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Category Archives: Blog

  • Question of the Week

    Question: 

    “We’ve just hired a remote employee who will be working in a different state. Do we need to make a new employee handbook?”

    Answer:

    “You probably don’t need a whole new employee handbook, but you’ll certainly want to review the one you currently have in light of the laws in the state where the remote employee is located.

    As you may know, you need to follow the laws in the state where the employee will be physically performing their work. States have a wide range of requirements regarding wages, breaks, leaves, and other employment matters, so it’s essential to learn about the requirements in the states where your remote employee will be working.”

    Read more: Link

    This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.

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  • Question of the Week

    Question: 

    “How can we help our employees feel more comfortable providing feedback about their managers?”

    Answer:

    Employees are often uncomfortable providing feedback about their managers because they fear workplace tension or retaliation, they aren’t sure what to say, or they don’t believe anything will change. The following practices can help address these concerns:

    • Use a survey tool that will enable you to share results and feedback with managers anonymously. If you are unable to maintain anonymity by sharing the feedback directly with managers, have either the manager’s manager or someone outside of the department compile the feedback into themes to share.
    • Explain to employees how their anonymity is maintained. Insight into how the survey functions will help them feel more secure.

     

    Read more: Link

    This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.

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  • [Upcoming Webinar] Discover Solutions to Today’s Top HR Challenges

    Tuesday, October 22, 2024
    10:00 AM PT | 1:00 PM ET

     

    Register Now: Link

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  • What Is a Midyear Qualifying Event?

    Navigating your employee benefits can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when life throws changes your way. Fortunately, if you are under a cafeteria plan (also known as a Section 125 plan), your employer, who is limited under IRS rules, may allow you to adjust your benefits outside the annual open enrollment period. Employers don’t have to allow all midyear election changes, only those allowed under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) special enrollment rights. To maintain adequate coverage for you and your family, it’s important to understand midyear qualifying events and other considerations for midyear benefits alterations.

    Learn more:

    Midyear Qualifying Events
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  • 2025 Open Enrollment Checklist

    To prepare for open enrollment, employers should be aware of the legal changes affecting the design and administration of their health plans for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2025. This Compliance Overview includes an open enrollment checklist for the 2025 plan year.

    2025 Open Enrollment Checklist
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  • Question of the Week

    Question of the Week:

    “We have remote and on-site employees. Do we have to post hard copies of required labor posters in the workplace, or can we provide only electronic ones on our internal web page for all employees to see?”

    Answer: 

    As you have remote and on-site employees, we recommend doing both. In December 2020, the Department of Labor issued Field Assistance Bulletin 2020-07, which permits businesses to share the poster information electronically as a supplement to the requirement to post hard copies. Electronic posting is only allowed as a substitute for physical posters if the following conditions are met:

    1. All the employer’s employees exclusively work remotely;
    2. All employees customarily receive information from the employer via electronic means; and
    3. All employees always have readily available access to the electronic posting.

    Note that electronic posting of required labor posters must be as effective as on-site posting. They should be readily accessible without employees needing to ask for permission to view them or where to find them. We recommend sharing in a location where remote employees typically receive other legal notices and important information from your organization.

    This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.

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  • Upcoming Webinar: How to Find Expert Answers to Your HR Questions

    Tuesday, September 24, 2024
    10:00 AM PT | 1:00 PM ET

    Whether you’re facing questions about workplace issues, navigating complex state and federal regulations, or managing employee handbooks, our upcoming webinar has you covered. Discover how the Mineral Platform can simplify your HR tasks with a comprehensive demo of its powerful resources.

    Register Now: Link

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  • Recent and Upcoming U.S. Supreme Court Cases Employers Should Monitor

    In its 2023-24 term, the U.S. Supreme Court issued several consequential decisions that will likely have a significant impact on employers. The Supreme Court’s next term, which starts Oct. 7, 2024, will also decide cases that will impact the workplace. This HR Compliance Bulletin provides an overview of labor and employment cases the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear next term and a summary of critical decisions from its 2023-24 term to help organizations navigate the evolving legal landscape.

    Recent and Upcoming U.S. Supreme Court Cases Employers Should Monitor
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  • Federal District Court Blocks the FTC’s Noncompete Ban

    On Aug. 20, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an order blocking the Federal Trade Commission’s noncompete ban, which had a scheduled effective date of Sept. 4, 2024. The court had previously put the noncompete ban on hold in this case (Ryan LLC v. FTC), but only for plaintiffs. The most recent ruling blocks the ban for all employers and prevents the ban from taking effect on Sept. 4, 2024, or thereafter.

    Federal District Court Blocks the FTC’s Noncompete Ban
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  • 2025 Open Enrollment Checklist

    To ensure your company is fully prepared for open enrollment, it’s crucial to be informed about the legal changes affecting the design and administration of health plans for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2025. A Compliance Overview that includes a detailed open enrollment is below.

    2025 Open Enrollment Checklist
    Read more