Employers Telephone Seminars

Wellness Programs: Rewards, Penalties, Legal Risks, and Legal Developments ...ncertainties, rising health insurance costs have led more employers than ever to turn to wellness programs to control rising costs. Some employers are providing incentives to employees who participate in wellness programs, follow disease management protocols or choose to live healthy lifestyles. Other employers are imposing penalties on employees who smoke or refuse to participate in wellness  more...

Common Injuries in Workers' Compensation ...will discuss some of the solutions and strategies used by employers to both prevent and control common workplace injury claims. A review of common injuries employers face every day in the workplace injury realm, ranging from slip and fall claims to back injuries from lifting, and other traumatic events will be discussed, as well as some of the strategies that employers use to prevent workplace  more...

Common Injuries in Workers' Compensation ...will discuss some of the solutions and strategies used by employers to both prevent and control common workplace injury claims. A review of common injuries employers face every day in the workplace injury realm, ranging from slip and fall claims to back injuries from lifting, and other traumatic events will be discussed, as well as some of the strategies that employers use to prevent workplace  more...

Intellectual Disabilities and Employer ADA Obligation ...renia, are among the more challenging disabilities facing employers. The ADAAA means most ADA issues will now turn on whether an individual is qualified, whether a reasonable accommodation exists or whether there is a direct threat, rather than on whether an individual is disabled. As almost every job requires the ability to think, concentrate, communicate and interact with others, to one  more...

Portal to Portal Act: Determining Hours Worked at the Start and End of the Work Day ...ters. One area upon which plaintiffs have focused is when employers must pay employees at the beginning and end of the work day - they have pursued claims for time working at home, commuting between home and work, changing clothes, putting on equipment, waiting to punch in and out, walking to and from their work stations, talking to co-workers, turning on and off computers and other equipment,  more...

Portal to Portal Act: Determining Hours Worked at the Start and End of the Work Day ...ters. One area upon which plaintiffs have focused is when employers must pay employees at the beginning and end of the work day - they have pursued claims for time working at home, commuting between home and work, changing clothes, putting on equipment, waiting to punch in and out, walking to and from their work stations, talking to co-workers, turning on and off computers and other equipment,  more...

E-Verify Requirements and Best Practices ...employers to check the work status of new hires by comparing information from an employee's Form I-9 against Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security databases. Although initially implemented as a voluntary program, many states now require the use of E-Verify. Additionally, many federal contractors are also required to use the system. Join us as we discuss state and  more...

Prevailing Wage Law: An Understanding of Davis-Bacon ...amount of legal fees and administrative costs incurred by employers in defending these actions. The U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs have become increasingly vigilant in their investigation and enforcement of federal wage and hour laws. Recently enacted federal legislation and Executive Orders issued by the Obama Administration involving the use of  more...

Workers' Compensation Benefits: Who is Eligible, How are They Calculated, When and How Can They be Settled ...tion benefits are a continuing and significant expense to employers. This live audio conference will address who is eligible for workers' compensation benefits, how these benefits are calculated and what employee benefits may be offset with the payments of workers' compensation, and most important, how to resolve or settle a claim without creating additional liability for the employer. Issues  more...

Intermittent Leave Under FMLA ...employers are confronted with various issues related to intermittent leave under FMLA. This live audio conference will help front line personnel identify and handle intermittent leave issues. The program will address the legal and human resources issues confronted by employers and provide practical steps and procedures for employers to follow. This live audio conference is designed for human  more...

Health Savings Accounts BenefitsThis live audio conference will explain the basic rules for eligibility, contributions and use of an HSA with a high deductible plan. It will also review current studies on whether HSAs are achieving the goal of reducing total health care costs through consumerism. Focusing on the final comparability rules for employer contributions and updates on the new contribution limits and IRS  more...

FLSA New Fluctuating Workweek Regulatory Guidance ...ulating overtime under the FLSA. Of particular concern to employers, the DOL in its regulatory preamble stated that the payment of bonuses, shift differentials, and certain other forms of premium pay are inconsistent with and can invalidate an employer's use of fluctuating workweek methodology. This live audio conference will provide an in-depth discussion of the 'fluctuating workweek,' explore  more...

Understanding the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Employee Family Leave Laws and Return-to-Work Issues ...ve benefits, compensatory damages and punitive damages. Employers need to understand the application and interplay between the laws protecting pregnant employees and providing medical leave. This live audio conference will help employers understand the protections provided by the PDA, when an employee may be entitled to leave under the FMLA or the ADA and what rights she has upon her return  more...

Weight Loss At the Workplace: Legal Issues For Employers Seeking To Reduce Health Care Costs BenefitsLearn the issues used to identify and address when formulating and implementing a corporate wellness program that is aimed at weight loss reduction. The number of potentially applicable federal and state laws requires careful consideration of the potential issues raised with drafting and managing a corporate wellness program. The multiple relevant laws and regulations only heighten the  more...

Telecommuting: The Next Wave of Wage and Hour Litigation ...ial increase over the last several years in the number of employers offering telecommuting as an alternative work arrangement, and the number of employees who choose it. Although telecommuting arrangements can be beneficial to employers and employees, many employers have failed to adequately meet many of the legal compliance and liability challenges that telecommuting arrangements may present.  more...

