to build a talent pipeline and keep it full....
We spend a lot of time cursing the ill effects of turnover. It’s disruptive. It’s expensive. It’s a sign of poor company culture...
Everybody wants their employees to be more engaged. But too often the question remains: Engaged to what?
Effective communication is difficult, even in the best of circumstances. Add in diverse workforces, remote teams, and the sheer...
Many companies have instituted employee wellness programs. But employees are still stressed out, and perhaps more than ever....
Many business owners are convinced that all customers care about is price. They assume that if there are two options available,...
As a business owner, you may think the processes you’ve always used are continuing to deliver the best results. But what if they...
Not every employee on your team is interested in taking on more responsibility, moving up the ladder, or even learning new...
Are your HR policies merely a list of rules to be enforced? Or are they designed to foster a positive company culture that allows...
Perhaps you made it where you are today by doing certain things in a certain way, then replicating those same processes over and...
Just because an employee is physically in the office doesn’t mean that person is actively contributing. Not only that, but an...
Everyone feels stressed from time to time. But what is stress? How does it affect your health? And what can you do about it?
Good communication shows your employees that value them and that you care. Poor communication can leave them feeling confused,...
The Department of Labor (DOL) maintains model forms to help employers meet their notification obligations under the Family and...
On May 21, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Revenue Procedure 2018-34 to index the contribution percentages in...
Your work life and your love life are totally different, right?
We all know stress has negative effects on individual health. But stressed out employees can have a huge impact on the health of...
Good employees are hard to find, and great employees are even harder to come by. When one of them leaves, it hurts. And we’re not...
Warm Weather is in the Forecast, Remind Employees About Your Dress Code
When it comes to organizational efficiency, there’s a lot of talk about running lean. And while re-evaluating your processes is...
Hosting a webinar is an easy and efficient way to transfer information, conduct training sessions, and encourage constant...
Finding and hiring the right people is integral to the success of your organization. But no matter how capable each staff member...
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a magic pill that could enhance leadership performance? Imagine a one-dose-wonder that could...
Employees are the fuel that runs your business. If you want your company to be successful, it’s not enough to simply be able to...
On April 12, 2018, the United States Department of Labor issued opinion letters that provide guidance on how employees without...
Worried About DOL Audits? Get PAID. Each year, countless employers are subjected to wage and hour audits from the Department of...
Worried About DOL Audits? Get PAID.
Wouldn’t it be great if everyone just knew how to behave in a workplace setting? Imagine everything running smoothly and all...
In today’s recruiting market, it’s becoming harder and harder to get and keep top talent. But if you’ve got what candidates want,...
California hotel, motel and bed and breakfast employers are faced with a new Cal/OSHA compliance rule, which takes effect July 1,...
Company Culture. Employee Engagement. Managing Millennials. These topics have been getting a lot of press, and with good reason....
Creating an environment where employees are happy to be working, enjoy their jobs, and feel like they’re part of a team may sound...
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the importance of health care benefits. Given the impact of the coronavirus...
“At-will” employment is a common-law rule stating that the relationship between employer and employee may be terminated by the...
These days, it seems like everyone is swimming in content. Every time you log in, check email, or go online, there is a pile of...
On May 18, 2021, the IRS issued Notice 2021-31, a guidance document on the American Rescue Plan Act subsidy for continuation...
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