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California Updates Criminal History Regulations
State Law Alert September 18th, 2023 California Updates Criminal History Regulations California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) regulations will be updated as of October 1, 2023. The updated regulations govern how employers with five or more employees can use criminal history information when making employment decisions. Here are highlights of the changes: The definition of “applicant” will now include
What is pay transparency, and how does it help employers?
Sarah| PHR, SHRM-CP Pay transparency refers to sharing information about pay with applicants, employees, and possibly the entire world. While some states and localities require that employers include a pay range with job postings, many employers now choose to do this on their own to stay competitive. But pay transparency can be taken much further. Employers that really want to
Question: We would like to give candidates a “thank you” for interviewing with us. Can we provide a monetary gift to candidates for interviewing?
Question: We would like to give candidates a “thank you” for interviewing with us. Can we provide a monetary gift to candidates for interviewing? Answer: Yes. You can give a candidate a thank you gift, monetary or otherwise, when they interview with you. We would recommend establishing a process for providing thank you gifts to ensure consistency and equity in determining who
Federal DOL Announces Proposed Rule to Increase Exempt Employee Minimum Salaries
Federal Law Alert September 5th, 2023 Federal DOL Announces Proposed Rule to Increase Exempt Employee Minimum Salaries The federal Department of Labor (DOL) has finally announced the release of its proposed rule to increase the minimum salary required for certain employees to be classified as exempt from minimum wage and overtime. While we don’t usually report on proposed rules because they have a
Labor Day Office Closure
Labor Day Office Closure We will be closed on Monday, September 4, 2023, in observance of Labor Day, along with the following carriers and administrators: Aetna Aflac AlphaStaff Ameritas Anthem Blue Cross BEST Life and Health Blue Shield of California CalCPA Camden Chinese Community Health Plan CHOICE Administrators (CaliforniaChoice and Choice Builder) Cigna CompNet Delta Dental
California Minimum Wage Increase
State Law Alert July 31st, 2023 California Minimum Wage Increase On Monday, July 31, the California Department of Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw officially certified that beginning January 1, 2024, California’s minimum wage will increase from $15.50 per hour to $16 per hour for all employers, regardless of size. Per California’s Labor Code, once the state’s minimum wage reaches $15 per hour — which
Do we need to conduct an investigation if one of our employees has accused another employee of harassment at a non-work event?
Jenny | SPHR, SHRM-SCP Question: Do we need to conduct an investigation if one of our employees has accused another employee of harassment at a non-work event? Answer: Absolutely. It is important to remember that not all interactions between employees take place
Smart healthcare benefits can increase life expectancy by 12 years
Deanna Cuadra | August 3, 2023 | Employee Benefits News In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. life expectancy dropped by over two years to 76.4, the lowest it’s been in two decades. But Americans still have a shot at living longer, healthier lives than previous generations — especially if employers are willing to rethink their approach to healthcare. By 2040, the average
What is intermittent leave under the FMLA, and when can employees use it?
Question: What is intermittent leave under the FMLA, and when can employees use it? Answer: Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), intermittent leave is leave taken in multiple blocks of time, each less than the employee’s full FMLA entitlement, for the same ongoing reason. Examples of intermittent leave include an employee taking a day each week for ongoing cancer treatments or a pregnant
Connecting the dots so benefit initiatives work together
Lydia G. Jilek | July 20, 2023 Employers have focused significant time and energy over the last several years developing benefits programs for employees that support them in critical areas, but how many employees really understand them? And more importantly, how many people truly take advantage of them in the way they were intended? A thoughtfully designed benefits program will