Satisfying OFCCP's Internet Applicant Rules ... of an Internet applicant and the evolving guidance gives employers additional direction and assistance. Moreover, the OFCCP has initiated a systematic process for monitoring adherence to the Internet Applicant Rule. This live audio conference will review the continuously developing OFCCP guidance and provide you with a greater understanding of what is included in the definition of Internet and  more...

Fair Labor Standards Act: Coverage and Compliance Issues ... Those laws are extensive and complex, and claims against employers in virtually every industry are on the rise. In particular, employers often misunderstand the exemptions to overtime requirements and fail to properly classify their employees, resulting in potential back pay claims. Even where employees have been properly classified as exempt, employers will sometimes inadvertently destroy the  more...

Advanced Applicant Tracking Strategies For Government Contractors: Effective Tools To Avoid Claims of Discrimination ... regarding applicant disposition is the most common error employers can make which results in Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) findings of discrimination and awards of many thousands of dollars. This live audio conference is designed to guide those persons responsible for applicant tracking on practical and effective strategies for the disposition of applicants as a tool  more...

Considering Medicare's Interest in Future Medical Expenses While Avoiding MSA Overfunding ...e the legal obligations of injured persons, insurers, and employers in compliance with the Medicare Secondary Payer Act when settling workers' compensation and liability cases. Explore alternatives to submission for CMS approval as a means of compliance. The program advocates a reasoned approach to allocating for the Medicare Set Aside and to deciding whether submission for approval is  more...

Wage and Hour Update: Overtime Concerns With Mobile Devices ...ere at any time. Serious questions have emerged about how employers should limit, monitor and compensate remote work hours. Recent litigation trends also show that compensation for time worked away from the office during nontraditional hours is coming under increased legal scrutiny. This has put employers at greater risk for litigation involving employee use of handheld electronic devices, home  more...

Planning Your Holiday Party: Keys to a Celebration Without Litigation ...employers to celebrate the accomplishments of the passing year and reward employees for a job well done. Unfortunately, these same parties can provide an outlet for inappropriate behavior and potentially expose the company to liability well past the New Year. This live audio conference will help you understand the possible sources of trouble and see options for assisting the company to navigate  more...

Curbing FMLA Abuse: How to Manage Manipulative Employees ...Act. Managing FMLA leave can be extremely challenging for employers, especially in the face of rampant employee abuse. However, there are tools available to employers seeking to minimize abuse of the protections provided by the FMLA. While there is no 'magic cure' to instantly constrain employee abuse, a clear understanding of the rules and regulations established by the federal leave statute,  more...

Contractor Guidance on Avoiding OSHA and Other Legal Problems ...uction employment is at a record low and yet construction employers make up over 60% of the employers cited by OSHA and account for an even higher percentage of the unlucky employers placed on the OSHA Severe Violators Enforcement Program List. Even those contractors with national recognized safety management programs find themselves exposed to costly 'repeat' citations and unusual new  more...

Smartphone Policies For The Health Care Industry ...e workplace have created legal compliance issues for many employers, ranging from how to monitor and control usage during working hours, to how to protect company information being disseminated by such devices. Many of these issues are even more acute in the health care industry because of the 24/7 nature of the facilities, and the regulations regarding patient privacy. Failing to have and  more...

COBRA: A Little of Everything is Changing ...ill we still have it after 2014? We will also review what employers are mandated by this law. National Health Care Reform - WHEN for Me? National Health Care Reform is here - but, when does it really start to impact your plan? One of the biggest changes of National Health Care Reform is covering dependents to age 26 - married or unmarried! This provision of the law is causing the most  more...

Tax Consequences of Gifts, Prizes, Fringe Benefits, Business Expenses, and Other Payments To Employees ...es, educational expenses, meals and travel expenses, that employers provide as part of employee's total compensation. Particularly in difficult economic times, employers are looking to provide such benefits to employees with the least cost, both to themselves and employees. Failure to understand the tax consequences of such benefits can cause unintended and unwanted tax consequences. This live  more...

Why Is This Guy Still on My Health Plan? .... This live audio conference will answer a common problem employers experience, what date should an employee be treated as a terminated employee when he/she is on a leave of absence, or fails to return from a leave of absence, and how does this coordinate with the company provided health benefits? This program will discuss the legal issues surrounding a leave of absence. It will explore how an  more...

When Employee Bloggers Attack: Responding to Negative Employee Comments on the Web ...have exploded in popularity over the last few years, many employers have had to deal with inappropriate conduct by their employees on the web, including an employee's direct criticism of the company. According to one survey, at least half of all employers have had to discipline employees for inappropriate online conduct. It is crucial for you to understand their rights and obligations when  more...

Employee Discipline for Conduct Outside of Work ..., you will learn the legal rights and responsibilities of employers in disciplining employees for conduct outside of work. You will hear about recent legislation and court cases involving some of the hottest topics in employment law, including employee discipline for blogging, web-based 'employer trashing,' workplace dating and extramarital affairs, and physical appearance such as weight,  more...

Responding to an EEO Charge ...rstand those policies. Prevention and awareness are areas employers should focus on when dealing with employee discrimination issues. If the worst case scenario happens, this live audio conference will tell you how to protect your company when an EEOC charge arises, tips and strategies to respond to the charge, how to prepare your position statement, and how to respond to requests for  more...

