In response to a United States District Court decision vacating parts of its earlier interpretations, the Department of Labor has updated its regulations of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to reaffirm its regulations in part and provide some updated revisions as well. Set to take effect upon publication in the Federal Register (which …
The Department of Labor has recently added several questions and answers to their employer FAQ’s with regard to the FFCRA leave requirements. These are KEY updates that address employer and employee concerns as we all tackle the difficulties with kids going back to school in remote or hybrid scenarios. Pay particular attention to questions 98, …
When you think of successful workplaces, what do you think of? You think of collaboration. Communication. Energy. Production. Employees who are on the same page, aligned towards a common goal and a central purpose. Some employers believe that only gets achieved with everyone under the same roof and that remote work is an obstacle or …
As businesses fight to bring back the strong regional economy that we had pre-pandemic, everyone is weighing tough budget choices. If you’re in an organization that is hiring, it can be tempting to offer a position to the best candidate at a lower rate when you know that the candidate isn’t presently employed, or has …
Massachusetts Commonwealth Corporation announced that effective September 1, 2020, any size company that contributes to the Workforce Training Fund Program is eligible for Express Funds to cover training expenses. (The Express Program was previously only available to small businesses w/ 100 or fewer employees.) All for-profit companies in MA pay into the fund and some …
Navigating the Sea of Change If 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us two things, it is that: A) employers and employees alike need to be both flexible and agile in order to survive, and B) that change has become “the new normal”. Some of these changes have been driven by ever-changing federal and state laws …
COVID-19, Civil Unrest & Beyond Employers and employees have had a lot to deal with in 2020 – from the COVID-19 pandemic and its sweeping effects at work and at home, to the national reckoning on racial injustice, to the everyday issues that arise in our workplaces from time to time. For much of this …
How To Tackle Technophobia In The Virtual Learning Space Technophobia is a real thing. It isn’t something plaguing the person next door. It lives, in part, with all of us. The shift with changing technologies, using complex devices and new applications can be daunting and overwhelming. In fact, avoidance of technology becomes the go-to solution …
Communicating your organization’s total rewards proposition is an important aspect of any recruiting, retention and engagement strategy. Your Total Rewards strategy is like a toolbox! My father always says, “Any job is easy if you have the right tools!” This applies to your total rewards strategy just as well as it does to any construction …
As reported in May, the Massachusetts Department of Paid Family and Medical Leave (DPFML) announced their intention to update its final regulations. The final regulations are here! Among the highlights to these final regulations are: Clarifying that the for employee’s working variable workweeks, a week for PFML purposes is determined by averaging the number …