New and Newsworthy

Unemployment costs your organization money nearly every minute of every day — when you pay unemployment tax based on your payroll expenses, when an employee files a claim against your reserve account and when the Department of Labor shows up at your door for an unannounced audit. If you have employees, you're familiar with the requirement to pay unemployment tax (also called unemployment insurance or UI) on a [...]

If you're not familiar with the "ban the box" concept, you might be soon. The box refers to a question on a job application that asks applicants if they have been convicted of a crime. In 14 states, it's now illegal to include that question. If your state is not one of those 14, it could be in the future. Many local governments have also adopted this concept. [...]

If you have a backlog of projects piling up because there just aren't enough hours in the day, you may consider hiring interns to help you get caught up. This can be a great idea that provides benefits for your company and the students. However, if you want help from interns, don't expect to get it for free. The requirements for unpaid internships are strict. In recent years, [...]

They're commonly called reference checks and involve calling previous employers and asking them about an applicant's employment history. But in the typical reference call, you aren't really looking for a reference (or endorsement) for an applicant. In the typical reference contact with a previous employer or previous supervisor, you are looking for: Factual information about the applicant. Verification of information given to you by an applicant. A judgment [...]

First Missing Element: Many of these policies distributed to employees address only the topic of sexual harassment and sex discrimination. What's missing is a broader statement that prohibits all forms for illegal harassment and illegal discrimination. Federal and state civil rights and anti-discrimination laws protect employees from many kinds of harassment and discrimination, not just sex-related. A solid policy, one whch helps give the employer a basis for [...]

Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers and employees may now be expected to have a greater understanding of health care vocabulary. Some terms are new under the ACA, but many have been around for a long time and are still not fully understood. Others are similar in meaning and are easily confused. Here are some terms from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that [...]