News & Resources

Did you get an IRS notice with a late payment penalty?

The IRS has waived the late payment penalty for those taxpayers who requested an extension and are filing one of the 31 tax forms that were delayed due to the tax law changes in the …

June 4, 2013

Fair Labor Standard Act Cases: A snowball rolling downhill

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Joe DeSantis A quick look at a bar graph showing the growth in employee-initiated Wage and Hour claims in the last 10 years makes startlingly obvious what HR …

May 30, 2013

Is an attendance requirement reasonable under the ADA?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Anthony KaylinPTI is a company that provides around-the-clock ground transportation service for railroads seeking to move their train crews from one route to another. Ms. Terri Basden was …

May 24, 2013

When actions can result in discrimination

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRYou and your managers may not believe you ever discriminate against disabled applicants and employees. But there sometimes are subtle and unintentional actions that can result in illegal discrimination …

May 21, 2013

Crafting job descriptions with legal hazards in mind

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRIt may seem unnecessary to cover something as basic as a requirement to show up for work regularly, in a job description. Better not to make this assumption. Businesses …

May 15, 2013

Federal appeals court invalidates NLRB poster regulation

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declared in a rule that employers subject to its jurisdiction (which is most employers) would be guilty of an unfair labor practice if they did not post a “Notification …

May 15, 2013

Employee telecommuting: Time for a fresh look?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRA rising number of companies -- large and small -- are permitting employees to telecommute, full or part-time. Recently the practice came under fire when Yahoo's CEO said the …

April 25, 2013

Employers: Expect little help from the state in battling phony U/I claims

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Joe DeSantis An apparently chastened Steve Arwood, head of Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency, has assured the state Senate that the agency would once again show up at hearings …

April 24, 2013

Bombings and explosions: Does your company have a comprehensive emergency plan?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Michael J. BurnsThe bombings and criminal manhunt in Boston and the massive explosion in the town of West, Texas compel employers to consider the physical crises that can …

April 18, 2013

Roll out your policy changes the right way

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Michael J. BurnsASE has been writing and reviewing employee handbooks for many years now. Until recently, the policy environment was relatively stable and when policy changes became necessary …

March 20, 2013

When can obesity be a factor in employment decisions?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRMore than one-third of adults in the United States are obese, says one health-related government agency. That means, if you are in business long enough, there's a good chance …

March 19, 2013

When does an employee qualify as exempt from withholding?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRWhen it comes to filling out W-4 forms, employees don't always take the task seriously. Sometimes, they simply write "exempt" on their W-4s or claim a false high number …

March 12, 2013

USCIS revises employment eligibility verification form I-9

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. All employers are required to complete a Form I-9 for each employee hired in the United States.Improvements to Form I-9 …

March 1, 2013

H-1B filing season to begin April 1-5, 2013 – Visa may run out in first week

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner Clark Hill PLC Employers are reminded to identify new candidates who will require H-1B sponsorship as soon as possible, to ensure that these applications are accepted for processing. April 1 …

February 28, 2013

FMLA: Service member leave, intermittent leave clarified by new regs

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Anthony KaylinHave you had problems calculating time for intermittent leave? Have you had FMLA requests for family service member leave? On February 5, 2013, the DOL’s Wage and …

February 21, 2013

Employers beware: Background checks are under attack

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Frances Chapman and Anthony KaylinDoes your company use credit or criminal background checks in your hiring process? Do you have a three-year or seven-year blanket policy on criminal …

February 14, 2013

It’s Valentine’s Day! What is your company’s love policy?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Joe DeSantisValentine’s Day comes around once every year, which is just about right for most HR departments. It is one of those days, like Halloween and the Friday …

February 7, 2013

“I cannot tell a lie . . .” Oh yes you can. And you do.

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Joe DeSantis In a recent study out of Oxford University in the U.K., researchers contacted people in their homes and found that they were generally willing to answer …