IRS Form 941 Reporting Update ...h of the administrative burden under that system falls on employers. An employer's failure to understand and comply with its obligations can result in IRS assessments, audits and penalties. This live audio conference will help tax and payroll specialists and others with an interest in this issue to understand the employer's obligations under the employment tax collection system, including how  more...

Writing Job Descriptions ...employers in launching compensation initiatives, or completing organizational re-design, is a general difficulty in collecting and delivering accurate and timely job documentation. The focus of this live audio conference is to reinforce the importance of proper job documentation and provide strategies on how to build and maintain a library of accurate job descriptions. We will discuss the  more...

Tips for Calculating a Regular Rate of Pay For Your Employees ...employers have exploded in the last five years. One target is the rate of pay an employer pays to its nonexempt employees, and how that rate affects overtime payments. Most covered employers understand that they must pay overtime compensation at the rate of 'time and a half' to nonexempt employees. But time and a half of what? Under the FLSA and most state counterparts, time and a half is based  more...

Workers' Compensation Issues for the Construction Industry ...t includes several cost-savings ideas often overlooked by employers and insurance agents. This live audio conference includes a detailed discussion on experience modification factors (EMRs) and provides a simple explanation to both understand them, spot simple and the most frequent errors in their calculation, as well as the role of the EMR in safety and in the bidding process. We will also  more...

Screening Unemployed Job Applicants: Pros and Cons to Consider ...employers struggle to balance their need for information about potential applicants, given the high costs of even a single 'bad hire,' with understanding their legal obligations and the risks of using certain available tools to screen job applicants. Unemployed applicants pose unique issues and are more likely to bring a failure to hire discrimination claim. (Solution) This live audio  more...

The Trickle Down Effect of Health Care Reform: A Potpourri of Payroll, Benefits, Income Taxes, and Other Changes ...ly, while remaining compliant. This is an opportunity for employers to reassess their decisions and consider the future impact of this legislation. Attend this live audio conference and stay current on your compliance obligations, planning considerations and take a closer look at the impact on your payroll system, benefit plans, and accommodations. This live audio conference is designed for  more...

GASB 45 Strategies ...ital information and planning techniques that will enable employers to avoid the potentially disastrous consequences of failing to identify, control and fund its OPEB liabilities. Most states, municipalities and governmental agencies are aware that they are required to comply with GASB 43 and 45, but it is very important to understand the implications that a large unfunded OPEB liability will  more...

Workers' Compensation Metrics: Assessing and Reporting on the Success of Your Program ...Employers struggle with finding a way to measure the effectiveness of their occupational health programs and crafting reporting packages that are relevant and action-focused. Often data is difficult to collect, or overwhelmingly detailed. Vendor-supplied reports are generally focused on tactics, not strategy outcomes. This leaves many employers unable to answer some of the most critical risk  more...

Giving and Receiving Employment References: Successfully Negotiating the Maze ...employers still do not put the necessary amount of thought into requests for references - whether they are on the requesting or responding end. Responding to such requests can be fraught with potential pitfalls and could expose an employer to legal liability from both ends (i.e., from the current/former employee and from the requesting entity). On the other hand, given these issues, it is  more...

Florida Employment Law Update ...ing knowledge of the most prevalent issues facing Florida employers. The speakers, experts in management labor and employment law, have identified three areas of utmost concern. You will gain insight and the tools necessary to avoid and combat these common workplace problems. This audio conference is designed for human resource managers, attorneys, benefits and payroll administrators,  more...

Status Classification: Exempt vs. Nonexempt ...requently involve individual and class action claims that employers have misclassified employees eligible for overtime as exempt in an effort to cheat them out of their rightful pay. This audio conference will help you understand the overtime exemptions available under the law, the nature of the claims asserted by plaintiffs, and the newest areas of focus and arguments advanced by plaintiffs'  more...

Dealing With Employees Who Have Been Charged With a Crime ...iable to do so with or without pay? Because more and more employers are finding themselves faced with this dilemma, this audio conference will discuss the legal limits on what you can do when faced with this problem and will also provide useful guidelines in how best to craft workplace policies and procedures to best prepare yourself to address such situations. This audio conference is  more...

Understanding Massachusetts' Exemptions to Employment at Will ...employers feel overwhelmed by the number of laws and regulations that govern the employee-employer relationship. Often, employers feel restricted in properly dealing with employee issues, especially when employees claim they have rights or they are being harassed at work. Massachusetts law, however, recognizes at-will employment, which provides you with significant rights in managing and  more...

Reduce Unemployment and Turnover Costs With Decision Making Leave ...ave - a concept offering several potential advantages for employers. These benefits break down to immediate and long-term legal benefits when properly implemented. Practical considerations for implementing decision making leave, including a case studies involving decision making leave will be discussed. This audio conference is designed for human resource managers, benefits and payroll  more...

How Can End-of-Life Planning Resources Benefit Your Workplace? ...ty of full-time workers with caregiving responsibilities. Employers need to place a priority on addressing end-of-life issues. These issues affect their employees who serve as caregivers to aging parents, children and other relatives, or who experience a health crisis for themselves or a partner. End-of life issues affect benefits costs, workers' productivity and absentee rates. This audio  more...

Legal Causation and Disability in Workers' Compensation ...the workers' compensation system, and what is required of employers and their insurers. We will provide an overview of the issues and what steps you can take to minimize your workers' compensation expenses. We will discuss what injuries are covered by workers' compensation and what benefits employees receive under the workers' compensation system. The speaker, a workers' compensation trial  more...

