http://workforce.com/section/topics http://www.workforce.com en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 21:18:45 EST 10 http://www.workforce.com/article/20120522/NEWS02/120529989 20120522/NEWS02/120529989 SAP, Oracle and other HR software vendors have a surprising new competitor thanks to the acquisition of Rypple by Salesforce.com. Tue, 22 May 2012 21:07:52 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120522/NEWS01/120529990 20120522/NEWS01/120529990 The Justice Department has reached a $45,000 settlement with Home Depot Inc. to resolve charges it violated federal law when it terminated an Army National Guard soldier's employment. Tue, 22 May 2012 16:46:05 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120521/NEWS02/120529993 20120521/NEWS02/120529993 Companies are opening their wallets for HR software products, but more than 40 percent have had a disappointing HR tech implementation. Find out more at HR Tech Week June 5-6. Mon, 21 May 2012 18:53:23 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120521/NEWS01/120529995 20120521/NEWS01/120529995 The indemnification agreement that Safeway Inc.'s directors and officers will sign says in part that Safeway's board has determined the agreement is needed 'in order to attract and retain qualified individuals.' Mon, 21 May 2012 16:54:45 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120521/NEWS01/120529996 20120521/NEWS01/120529996 According to the May 16 ruling in Jarretta P. Hamilton vs. Southland Christian School Inc., Hamilton, who began teaching at the St. Cloud, Florida-based school in January 2008, conceived a child with her then-fiancé in January 2009. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:43:47 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120521/NEWS01/120529997 20120521/NEWS01/120529997 If the high court were to strike down the individual mandate that requires most U.S. Mon, 21 May 2012 14:34:20 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120518/NEWS01/120519954 20120518/NEWS01/120519954 In the past five years, the percentage of plan sponsors who list the breadth of coverage offered to employees as a top priority for their plans has fallen 14 percent from 57 percent at the end of 2011. Fri, 18 May 2012 16:15:57 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120518/NEWS02/120519951 20120518/NEWS02/120519951 Enticing newcomers into the field often means teaming up with community colleges to offer training programs while some manufacturers are turning to military veterans to fill the void. Fri, 18 May 2012 21:10:48 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120518/NEWS02/120519953 20120518/NEWS02/120519953 One company has taken its guerrilla recruitment beyond mere social media with its popular Code Foo challenge—a ‘no résumés allowed' recruitment program aimed at finding extraordinary coding talent regardless of educational background, college... Fri, 18 May 2012 20:19:24 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120518/NEWS02/120519952 20120518/NEWS02/120519952 The six-week program hires coders based on skill, passion and eagerness to learn rather than résumé and experience. Fri, 18 May 2012 20:47:24 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120517/NEWS01/120519957 20120517/NEWS01/120519957 Assault from niche boards and social sites are gobbling up bigger bites of the once-mighty job board industry. Thu, 17 May 2012 15:39:03 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120517/NEWS02/120519958 20120517/NEWS02/120519958 Curious about how Oracle and SAP's recent talent management acquisitions shift the vendor landscape? Come hear executives from both HR software titans discuss industry consolidation at the upcoming HR Tech Week virtual conference, June 5 and 6. Thu, 17 May 2012 15:27:21 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120517/NEWS02/120519956 20120517/NEWS02/120519956 More smartphone-toting employees are looking to mobile benefits applications to submit claims and check balances on their health savings or health reimbursement accounts. Thu, 17 May 2012 15:48:04 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120517/NEWS02/120519966 20120517/NEWS02/120519966 The CYA Report podcast is a partnership between Workforce Management and Fistful of Talent. Thu, 17 May 2012 02:01:00 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120516/NEWS02/120519963 20120516/NEWS02/120519963 Covance Inc. is among the companies using software to help employees and mentors connect. The program Mentor Scout enables pairings based on mutual professional interests. Wed, 16 May 2012 18:03:23 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120516/NEWS02/120519961 20120516/NEWS02/120519961 For many workers, perks are now no longer enough. Recently, ‘it has been all about the base wage or salary,' a Buck Consultants principal says. Wed, 16 May 2012 18:22:41 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120516/NEWS02/120519962 20120516/NEWS02/120519962 Retirement accounts that remain after a worker leaves are an annoyance to plan sponsors and a burden for company administrators. Wed, 16 May 2012 18:13:48 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120516/NEWS02/120519964 20120516/NEWS02/120519964 The New York-based financial-services company has taken on such issues as food safety and prenatal care as part of a broader global wellness effort it launched in 2009. Wed, 16 May 2012 17:40:01 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120516/NEWS01/120519967 20120516/NEWS01/120519967 Seventy-one percent of employers hiring this summer add that they'll be considering some hires for permanent positions. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:37:59 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120515/NEWS02/120519973 20120515/NEWS02/120519973 Attendees of our upcoming HR Tech Week virtual conference can take advantage of a complimentary software selection service. Tue, 15 May 2012 17:39:14 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120515/NEWS01/120519975 20120515/NEWS01/120519975  Tue, 15 May 2012 16:47:50 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120515/NEWS01/120519976 20120515/NEWS01/120519976 Despite employers' cutting back on providing benefits, few employees are purchasing such policies on their own, says new study. Tue, 15 May 2012 16:40:17 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120515/NEWS02/120519978 20120515/NEWS02/120519978 Employers that are looking to reduce comp premiums find clerical slips that can cost them dearly. Tue, 15 May 2012 11:46:26 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS02/120519983 20120514/NEWS02/120519983 There has been a lot of chatter lately about the clutter email adds to our professional and personal lives. Mon, 14 May 2012 18:16:24 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS02/120519982 20120514/NEWS02/120519982 Under this health care program, physicians and hospitals work together with Medicare to provide coordinated care to beneficiaries in exchange for shared savings. Mon, 14 May 2012 18:28:29 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS01/120519981 20120514/NEWS01/120519981 Employers may need to revise or revisit their domestic-partner benefits frequently to make sure they are in line with state-mandated same-sex marriage laws. Mon, 14 May 2012 19:32:52 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS01/120519984 20120514/NEWS01/120519984  Mon, 14 May 2012 17:19:23 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS01/120519985 20120514/NEWS01/120519985 The U.S. Equal Employment Commission said May 14 it is making its private sector workplace discrimination charge statistics for each of the 50 states and U.S. territories available online for fiscal years 2009-2011. Mon, 14 May 2012 17:03:09 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS01/120519988 20120514/NEWS01/120519988 Amanda Pires joined her former boss in mid-April, replacing former communications chief Eric Brown. She's now leaving, according to a person familiar with the matter. Mon, 14 May 2012 16:41:01 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS01/120519987 20120514/NEWS01/120519987 Gun-shy employees are keen on investments that provide guaranteed income, though there is little interest in diversification. Mon, 14 May 2012 16:44:42 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120514/NEWS01/120519991 20120514/NEWS01/120519991 Officials said they did not 'intend' to impose penalties during the first year the requirement is in effect so long as employers are working in 'good faith' to comply. Mon, 14 May 2012 12:54:42 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120510/NEWS01/120519995 20120510/NEWS01/120519995 In what might have been his last interview, Nicholas Katzenbach, who died May 8, 2012, spoke to Workforce Management contributor Matthew Heller on the phone about his thoughts on the Civil Rights Act and the difficulty both the Kennedy and Johnson... Thu, 10 May 2012 16:14:22 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120510/NEWS01/120519994 20120510/NEWS01/120519994 The ruling states that under the FLSA, employees are entitled to overtime pay for any hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. In both cases, plaintiffs had claimed they were misclassified as exempt employees and denied overtime pay. Thu, 10 May 2012 16:46:11 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120510/NEWS01/120519996 20120510/NEWS01/120519996 The settlement also requires the international staffing firm to modify its anti-discrimination policy and amend its nationwide employment law compliance training Thu, 10 May 2012 15:26:29 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120510/NEWS01/120519999 20120510/NEWS01/120519999 Putnam Investments' Robert Reynolds laid out a three-point plan—making Social Security solvent, providing employer savings programs to everyone who pays Social Security taxes and raising workplace savings rates to 10 percent—that he said... Thu, 10 May 2012 10:43:56 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120509/NEWS01/120509946 20120509/NEWS01/120509946 Of the $240,000 needed to cover a retired couple's health care expenses, Fidelity estimates 32 percent will go toward paying Medicare Part B and Part D premiums; 45 percent will be consumed by expenses not covered by Medicare; and 23 percent will be... Wed, 9 May 2012 17:19:50 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120509/NEWS01/120509948 20120509/NEWS01/120509948 The University of Miami Health System filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state of Florida, disclosing its intention to cut 800 positions on July 31. Wed, 9 May 2012 11:30:58 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120509/NEWS01/120509947 20120509/NEWS01/120509947 Before a plan can be terminated, it needs to have all the funds necessary to pay benefits to employees. Once that happens, plan sponsors can start the process of shutting down the plan. Wed, 9 May 2012 14:21:49 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120508/NEWS01/120509951 20120508/NEWS01/120509951 Employers must make sure their employees, including line workers as well as supervisory staff, are 'trained carefully in anti-harassment measures and policy.' Tue, 8 May 2012 17:45:07 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120508/NEWS01/120509950 20120508/NEWS01/120509950 One attorney familiar with the case says the case illustrates that employers need to conduct an investigation 'in any situation that involves intimate touching.' Tue, 8 May 2012 17:50:09 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS02/120509955 20120507/NEWS02/120509955 An oil and gas company operating in Alaska has an employee assistance program in place, but says such plans might not be able to react quickly enough, given the remote settings. A firm offering in-house chaplain services is there to fill the void. Mon, 7 May 2012 02:01:00 