April 25, 2019
March 9, 2016
One of the buzzwords of the hour is “mindfulness” – being focused and fully present in the here and now. Employers such as Google and General Mills offer classes on it, as do several prominent business schools. Proponents argue that substituting mindfulness for multitasking reduces stress and increases productivity. The barrage of information and demands from digital and non-digital resources is endless. It’s easy to see the relationship to safety and accidents; a worker who trips and falls while talking on a cell phone can be a costly injury. Neurologist Dr. Romie Mushtaq says the physiological benefits of clearing away distractions and living in the moment have been documented in many scientific and medical studies. Mindfulness enhances the brain’s efficiency, creativity and sharpness, whereas multitasking depresses the brain’s memory and analytical functions and reduces blood flow to the part of the right temporal lobe, which contributes to creative thinking. She offers these tips for practicing mindfulness in a multitasking world: […]
October 28, 2015
Question: May an employer perform a background check on prospective employees? If so, when? Answer: Background checks are permitted; however, in general, they should not be completed before an employer has made the employee an offer of employment. Background checks provide employers with the means to verify the accuracy of information provided by a job applicant as well as gain other information about an individual that is relevant to employment. For example, a background check may verify previous employment, salary, education, and any of the following, as applicable: Military service records Driving records Credit records Social Security number Character references State licensing records Criminal records Employers may utilize a third party to collect background check information or personally gather information through computerized and posted public records, commercial databases, and Internet search engines. However, employers must ensure that any employed third party or Internet-provided information maintains strict compliance with federal and state laws. Working with a third party is highly encouraged […]
September 9, 2015
Question: What benefits must be continued while an employee is on Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave? What should we do with an employee who is not making his share of the copayments while out on leave? Answer: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations require that employers continue to provide group health benefits under the same terms and conditions as if the employee was actively at work. There is no requirement under the FMLA to continue other types of benefits offered by the employer. Whether or not an employee’s other benefits continue depend on an employer’s established policy. Any benefits that would be maintained if the employee was on another form of leave should be maintained while the employee is on FMLA leave. Part of the requirement to continue health insurance benefits “under the same terms” means that both the employer and employee must continue to pay their portions of the group health insurance premium, unless the employer […]
November 5, 2014
Question: What benefits must be continued while an employee is on Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave? What should we do with an employee who is not making his share of the copayments while out on leave? Answer: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations require that employers continue to provide group health benefits under the same terms and conditions as if the employee was actively at work. There is no requirement under the FMLA to continue other types of benefits offered by the employer. Whether or not an employee’s other benefits continue depend on an employer’s established policy. Any benefits that would be maintained if the employee was on another form of leave should be maintained while the employee is on FMLA leave. Part of the requirement to continue health insurance benefits “under the same terms” means that both the employer and employee must continue to pay their portions of the group health insurance premium, unless the employer […]
May 27, 2014
One of the buzzwords of the hour is “mindfulness” – being focused and fully present in the here and now. Employers such as Google and General Mills offer classes on it, as do several prominent business schools. Proponents argue that substituting mindfulness for multitasking reduces stress and increases productivity. The barrage of information and demands from digital and non-digital resources is endless. It’s easy to see the relationship to safety and accidents; a worker who trips and falls while talking on a cell phone can be a costly injury. Neurologist Dr. Romie Mushtaq says the physiological benefits of clearing away distractions and living in the moment have been documented in many scientific and medical studies. Mindfulness enhances the brain’s efficiency, creativity and sharpness, whereas multitasking depresses the brain’s memory and analytical functions and reduces blood flow to the part of the right temporal lobe, which contributes to creative thinking. She offers these tips for practicing mindfulness in a multitasking world: […]
February 24, 2014
The U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services announced the publication of final regulations implementing a 90-day limit on waiting periods for health coverage as part of the reform provisions of the Affordable Care Act on February 20, 2014. These regulations require that no group health plan or group health insurance issuer impose a waiting period that exceeds 90 days after an employee is otherwise eligible for coverage. The rules: Do not require coverage be offered to any particular employee or class of employees; Are designed to ensure that eligibility conditions based solely on the passage of time are not used to evade the waiting period limit by stating that such conditions cannot exceed 90 days; Include other permissible eligibility requirements, such as meeting certain sales goals, earning a certain level of commission, or successfully completing an orientation period; Allow provisions requiring employees to complete a certain number of hours before becoming eligible for coverage as long […]