Phased Retirement in The New Economy ...2000s, primarily based upon the shrinking labor force and employers' concerns regarding the loss of valuable talent to retirement. As a result, Congress enacted certain legislative and regulatory rules regarding phased retirement arrangements. These rules seek to provide flexibility for older workers desiring to take part in a phased retirement arrangement without unnecessarily imposing  more...

Economic Substance Doctrine Codification Update ...nd a variety of costly penalties for both individuals and employers. The Health Care Act includes several nonhealth related provisions that affect businesses. Included are the Codification of the Economic Substance Doctrine, expansion of Medicare taxes on high-income earners and the revised reporting requirements on certain payments to corporation. As a result of attending this audio  more...

Illinois Leave Laws: Navigating a Minefield ... numerous leave laws presenting even more obligations for employers. The interaction of these laws can be complex and difficult to institute. This teleconference will assist you in understanding their obligations in implementation and compliance. Leaves include Victims Economic Safety and Security Act, the Illinois Military Leave, the School Visitation Act, the Donor's Leave and much more, as  more...

Jeopardizing Exempt Status ...tion of their employment. Actions taken (or not taken) by employers can and do jeopardize the exemptions claimed, leading unknowing employers down the path to potentially ruinous liability for unpaid minimum wages and overtime. This teleconference is designed to help you identify issues which jeopardize exempt status and correct them. It will also address certain myths regarding what you can  more...

Grant and Other Funding Opportunities Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 ...ncies, nursing facilities, colleges and universities, and employers. Under several of the grant programs, state and local government, and nonprofit entities are flow-through entities through which eligible applicants can apply for federal grant funding. This teleconference will provide an understanding of how federal and state dollars will be allocated under the new law and recommended  more...

Family Responsibility Discrimination Law: Family Friendly Employer or Litigation Target? ...caregiving responsibilities is becoming a major issue for employers. Employers have been the subject of increasing but not well understood claims based on FRD claims. These claims have been pursued under a variety of both federal and state laws, and have resulted in multimillion-dollar verdicts. This teleconference will help you understand how stereotypical thoughts about the work commitment  more...

Labor Law: Could 2011 Be the Turning Point for Unions? ...ployee Free Choice Act - could prove to be disastrous for employers lacking knowledge and experience against a revitalized union organizing campaign. How might the card check process be different? What techniques may unions be allowed to utilize? Can you be forced to post information for a union if you have government contracts? What about contingent workers and independent contractors? With  more...

Health Care Reform Update ...san politics and media hype are the practical concerns of employers, HR professionals, attorneys, third-party administrators, and other consultants and professionals who work with group health plans and related benefits on a daily basis. This teleconference will cover the practical implications of this legislation and the potential impact of change to the health insurance industry. This  more...

Texas Nonsubscriber Claims 101: Perspectives From Employees and Employers ...BenefitsTexas is the only state in the union that permits employers to opt-out of worker's compensation insurance. Employers who opt-out are known as nonsubscribers. Some nonsubscriber employers purchase insurance products that pay for medical care, lost wages and indemnify the employer if a claim is filed. Other employers self-insure and handle claims in-house or send them to third-party claim  more...

10 Employee Handbook Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make BenefitsWith major developments occurring in labor and employment law over the past year, now is the perfect time to review your employee handbook to ensure it is in compliance with the latest changes and includes best practices. To avoid errors in this process, you will learn the top mistakes employers make and the keys to making the employee manual a valuable tool. The new governing legal  more...

Best Practices in Managing FMLA Leave ...Employers are continually faced with the problem of FMLA abuse. Unfortunately, many employers are unaware of the tools at their disposal to effectively manage FMLA leave. This teleconference will help you understand lawful methods you can use to restrict unwarranted use of leave. You'll get a firm grasp of the most effective FMLA policies that may be instituted. Failing to adhere to FMLA  more...

Current Issues in Subcontracts and Teaming Agreements ... to structure the best relationships for your clients and employers. Learning Objectives - You will be able to identify mandatory clauses in subcontracts. - You will be able to discuss business terms to include or exclude in your subcontract. - You will be able to define E-Verify. - You will be able to review how to create a joint venture. This teleconference is designed for project managers,  more...

IRS Form 8928: Health Plan Reporting and Excise Tax Update ...Employers who sponsor group health plans now have a duty to self-report certain regulatory plan failures and pay excise taxes where such failures are not corrected in a timely fashion once discovered, or are due to willful neglect. You need to know the Internal Revenue Code rules or risk expensive excise taxes for failure to comply with COBRA, HIPAA and other federal group health plan  more...

How to Save Millions in Claims Through Ergonomics and Injury Prevention ...rkers from repetitive motion injuries. With this in mind, employers are encouraged to voluntarily support an active ergonomics process within their workplace to prevent and manage injuries more effectively. Contrary to popular belief, injury prevention and safety is not common sense. In order to be common sense, the issues must be commonly taught and commonly practiced. Unfortunately,  more...

Code Section 409A ...employers one last chance to fix their plan documents and compensation agreements for Code Section 409A. However, the IRS has also announced some new interpretations of Section 409A provisions that will require most employers to make changes to their plans and agreements. Employers that make these changes before January 1, 2011, can avoid IRS penalties, in most cases. In 2010, the IRS issued  more...