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS02/120509956 20120507/NEWS02/120509956 Even with employer matches, automatically enrolled workers' annual savings doesn't hit the recommended minimum 10 percent of pay. Mon, 7 May 2012 02:01:00 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS02/120509986 20120507/NEWS02/120509986 Workforce management technology has come a long way from time clocks. Today's tools can save—or cost—companies millions. And thanks to a new group, the once-frumpy field is coming into fashion. Mon, 7 May 2012 02:01:00 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS02/120509957 20120507/NEWS02/120509957 As head of the Workforce Educational Organization's academic advisory committee, Susan Lambert is helping to shape its professional certification on scheduling and other workforce management matters to take into account employer and employee views. Mon, 7 May 2012 22:58:03 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS02/120509958 20120507/NEWS02/120509958 Such discrimination claims may seem frivolous but legal experts say employers should take them as seriously as they would any harassment complaint. Mon, 7 May 2012 22:52:22 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS02/120509961 20120507/NEWS02/120509961 For many women, the empty-nest phase of life doesn't just change their home lives. Mon, 7 May 2012 17:11:16 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS01/120509959 20120507/NEWS01/120509959 The Redskins practice at the team's Virginia headquarters, but play home games at FedExField in Landover, Maryland. Mon, 7 May 2012 17:26:14 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS01/120509960 20120507/NEWS01/120509960 Said one attorney, 'This is the first appellate-level case in the country that extends hostile work environment (claims) to the area of sexual orientation.' Mon, 7 May 2012 17:16:51 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120507/NEWS01/120509964 20120507/NEWS01/120509964 Large and small employers have banded together to form the Essential Health Benefits Coalition to voice concerns in Washington and statehouses around the country on the issue. Mon, 7 May 2012 16:11:35 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120504/NEWS01/120509980 20120504/NEWS01/120509980 U.S. unemployment held steady last month at 8.1 percent as the overall economy added 115,000 jobs. Hospitals added 4,100 jobs in April for growth of 0.1 percent to bring total hospital employment to 4.8 million. Fri, 4 May 2012 16:48:02 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120504/NEWS01/120509978 20120504/NEWS01/120509978 Mark Ugoretz, the first and only permanent head of the ERISA Industry Committee, will retire next month after nearly 29 years with the Washington-based employee benefits lobbying organization. Fri, 4 May 2012 17:23:18 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120504/NEWS01/120509979 20120504/NEWS01/120509979 Among other data, the California Workers' Compensation Institute estimates that workers' comp insurers expect to pay out $8.4 billion in claims for accident year 2011, which is an eight-year high. Fri, 4 May 2012 17:07:16 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120503/NEWS02/120509984 20120503/NEWS02/120509984 While the national unemployment level has slowly fallen from its peak of 10 percent in 2009, the number of unemployed people far outdistances the number of hires. Thu, 3 May 2012 16:30:35 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120503/NEWS02/120509985 20120503/NEWS02/120509985 During the past decade, the time it takes to find a job has slowly increased for the unemployed. Thu, 3 May 2012 16:26:26 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120502/NEWS02/120509987 20120502/NEWS02/120509987 United States labor productivity has continued to increase since 2001 with a positive change year over year. Wed, 2 May 2012 17:59:18 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120502/NEWS02/120509988 20120502/NEWS02/120509988 Last month's issue of Workforce Management reported that more employees gained access to retirement benefits from 2008 to 2011, but fewer employees participated in these programs. Wed, 2 May 2012 17:51:30 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120502/NEWS01/120509989 20120502/NEWS01/120509989 The Labor Department said under terms of the settlement, Wal-Mart has agreed to pay all back wages the department determined are owed for violations in addition to paying liquidated damages to the employees and a penalty to the department. Wed, 2 May 2012 17:09:36 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120502/NEWS01/120509991 20120502/NEWS01/120509991 The refunds are the result of provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that took effect in 2011 which limit medical loss ratios, the amount of premium dollars health insurers can reserve for profit and administrative costs. Wed, 2 May 2012 11:13:22 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120501/NEWS02/120509993 20120501/NEWS02/120509993 Employers are addressing the practice in part by looking at their benefit design and increasing deductibles and lowering out-of-pocket maximums so workers must pay a larger share for going out of network. Tue, 1 May 2012 17:16:36 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120501/NEWS01/120509996 20120501/NEWS01/120509996 Under a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2013, the maximum annual contribution employees can make to their FSAs is $2,500. Tue, 1 May 2012 10:54:44 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120430/NEWS02/120439994 20120430/NEWS02/120439994 Must an employer reasonably accommodate employees whose disability prevents them from doing their job by reassigning them to an equivalent or lower-level position? On March 7, the U.S. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:44:07 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120427/NEWS01/120429965 20120427/NEWS01/120429965 Increases in the HSA limits are tied to changes in the cost of living. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:38:17 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120427/NEWS01/120429964 20120427/NEWS01/120429964 Called HR InTouch Marketplace, the online private exchange mimics a retail site where employees can go online and add their chosen plans to a shopping cart. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:45:17 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120427/NEWS01/120429966 20120427/NEWS01/120429966 When individuals take a lump-sum payment rather than continued monthly benefits, Ford no longer will face such risks as paying more than expected if the individuals live longer than expected. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:31:24 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120426/NEWS02/120429973 20120426/NEWS02/120429973 Auto Dealer Joel Higley advertised for a service technician 10 years ago. He didn't get one application. The stinging memory of that experience prompted Higley to get involved in a nearby vocational technology school to recruit a homegrown work force. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:48:44 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120426/NEWS02/120429971 20120426/NEWS02/120429971 For dealer Frank Allocca, finding service technicians is not a problem. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:17:33 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120426/NEWS01/120429975 20120426/NEWS01/120429975 James Tehrani, copy desk chief at Workforce Management, was honored for his headline writing by the American Copy Editors Society at its 16th annual conference in New Orleans in April. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:10:58 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120426/NEWS02/120429967 20120426/NEWS02/120429967 The U.S. Labor Department's periodic report on new state labor laws finds that worker privacy and prevailing wages were the two most common subjects for new labor and employment laws enacted by states in 2011. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:32:44 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120426/NEWS01/120429968 20120426/NEWS01/120429968 Evaluating workers' comp prescription drug trends is crucial because pharmaceuticals comprise a significant part of employers' spending on injured workers, said one expert. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:33:38 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120425/NEWS01/120429977 20120425/NEWS01/120429977 The Society for Human Resource Management said in a statement it 'is pleased that the guidance does not appear to impose a one-size-fits-all set of rules on employers and seems to take into consideration that every employer will have different needs and... Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:58:12 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120425/NEWS01/120429978 20120425/NEWS01/120429978 Top Language Jobs, which is based in London, operates in more than 25 countries, including across Europe and in the U.S. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:34:52 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120425/NEWS02/120429983 20120425/NEWS02/120429983 To some observers, SAP's acquisition of SuccessFactors gives the German conglomerate immediate credibility in SaaS—also called cloud computing. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:58:52 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120425/NEWS02/120429982 20120425/NEWS02/120429982 SAP executives have laid out a future that blends SAP and SuccessFactors' applications in human resources. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:07:12 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120424/NEWS02/120429985 20120424/NEWS02/120429985 Tim Fry and others argue that email is slow, inefficient and so 1995. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:01:00 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120424/NEWS02/120429984 20120424/NEWS02/120429984 Experts weigh in on ways to give the boot to email, the increasingly inefficient means of office communications. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:01:00 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120424/NEWS02/120429986 20120424/NEWS02/120429986 U.S. law forbids employers from retaliating against an employee who blows the whistle on discrimination based on age; disability; genetic information; national origin; pregnancy; race or color; religion; sex; or sexual harassment. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:09:46 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120424/NEWS01/120429987 20120424/NEWS01/120429987 An issue in the case was the U.S. Supreme Court's 2006 ruling in Garcetti vs. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:03:37 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120424/NEWS01/120429989 20120424/NEWS01/120429989 Chidi Iwuoma played for the Steelers at various points between 2002 and 2007, with a few short stints with other National Football League teams during that time. Iwuoma was cut from the Steelers in 2007. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:29:32 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120424/NEWS01/120429992 20120424/NEWS01/120429992 "My preference would be for it to be an internal candidate just because as you might expect, in any company in any industry, it's less disruptive," GM CEO Dan Akerson said in Beijing during his keynote address at the 2012 Automotive News China Conference. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:12:46 EST http://www.workforce.com/article/20120423/NEWS02/120429993 20120423/NEWS02/120429993 A recent study notes that companies should pursue the development of a workplace culture where employees are supported for their health and well-being. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:31:39 EST