• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Safety/Health

Can ‘Kiddie Wellness’ Programs Cut Your Organization’s Health Costs?

09/16/2008

Children account for 20% to 25% of employer health care spending, and rates of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are soaring among America’s kids and teens. Here are five tips for including employees’ children in your company’s wellness programs …

Don’t even think about going without workers’ compensation insurance

09/15/2008
Georgia employers that skip obtaining or maintaining workers’ compensation coverage, beware: Employees who get hurt on the job can still collect benefits—for years. They just won’t be getting the payments from your insurance carrier. Instead, they will collect them directly from your company …

Can the union demand we pay for employees’ personal protective equipment?

09/12/2008
Q. Our company is in the midst of planning for contract negotiations. The bargaining committee has made it known it will demand that the company pay for all steel-toed safety shoes. The company does require that its employees wear steel-toed safety shoes in the plant, but the company has never paid for the shoes. The union states that because of new OSHA regulations, which have been adopted in Michigan, the employer is required to pay for employee personal protective equipment (PPE) and therefore must pay for the safety shoes. …

Employ commercial drivers? They have special protection

09/10/2008
Commercial drivers are protected from retaliation if they refuse to operate their vehicles in violation of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) safety rules that restrict the number of hours they may drive without resting. Firing or demoting someone for refusing to break those rules may be retaliation …

Disney revises gun policy

09/08/2008
After firing one employee in a showdown over Florida’s new guns-at-work law, Disney has taken a small step back. It released a revised policy in August that allows employees who don’t work at Walt Disney World Resort to keep guns in their cars, in accordance with state law …

Take these 3 steps to help your employees prevent cancer

09/05/2008

It costs five times more to insure an employee who has cancer than one who doesn’t, a recent survey revealed. But it could cost your organization as little as $2.95 per employee, per month to cover the costs of early detection. Here is what your organization can do to help prevent cancer among your employees and lower the medical and lost-productivity costs associated with the disease …

Free daily lunches help retain staff

09/05/2008

Employees of

Copanion

in Andover, Mass., rarely go out for lunch. Instead, they enjoy catered meals every day—right at work. Employees eat and talk together in the company’s two lunchrooms … 

100% of employees participate in wellness program at tech firm

09/05/2008

At Dynamic Edge in Ann Arbor, Mich., everyone takes part in the company’s wellness program. To keep participation high, the tech support firm lets its 35 employees earn a point for every 15 minutes they spend exercising. An employee who earns 150 points receives a $100 check toward a gym membership …

Madison Square Garden suit hinges on alleged background check bias

09/03/2008

Do criminal background checks lead to bias? The EEOC will have to weigh that question when it investigates discrimination charges filed against Madison Square Garden by Charlene Clarke. Clarke, a black woman from the Bronx, accepted a food worker position at The Garden in September 2007. One month later, the arena withdrew its offer after Clarke’s background check revealed a misdemeanor assault charge …

Tell drivers: No passengers allowed on trips that cross state lines

09/02/2008
Does your company employ drivers who cross state lines? If so, make sure they understand they cannot take passengers with them. Here’s why: In the event of an accident, the rider may sue, alleging that since the company allowed her to ride along, the company is responsible for any injuries caused by the driver’s negligence …