Understanding the HIRE Act and Form 941 ...BenefitsWith all of the new legislation that has affected employers, it is becoming difficult to keep up with the new requirements. During this teleconference, you will obtain the knowledge on how to make sure that your company can take tax benefits being offered to employers for producing jobs and hiring new employees. We will explain in detail the HIRE Act from how to determine what employees  more...

Developing a Policy for Employee Use of Mobile Devices ...sation laws. It will also address the many ways that both employers and employees frequently misuse mobile devices and the ramifications for doing so. This teleconference is critical for employers who need to know the limitations of their employees' privacy rights in the workplace and how to avoid liability for monitoring their employees' activities. Finally, this teleconference will address  more...

Implementing Employee Threat Assessments: Are Your Employees Ticking Time Bombs? ...Employers are confronted more often with dangerous employees. This teleconference will address practical human resource issues including how not to hire dangerous employees, strategic discipline, strategic terminations and high risk terminations. It will also discuss some practical tools employers have at their disposal to deal with difficult employees, along with a discussion of real life  more...

Social Networking in the Workplace: Policies, Monitoring and Discipline Issues ...nation of trade secret information and lost productivity, employers have been slow to adopt and disseminate policies for appropriate usage of these websites. Thus, employees are left to guess at what kind of conduct is permissible online; and, without effective policies in place, employers may be opening themselves to liability on a host of issues. It is therefore crucial for employers to  more...

Avoiding Exposure Under The Illinois Wage Payment And Collection Act ...ge Payment and Collection Act is full of traps for unwary employers and the penalties for noncompliance can be significant. This teleconference will bring you up-to-date on the latest development under the IWPCA, including how creative plaintiffs' attorneys are using the IWPCA in conjunction with other wage and hour statutes, and will provide guidance for addressing many of the more complex  more...

The FLSA Comp Time Controversy ...work done over the time allotted in the normal work week, employers can allow an hour and a half of time off for each hour of overtime worked. This teleconference will cover how the FLSA views the use of comp time in relation to public agencies and private corporations. Under most circumstances, comp time is allowed by the FLSA for public agencies; however, a private corporation may have a  more...

Employee Driven Health Care: A Checklist for Employers BenefitsThis teleconference will include a comparison of HSA, HRA and FSAs. You will discover the value of Section 125 plans and recognize funding methods for various plans. Human resource managers, benefits and payroll professionals, controllers, CFOs, business owners and managers, insurance professionals and attorneys  more...

Payroll Tax Pitfalls: Preventing IRS Penalties and Personal Liability for Late Payments ...employers face the ongoing requirement to timely withhold and remit payroll taxes to the federal government. People responsible for fulfilling a company's payroll tax obligations often do not realize the substantial penalties that can be imposed by the IRS against the company when payroll taxes are not timely deposited or paid at all. Additionally, in certain situations, officers and employees  more...

Noncompetition Agreements for the HR Professional: Protecting the Company's Business Resources? ...employers are seeing former employees trying to jump start their career moves - voluntarily or involuntarily - by cashing in on the employer's investment in relationships and information. Quite simply, the most effective way to protect your company's resources against the actions of departing employees is the noncompete agreement. But effectively using noncompetes requires knowledge of your and  more...

Rewards Transformation: A Unique Approach to Total Rewards Strategy and Design in the Current Economy ...ewards dialogue - an ongoing interactive process by which employers gather employees' views, opinions and preferences about rewards and communicate back with employees and 3) measuring rewards ROI. This teleconference will present multiple case studies and examples, including some sample cost reduction solutions. The material is especially useful to business leaders, HR, finance and total  more...

Conducting Background Checks ...employers are recognizing the benefits that can be derived from conducting background checks on both current and prospective employees. While background checks can be an effective tool for weeding out questionable employees, legal limitations on how such checks can be performed (and how the resulting data discovered can be used) must be understood or otherwise an employer will find themselves  more...

Return on Investment for Wellness Programs ...ic health plan. These plans can offer a valuable tool for employers to promote a fit and health-conscious work force that will save employers money by keeping health insurance premiums down, reducing workers' compensation costs, and by increasing productivity and decreasing lost time. Implementing a plan takes time, attention and deserves a well thought-out strategy to ensure it is effective  more...

ADA Interaction with Addictions and Personal Habits ...employers is what to do when an employee comes forward with a drug problem or when an employee appears to be intoxicated while at work. This teleconference is designed to educate legal and HR professionals in addressing those situations within the boundaries of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which generally protects recovering drug addicts and alcoholics. The ADA was recently amended to  more...

Top 5 Joint Employer Questions Answered ...king relationships? This teleconference helps responsible employers understand the different types of employment relationships, the pros and cons of each, and how to avoid unknowingly changing an individual's employment status. The teleconference also explains the various tests available for determining employment status, the responsibilities that can flow with being a joint employer, and how  more...

Screening Applicants Using Social Networking Sites: Legal or Liability? ...itsJob applicants have long used the internet to research employers. But now, employers are using the internet to research job applicants as well. Employers aren't only using search engines to find information on applicants but are now examining social networking sites, such as Facebook or MySpace . For job applicants, social networking site are places to interact with peers in any manner they  more...

Enforcing Federal Garnishments ...Failing to follow garnishment laws can be very costly for employers, and thus it is critical to carefully follow the requirements of any garnishment. This teleconference will explain the different kinds of garnishments under federal law and their use and limitations. It will provide you with a common sense and practical guide for fulfilling the legal requirements imposed by such garnishments,  more...

