SMART GOALS: Planning for Success

The first part of the year is often a time when organizations, departments, teams and individuals focus on the future and establish goals and accompanying plans that will create a road map for business... Read more »

Hiring Foreign Professionals and The Recruitment Process – The H-1B ‘Scramble’ for Work Visas on April 1, 2008, Starts Again Soon

We are approaching the scramble to qualify for the 65,000 slots for first-time H-1B workers for the 2009 government fiscal year. April 1, 2008 will be the first day that employers can file for... Read more »

Congress Amends FMLA, Extending Leave to Families of Servicemembers

Congress has overwhelmingly passed the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act which included provisions providing for (a) up to six months of leave for family members caring for military veterans injured while on active duty in... Read more »

Why not Hiring is Better than Hiring the Wrong Person for the Job

In a tight labor market everybody is searching for the right talent. Often times during a labor ?crunch? I commonly hear comments such as ?We just need to get someone in that position?... Read more »

In Wage and Hour, Threat Remains High

Plaintiffs' lawyers are filing Fair Labor Standards Act claims in record numbers. According to Business Week, cases more than doubled in the federal courts from 2001 to 2006. Plaintiffs' lawyers have hit several large Minnesota... Read more »

Cost Savings Through Return-to-Work Programs – Pt 2

This is the second in a two part series on experiencing cost savings by implementing an effective return-to-work (RTW) system. The first part explained the benefits. In this second part, we look... Read more »

CONDUCTING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS OF EMPLOYEES AND APPLICANTS: EMPLOYER’S MUST PROCEED WITH CAUTION

Employers increasingly rely on the results of background investigations to evaluate the suitability of an employee, or applicant for employment, before making employment decisions. This trend is certainly not surprising in light... Read more »

New Rules for an Old Game: Conditional Job Offers

Hiring is one of the most critical steps in the employment process ? where precision and diligence pay off. Is the company line on hiring: "At this point in our recruiting... Read more »

New Form I-9 is Latest in DHS Immigration Enforcement Strategy

The Department of Homeland Security has announced and published a new, long-awaited version of the I-9 form used to confirm the identity and work authorization of every new hire since 1986. The new form... Read more »

UNAUTHORIZED WORK TIME: THE COMPENSABILITY OF HOURS WORKED BEFORE AND AFTER THE EMPLOYEE’S SHIFT.

As any employer knows, employees sometimes make their own decision to commence work before their shift begins, or after their shift ends, despite the fact that the employer has not approved additional... Read more »