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Drawing Digital Boundaries

By Kecia Bal

Legislators on both the state and federal level are sending a message to employers that employees' social-media log-in information is off-limits, with Washington joining a growing number of states passing legislation to prohibit employers from asking workers and job candidates for their social-media passwords and user names.

ACA Wellness Rules Finalized

By Tom Starner

While the new Affordable Care Act's wellness rules clarify much, employers still need an EEOC opinion to take full advantage of outcomes-based wellness programs.

Striking a Blow for Work/Life Balance?

By Mark McGraw

The House's recent vote to pass the Working Families Flexibility Act has rekindled the political debate around comp time versus overtime for private-sector employees. Experts say the bill's progress will likely stall for now, but advise HR leaders to brush up on how the bill could amend the Fair Labor Standards Act.

OSHA Steps Up Temp Safety Efforts

By Tom Starner

With its recent memorandum, OSHA let employers know that excuses will not be tolerated when it comes to keeping temp workers safe through proper training.

New Manual's Likely Impact on HR

By James McDonald Jr.

Making accommodations for employees with mental disabilities has never been easy, and it's about to get more difficult with the release of the American Psychiatric Association's new manual of mental disorders.

Wellness in the Land of Confusion

By Jill Cueni-Cohen

While HR leaders want to know just how the definition of "voluntary" applies to company wellness programs, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is having trouble coming up with a firm position. Experts weigh in on ways employers can manage their wellness plans regardless of a solid definition from the commission.

Investigation Dos and Don'ts

By Dale A. Hudson

It's an event that no human resource professional looks forward to: While balancing performance evaluations, open enrollment, and other daily tasks, you check your email and learn that the secretary to a key executive is complaining she is being sexually harassed by her boss. Now, you need to investigate.

Risky Recruiting Business

By Mark McGraw

A SHRM survey finds many companies that rely on social networking sites for recruiting eschew policies on social media use for this purpose. Experts say using social media in the recruiting process can be risky in and of itself, but failing to implement a formal policy puts the organization on even shakier ground.

The Path to Paid Sick-Leave Laws

By Mark McGraw

The Healthy Families Act is back on the Congressional table, with support for paid sick-leave laws growing. The bill's passage, while uncertain in 2013, could eventually expand on FMLA in ways HR should make note of, experts say.

Legalized Marijuana: An HR Challenge

By Josephine Elizabeth Kenney

Given the growing public acceptance of medical marijuana--18 states now have laws on the books regarding its use--HR leaders should be working with legal counsel to craft a company-specific, individualized approach to the divisive drug.

More Employment Law :

Legal Clinic Column

Keisha-Ann G. Gray

Updating Emergency-Response Procedures

Are we legally permitted to ask our employees to disclose their medical information in order for us to assess what if any special emergency response accommodations we need to have at the ready for disabled employees (both those with visible disabilities and those without)?

Handling Complaints Properly Jun 7, 2013

Terminating an Addicted Employee May 22, 2013