Opt-Out Incentives and Other Cost Cutting Measures for Health Plans ...ng health care reform has highlighted for the public what employers have known for years - health care is expensive. Employers have for years looked for creative ways to alleviate double digit annual increases in the cost of health coverage provided to its employees. Employers have toggled deductibles and co-payments, and they have implemented wellness programs and consumer driven health care  more...

Employee Expense Reimbursement Best Practices ...employers spend significant sums on employee expense reimbursement and need to prepare and enforce robust policies to adequately support and monitor reimbursable expenses. In today's economy, establishment of best practices and ensuring compliance is crucial to minimize the cost and legal risk of inappropriate practices. This teleconference will explore the legal landscape governing employee  more...

Limited Medical Programs: How Employers Are Using Them to Control Health Care Costs ...employers are hitting road blocks in cost saving measures. We are at a point of office visit co-pays approaching $50, prescription drug co-pays of $50 to $100, deductibles exceeding $2,000 for in-network benefits, and more and more premium cost shifting from employer to employee. Employee's are finding it hard to afford the per pay premiums and coupled with huge out-of-pocket expenses, this  more...

Health Insurance Basics For Employers ...th an understanding of the basics of health insurance for employers in the United States. An overview of the history of health insurance and the various roles played by employers, employees and the government will be discussed. We will describe the different models of plans, including traditional indemnity plans, PPOs, HMOs, point-of-service plans and consumer-driven health plans. You will  more...

Strategies for Reducing Unemployment Claims Costs ...employers, after terminating an employee, focus on defending against a possible discrimination charge or a lawsuit. Unfortunately, they may pay little or no attention to defending against the ex-employee's unemployment compensation claim. Those employers, albeit mistakenly, believe the ex-employee will be awarded unemployment compensation benefits no matter what they do - so why bother? Not so.  more...

Internet and Email: Monitoring Employee Conduct ...t only our individual lives, but our workplace relations. Employers must balance employee privacy rights with the legitimate need to know what is going on in the workplace and to ensure employees are conducting themselves appropriately over the employers electronic communications systems. Companies can access information about their employees in a myriad of ways. Telephone communications,  more...

Reductions in Force Litigation Update ...employers have been faced with significant challenges to reduce costs. Since personnel accounts for a major proportion of overhead, one possible area of consideration is that of a reduction in the workforce. While reaching and implementing such a decision will, in optimum circumstances, involve significant input from counsel experienced in both employment and labor law issues, even the  more...

The Interrelationship Between Social Security Disability, Medicare and Workers' Compensation Settlements ...secondary payer statute. Anyone who represents claimants, employers or insurers in workers' compensation claims must understand the interrelationship between Social Security disability, Medicare and workers' compensation settlements. You will learn the necessary steps to take to minimize the Social Security offset that can occur when a workers' compensation case is settled. The teleconference  more...

Immigration Compliance for the HR Professional: Employment Authorization Issues and Beyond ...employers must comply with employment authorization and verification laws, regardless of the size or composition of their workforce. This teleconference will supply you with the information you need to ensure your company is in compliance with employment authorization rules and regulations. Detailed guidance on employment verification procedures, Social Security number issues and  more...

Employer's HIPAA Privacy and Security Responsibilities ...andates Under HIPAA and State Laws Create Obligations for Employers /strong Personal and company confidential data, exceedingly valuable assets, are under siege. Organizations across the country and locally have experienced significant data breaches resulting in unauthorized access to a vast amount of personal and company confidential information. At the same time, technology continues to  more...

Deductions From Pay ...Employers often have difficulties navigating through the complex requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Misclassifying employees' status can be costly to an employee. It is estimated that at least 70 percent of employers are not in compliance with the FLSA. As Department of Labor audits increase, it is critical for employers to understand the FLSA and to recognize the permissible  more...

Setting the Stage for Rehiring: Logistic and Liability Issues ...employers across the country have undertaken unprecedented workforce reductions. However, eventually the economic pendulum will swing the other way and employers will be faced with the task of re-staffing their depleted workforce. Smart employers plan and prepare for that day so they can quickly identify and rehire the key talent necessary to meet their business needs moving forward. This  more...

Tip Credit and Tip Pooling: FLSA Considerations and Limitations ...the case for restaurants and tourist service occupations. Employers are allowed in certain circumstances to claim a tip credit toward satisfying state and federal minimum wage laws. This means that the tips are credited against and thus satisfy a portion of the obligation to pay certain minimum wages. The laws and rules regarding eligibility for tip credits are complicated, full of traps for  more...

Avoiding Costly Mistakes In Harassment Policies and Investigations ...ther forms of harassment remain a significant problem for employers. Courts and legislatures continue to create new obligations for employers and continue to increase the potential for liability for employers. Many employers continue to have policies and procedures for harassment that are outdated or that actually create potential liability. This teleconference will help you understand the  more...

Employee Wages: Administration of Caps, Freezes, Reductions and Furloughs ...Employers continue to search for ways to control payroll costs in response to economic uncertainty. Layoffs and force reductions have pared many workforces to the bone, but the pressure to manage costs is relentless. Adjustments to compensation and to working time can be viable alternatives to job cuts, but they are not without legal risk. This teleconference will address the legal and business  more...

