Articles

1099 Fraud - Worker Misclassification

Worker misclassification occurs when a worker is not classified as an employee, but should be. Some forms of misclassification occur when workers are not reported at all, such as when working off the books or being paid under the table in cash. Misclassification also occurs when workers are classified incorrectly as independent contractors.

Labor secretary, IRS commissioner sign memorandum of understanding to improve agencies’ coordination on employee misclassification compliance and education

11 state agency leaders also sign, agree to memorandums of understanding

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today hosted a ceremony at U.S. Department of Labor headquarters in Washington to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Internal Revenue Service that will improve departmental efforts to end the business practice of misclassifying employees in order to avoid providing employment protections.

Judge Reverses Prior Rulings Dismissing Case and Allows EEOC Disability Suit Against UPS to Proceed
Federal Court Affirms Agency May File Class Complaint Without Complete Information on All Possible Bias Victims

CHICAGO - On its own motion, a federal district court reversed itself Friday and denied a defendant's motions to dismiss a lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against United Parcel Service, Inc., the agency announced today.

With Valentine's Day approaching, it is a good time to remind employers that dear old Cupid is alive and well, and strutting his stuff in the workplace. I won't bore you with the statistics about how many romantic relationships blossom in the workplace, and how many of those end up in marriage or crash and burn like the Hindenburg. As many employers already know, it is not just the parties actually involved that can get burned when it comes to workplace romances.

Consumers Should Check Their Credit Reports for Free Using AnnualCreditReport.com - and Employers Should be aware!

A Federal Trade Commission study of the U.S. credit reporting industry found that five percent of consumers had errors on one of their three major credit reports that could lead to them paying more for products such as auto loans and insurance.

My grandmother, who lived with us, had the foresight to see that this was going to be a developmental problem, and intervened. During the hot Louisiana summers where most kids were not in the classroom, she subscribed to a correspondence school and delivered lesson plans which involved a lot of reporting and speaking on my behalf. 

Then there was the time she sat me down and sprung this exercise on me: “Dawn – you have something important to tell me. Your plane is leaving in 2 minutes. Now tell me what it is that you want to say before you go.”

The Department of Labor surveyed employers and employees nationwide on leave taking under the Family and Medical Leave Act. On the 20th Anniversary of the FMLA, DOL can conclude that the FMLA continues to make a positive impact on the lives of workers without imposing an undue burden upon employers. The FMLA is working.

In 2010, the Department of Labor sought to settle the question of whether a mortgage loan officer constitutes an administrative employee exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage and overtime requirements. In its novel Administrator's Interpretation, the Department opined that a "typical" mortgage loan officer would not satisfy the exemption, because he or she would be primarily engaged in sales. 

With college tuition rates soaring, many people are reconsidering whether they need a four-year degree. Statistics show that adults with a bachelor's degree, in general, vastly out earn their lesser educated counterparts**.

Enhanced standards improve privacy protections and security safeguards for consumer health data 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) moved forward today to strengthen the privacy and security protections for health information established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

Government Agencies (including the National Archives) and other organizations often provide hiring preferences, employment assistance, training or additional benefits for veterans.

If you are a veteran, you may be entitled to certain preferences when applying to Federal positions. You may also be eligible to apply to positions under special veterans appointing authorities. For more information, consult the OPM resources below.

On two separate times in the past week, my inbox contained entries which centered around the image that the corporation puts forth to the marketplace. In each one to some degree the organizations involved forgot what their purpose is -- to acquire and maintain customers. To do that we need to have the "right person, in the right job, at the right time and in the right place."

A California-based hospital company says it will not comply with at least two National Labor Relations Board rulings from the past year after a federal court invalidated three of President Barack Obama's recess appointments to the NLRB last week.

Why are Recent College Graduates Underemployed?

University Enrollments and Labor Market Realities

Increasing numbers of recent college graduates are ending up in relatively low-skilled jobs that, historically, have gone to those with lower levels of educational attainment. This study examines this phenomenon in some detail, concluding:

It’s Really Hot, Are you Able to Handle it?

As both a recruiting practitioner and trainer, I am on the email lists of many trainers and industry resources.  I received a number of very sincere messages lately that I believe are intended to encourage us in the face of our current economic conditions and while selling us the answer to our current concerns.  No doubt exists that the whole financial debacle is a mess, can cause damage and has, and will not go away anytime soon.  I join my colleagues in their efforts to shore up your confidence in our future in recruiting.

The National Labor Relations Board added a little more clarity to the debate surrounding social media after two recent rulings calling one corporation’s policy “overly broad”  but also stating that social media postings are not protected under federal labor law.

New videos and tips from Microsoft help consumers better manage privacy.

To mark **Data Privacy Day 2013, Microsoft Corp. released new data reflecting consumers’ perceptions about how their information is used online and a new series of short videos to help people better manage their online privacy.

Commission Obtains $365 Million for Victims of Workplace Discrimination; Reduces Charge Inventory by 10 Percent for Second Consecutive Year

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that it received 99,412 private sector workplace discrimination charges during fiscal year 2012, down slightly from the previous year.

One can barely turn around in the digital space (as well as in the Recruiting/HR space) without having a discussion about the rise of smartphones and tablets and the movement away from laptops and desktops.  Simply Hired recently released its 2013 Mobile Recruiting Outlook which explores how the rise of mobile technology has forever changed the way in which job seekers search for new opportunities as well as the way in which organizations need to leverage mobile.

Test Is Abuse of Discretion

A trial court granted judgment to Connecticut General after concluding that it had not abused its discretion in terminating the disability benefits owed to Dennis Siegel.  In Dennis Siegel v. Connecticut General Life Insurance Company; Group Long Term Disability For Salaried Employees of Lockheed Martin Corporation, No. 12-1897 (8th Cir. 01/02/2013) the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeal was asked to reverse the finding and continue Siegel’s benefits.