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Compensation & Benefits

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

01/01/2010

HR Law 101: The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), signed into law in May 2008, prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against job applicants or employees based on their genetic information in hiring, firing, compensation or any other terms of employment.

10-year employees get big payoff at Lockton

12/31/2009

Employees who celebrate 10 years with Kansas City, Mo.-based Lockton Cos. get a big thank-you from company brass: a Rolex watch. The insurance broker gave away more than 60 of the high-end watches in 2009, according to Communications Director Dean Davison.

Tell employees on FMLA leave: No working from home

12/30/2009

Because FMLA leave is an entitlement, employers aren’t allowed to interfere with it. And interference can include requiring employees to perform work during their leave. That’s why it’s important to make arrangements for work to be completed without help from the employee on leave.

HR in the new year: 10 trends, 10 resolutions

12/28/2009

The cost cutting and staff reductions may not be completely over, but as the economy begins its recovery, HR will be dealing with new challenges in 2010. Here are 10 trends to expect in the coming year, plus tips and tools to help you respond to each:

Don’t automatically grant FMLA leave for stress

12/28/2009

Employees often claim their jobs stress them out. And for some, it’s so bad they feel they need to take off work for a week or so to cope. That doesn’t mean, however, that employees are automatically entitled to use FMLA leave. Even if they get a doctor to write a note “prescribing” rest, they don’t qualify for FMLA leave unless there’s some additional treatment ordered, such as medication or counseling.

Use incentives to combat workplace stress

12/28/2009

The latest “Stress in America Survey” confirms that work is stressing out people. One stress solution that works, according to the American Psychological Association: wellness programs that offer incentives to employees who trade overeating, smoking and other harmful habits for healthier behaviors.

Daimler Truck workers get federal unemployment assistance

12/24/2009

Laid-off Daimler Trucks North America workers at the company’s Gastonia plant are eligible for assistance under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act, which provides extended unemployment compensation benefits to workers who lose their jobs because of competition from imported products.

Bonuses at high school sports governing body violate policy

12/24/2009

The tax-exempt North Carolina High School Athletic Association apparently violated University of North Carolina policy when it paid bonuses to its managers. The association administers high school sports throughout the state. From 1999 to 2008, the association paid out $239,133 in bonuses to managers and $7,820 to nonmanagement staff. The employees won’t have to return the money.

On-site health centers a boon for Highmark

12/24/2009

Pittsburgh-based health insurance provider Highmark opened two new employee health centers in November and estimates the on-site facilities could save it several hundred thousand dollars the first year. Employees can visit an on-site doctor for primary care, vaccinations and physical therapy, and will be able to have prescriptions filled there as well.

Internal wage-and-hour complaints don’t count as ‘testimony’ in FLSA retaliation cases

12/24/2009

The Fair Labor Standards Act includes a retaliation clause that bars employers from punishing employees who provide “testimony” in FLSA cases. That doesn’t mean, however, that employees who complain internally about wage-and-hour issues are automatically protected.