The New World of EEO: What Is Coming ...e aggressive in pursuing claims of discrimination against employers. The attack on employers involves claims of inconsistent treatment of employees in hiring, disciplinary and termination proceedings engaged in by supervisors and their employers. This teleconference will assist you with labor and employment matters to appropriately assess the risk and implement positive and proactive solutions  more...

Payroll Hiring Issues: Forms and Tax Credits ...employers want to increase their level of payroll tax compliance by implementing policies and procedures with respect to obtaining necessary information from new hires that is related to the processing of payroll and payroll taxes. This teleconference will assist you in evaluating your current new hire process as it relates to the completion and filing of specific payroll related forms that may  more...

Managing Benefit Options for Part-Time Employees ...nefitsAs the U.S. economy recovers and restructures, many employers find themselves employing more of their workforce on a part time basis. Additionally, in hard to recruit fields such as health care, or with entry level employers such as retailers, part-time employment is the norm and may account for more than 50% of the workforce. Employers struggle with how to design a program that will  more...

Preparing for an Unemployment Compensation Hearing BenefitsBeyond just the cost of unemployment compensation claims, an unemployment compensation proceeding is often the first confrontation with a future litigant. How the defense of unemployment claims is handled can often have a significant impact on the success of future litigation, and even whether such litigation occurs. This teleconference is designed to give employers a better understanding  more...

OFCCP Compliance for Construction Contractors ...employers who do business with the federal government are subject to numerous nondiscrimination obligations under Executive Order 11246, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act. Because of the renewed emphasis on construction contractors by the Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, contractors must be well prepared  more...

Simplifying PPE Program Implementation ...fic examples of situations which have caused problems for employers and the best solutions for these issues. During the last fiscal year for OSHA, PPE issues were represented by three of the top fifteen cited standards and resulted in almost 7,500 violations. Manufacturing engineers, presidents, vice presidents, plant managers, quality control personnel, operations managers, facility  more...

Can Medical Tourism Lower Your Healthcare Costs? ...ely the domain of self-pay individuals, many self-insured employers and their consultants are assessing the benefit of offering a medical travel option to their employees. This teleconference will consider liability and other legal issues in this arena that are faced by the principal actors in the field: entities that help facilitate care abroad (often referred to as facilitators), employers  more...

Taxation and Accounting Methods of Executive and Employee Bonuses ...employers know about the rules under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code governing deferred compensation. However, many employers are not aware of the broad coverage of Section 409A and the fact that some normal payroll practices, such as bonus payments, may be covered by the new rules or the accounting issues that are raised by these programs. This teleconference will help you determine  more...

Discipline and Termination Considerations for Employees on Leave ...employers are forced to terminate employees, they should be cognizant of federal and state laws that may be implicated with respect to employees on leave. Employee leave can be as short as a few hours to vote, several months to care for a newborn or longer than a year due to a disability. In the event that an employee who is on leave will be terminated, whether for cause or for economic  more...

Return-to-Work Compliance When Jobs Are Gone ... last couple of years have been financially difficult for employers and employees. Many organizations have undergone one or more phases of reductions-in-force, as well as restructuring and creative solutions such as reduced work hours or pay. What can such organizations legally do when employees on a leave of absence want to return to such a changed workplace? This teleconference will assist  more...

To Test or Not to Test: The Legal Implications of Pre-Employment Testing ...esting is becoming a more common hiring practice for many employers. But are all tests created equal? Are they all legal? This teleconference helps you navigate and understand the different types of pre-employment tests and understand the pros and cons of testing job applicants. This teleconference will also help you appreciate the legal implications of pre-employment testing, including  more...

ADA Update: Overview of Americans with Disabilities Act and Practical Implications for Employers BenefitsThe ADA Amendments Act of 2008 takes effect January 1, 2009. The new amendments substantially alter and expand the definition of disabled under the ADA and who might be protected. This teleconference will review the ADA amendments and related issues, provide you with practical advice on how to comply with the ADA, and address common ADA and employment issues that may be impacted by the new  more...

Benchmarking your Health Benefit Program: How Do You Stack Up? ...owing the kinds and the quality of health insurance other employers are offering. Measuring your health plan against meaningful benchmarks will help fuel your strategies not only for reducing cost, but also for recruiting, employee retention and health plan design. n nThis teleconference will work through several methods to evaluate your health benefit program's cost, design and impact on  more...

Paid Sick Leave Update: Policies and Procedures in an Evolving Workplace ...employers voluntarily provide their employees with paid sick leave. Increasingly, however, states and localities are dictating that employers allow employees to use these voluntarily-provided paid sick leave benefits for reasons beyond those covered by the employer's program. In some cases, states and localities have begun to mandate that employers provide employees with a minimum paid sick  more...

Smoking Discrimination in the Workplace: On and Off the Clock ...sent more frequently than nonsmokers, a growing number of employers have implemented programs to minimize the number of smokers in its workforce. These employer programs range from offering quit smoking programs to refusing to hire smokers and even terminating smokers. Privacy advocates argue an employer's interest in the smoking habits of applicants and employees ends at the employer's  more...

California Employment Law Update ...s the most important and current issues facing California employers (or out-of-state companies with employees in California), including wage and hour compliance and litigation trends, California's unique disability and discrimination laws, recently enacted legislation, and important case law developments including cases pending before the California Supreme Court. The teleconference will also  more...

Presenteeism: Measurement and Intervention Issues for Employers and Health Plans nProductivity is fast becoming an even more vital issue to the business world. Presenteeism, or work loss due to underlying health conditions when individuals remain at work, is one important facet of productivity. One study found that approximately 6 percent of a global company's total compensation (salaries, wages and all benefit costs) were lost due to presenteeism. Work site wellness programs  more...

Effective Utilization of Employee Waivers ...loyee waivers establish employee expectations and protect employers from liability for employment-related claims such as discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as contract claims and tort claims such as defamation and invasion of privacy. Pre-employment waivers put employees on notice of employment screens such as background checks and drug testing. During employment, employee  more...

Form I-9: Updates and Compliance Strategies for Employers nThe Department of Homeland Security recently issued new employment verification rules and Form I-9. Join us as we examine these changes. A wide range of Form I-9 issues and compliance tips will be addressed, including E-Verify program considerations.  more...

The New HIPAA Special Enrollment Rules and Related Disclosure Issues ...ans and imposes new notice and disclosure obligations for employers that maintain such plans. While many of these obligations are not effective until after 2009, the special enrollment changes are effective April 1, 2009. In addition, the new law imposes civil penalties of up to $100 a day for failure to comply with the new notice and disclosure requirements. By attending this teleconference,  more...

Impact of the New ADA Amendments on Schools ...nder ADA and Section 504. These changes will require many employers and school officers serving special needs students to change hiring, employment and student eligibility practices which may have been legal under the earlier Court opinions but are no longer valid under ADAAA. This teleconference will provide educators responsible for serving special needs students, as well as school  more...

Effective Exit Interviews ...employers are always looking for ways to improve employee relations, attract new employees and retain the ones they have. But how do you know what to do to improve if you don't know what employees are looking for or why they are leaving? n nImplemented properly, a good exit interview program can provide an employer with a host of valuable information that can be used to improve its employee  more...

Workplace Flexibility: Innovative Strategies for an Evolving Workforce ...t are part of the field of workplace flexibility, and how employers in a range of industries and regions are using flexibility to improve business and employee outcomes. You will gain the ability to communicate effectively about policy approaches on workplace flexibility currently being considering in Washington - and understand how those policies may impact your business practices and  more...

The Do's and Don'ts of Telephone Monitoring ...employers monitor or record employee telephone conversations as a routine part of doing business. This monitoring must comply not only with the federal wiretap statute, but with a variety of differing requirements imposed by state statutes. Since courts in California have changed the rules for telephone monitoring for anyone who makes a call into California and other states with mutual consent  more...

Form W4: Impact on Payroll nThis teleconference will clear up questions on the effects of filing status and exemption on payroll checks, how to handle exempt forms, time allowance for making changes, where to locate new forms, how frequently the employees should complete forms and how long employers must retain them. We will include a quick review of Form W-4P, W4-SP and W-4S and discuss which states accept Form W-4 for  more...

What the New Ledbetter Pay Act Means for Employers nOn January 29, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, effectively changing the landscape of the statute of limitations for equal pay discrimination claims. The act greatly expands the amount of time that employees have to bring claims of discriminatory pay practices, which could have a substantial impact on employers. This teleconference will help the  more...

Using Medical Certifications to Minimize Employer Liability: FMLA, ADA and Workers' Comp ...ertifications has proven to be a valuable tool to protect employers from liability under the ADA, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1994, and state workers' compensation statutes. But the legal landscape for managing employee health issues has had many changes in recent months. Amendments to the ADA took effect January 1, 2009. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act also takes effect  more...

Same-Gender Marriage Rulings: Impacts on Employee Benefit Plans Across the Nation ...ornia, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Canada. n nWhat are employers to make of these conflicting developments? Whether or not you have been presented with employees entering into same-gender marriages, it is wise to examine your plans and policies to prepare for this situation. n nThis teleconference will explain the recent legal developments in detail and present strategies for evaluating your  more...

Multiplaintiff Settlement Negotiations ...nd collective actions continue to increase. More and more employers are facing wage and hour cases and collective actions under the FLSA. Plaintiffs' counsel increasingly are relying on the benefits of Rule 23 certification to bring their wage and hour claims under applicable state wage and hour laws, bypassing the more restrictive FLSA collective action "opt-in" process. Where courts have  more...

Answers to Top 10 Common Payroll Questions ...employers throughout the country are hit with wage/house lawsuits, resulting in protracted litigation, business interruptions and costly settlements. Employers are often shocked to learn that their payroll practices, which may be entirely compliant under federal regulations, do not comply with differing state laws and regulations. Register for this teleconference and learn how to prevent 10  more...

Religious Accommodations in the Workplace ...oyees. This teleconference is designed not only to update employers about legal developments in religious workplace accommodation, but to also provide practical strategies to deal with the thorny conflicts that arise when an employee seeks religious accommodation. Mr. Stewart, the presenter, has dealt with religious discrimination and accommodation issues for more than 24 years and has a wealth  more...

Curbing Unauthorized Overtime ...fits Year after year, one of the most challenging tasks employers face is keeping track of the hours their nonexempt employees work and correctly paying any required overtime premium. When unauthorized overtime occurs, labor costs skyrocket, and businesses face a budgeting nightmare. And when employees perform compensable work off the clock, the potential overtime liability for an employer  more...