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		<title>HR Resource </title>
		<link>http://www.hrresource.com/</link>
		<description></description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<lastBuildDate>Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:58:53 CDT</lastBuildDate>
		<webMaster>webmaster@hrresource.com (Webmaster)</webMaster>
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			<title><![CDATA[4 Signs You Are a Victim Of The "Employee Love Paradox"]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=400</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=400</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Loyalty and Devotion to one's employees is generally a good thing.&nbsp; However when ones loyalty to an employee causes a blind eye to be turned towards performance an organization's bottom line can really begin to suffer.&nbsp; This article offers four signs that you have become victim to the "Employee Love Paradox"]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:07:10 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Supreme Court Ruling Provides Guidance For Improving Defensibility of ERISA Claims Decision]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=399</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=399</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The United States Supreme Court&rsquo;s decision in Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Glenn provides an invaluable roadmap for employers, insurers, administrators and plan fiduciaries sponsoring or administering employee benefit plans regulated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to help position plan administration decisions made by fiduciaries that also are responsible for or are employed by the employer or insurer liable for funding the plan or with another financial interest impacted by the claims decision.&nbsp;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:05:41 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Supreme Court Provides Guidance About When Conflict of Interest Justifies Closer Scrutiny of Employee Benefit Plan Claims Decisions]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=389</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=389</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In a June 19, 2008 decision, the United States Supreme Court provided helpful guidance to administrators, insurers and employers sponsoring and administering employee benefit plans regulated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) about the circumstances under which a plan administrator's decision will qualify for this helpful deferential review when the plan administrator bears responsibility both to administer and to pay claims.&nbsp; As the availability of deferential review can substantially impact the ability of plan administrators to successfully defend claims decisions against litigation brought by disappointed claimants and the cost of that defense, plan administrators and employers and insurers that sponsor and fund such plans should review their existing plan design and administrative procedures in light of guidance provided by Glenn and other existing judicial precedent to position their plan administrator's decisions to qualify for judicial deference in the event of a law suit.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:15:41 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Exit Interviews: Easily Overlooked - Too Valuable to Disregard]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=388</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=388</link>
			<description><![CDATA[From the perspective of the employment lawyer, a properly conducted exit interview can be the first line of defense that can minimize or completely avoid employer liability. What is an exit interview? Exit interviews are individual meetings to question departing employees about their reason for leaving as well as their attitudes and observations about the company. These interviews are conducted in a variety of ways: the formal interview in which specific prepared questions are asked, a casual conversation interview, and the written questionnaire.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:18:46 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[It's Not Always What it Seems...]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=268</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=268</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As the employer, you now have the duty to investigate. That does not mean jumping to conclusions but learning the facts from all the parties. As with any task, it requires advance planning. Here are 8 things you should consider before commencing an investigation.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:18:12 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Is Talent Management Too Important to be Left to HR?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=384</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=384</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Talent Management is becoming a growing priority for many organizations as the Age of Talent is now upon us.&nbsp; For many HR seems to be the natural choice when it comes to leading&nbsp;talent management initiatives, while others doubt HR's ability to&nbsp;meet the challenge and&nbsp;feel that it should be left to&nbsp;department leaders and executives. Given the importance of strategic talent management to an organization's success,&nbsp;the question must be asked: Is Talent Management Too Important to be Left to HR?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:33:08 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Law Increases Penalties For Violations of FLSA, Child Labor, Minimum Wage & Overtime]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=383</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=383</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Employers violating federal child labor and other wage and hour rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) now face increased civil penalty assessments by the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor Department) for under amendments to the FLSA signed into law by President Bush yesterday. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, H.R. 493 (GINA) signed by the President yesterday primarily focuses on regulating the use of genetic information by employers, unions, employer and other group health plans, and health insurers for certain employment or benefit purposes. However, GINA also includes provisions raising the maximum civil penalties that the Labor Department can impose for violations of the FLSA child labor, wage and hour, and overtime requirements. Perhaps due to widespread publicity about the implications of genetic information nondiscrimination provisions, however, most employers are unaware of the FLSA wage and hour liability expansion hidden at the end of the legislation.&nbsp; Employers should confirm their child labor, wage and overtime practices meet these requirements to avoid these and other substantial civil and criminal liability exposures.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:32:20 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[11 Things to Think About Before You Fire]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=375</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=375</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The decision to discharge an employee should be made only after careful reflection. Yes, I understand there are circumstances where the misconduct is so significant that immediate termination is warranted.&nbsp; Those instances tend to be the exception rather than the rule. In most cases, the employer is aware that things are just not working out, but is either distracted with more pressing issues or just does not want to address the problem.The purpose of this Blog post is to review some areas for consideration&nbsp; before the decision to discharge is made. Ultimately you will have to weigh these considerations and make the call.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:52:08 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Good Faith = No Willful Violation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=370</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=370</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A recent case decided by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals signifies good news for employers who make a good faith effort to comply with the provisions of the Family &amp; Medical Leave Act of 1993.&nbsp; According to the court in Bass v. Potter, D.C. No. 05-CV-2002-TCK-FHM (10th Cir. 2008), in order for an employee to prove a "willful" violation of the FMLA by his employer, he must show that the employer "knew or showed reckless disregard" for whether its conduct was prohibited by the FMLA.&nbsp; This holding should provide some level of comfort for those employers who make good-faith efforts to ensure their compliance with the requirements of the FMLA.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:08:22 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Dispel the Irrational Conversation Regarding Younger Workers and Tight Labor]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=357</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=357</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Leaders today can unintentionally be drawn into conversation regarding younger workers and tight labor conditions, which simply does not solve the challenges present. This piece presents several questions which are helpful in potentially reorienting the conversation.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:54 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Creating Sustained Culture Change]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=352</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=352</link>
			<description><![CDATA[HR/OD professionals are often asked to help change a corporate culture. The purpose of this&nbsp;blog is to provide some information about culture from the existing literature as well as provide best practices for diagnosing, mapping, and planning corporate culture change.&nbsp; With the right tools, HR/OD can truly be a change agent and bring about radical change in the cultures of their organizations.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 22 May 2008 10:07:47 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Employers, Health Plans & Insurers Face Significant New Nondiscrimination & Other Rules]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=351</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=351</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A&nbsp;broad definition of the term &ldquo;genetic information&rdquo; contained in the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, H.R. 493 (GINA) means employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, joint labor-management committees, group health plans and insurers will need to carefully review and update their group health plan and employment policies and practices to comply with forthcoming implementing regulations to avoid liability under new GINA&rsquo;s rules governing genetic information collection, use, protection and disclosure signed into law by President Bush&nbsp;on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 22 May 2008 07:47:44 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Can Employee Turnover be Too Low?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=346</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=346</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Reducing employee turnover is a goal for most organizations.&nbsp; However there are situations where low levels of employee turnover can become undesirable.&nbsp; This post addresses to such circumstances where employee turnover can in fact be too low.&nbsp;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 16:06:54 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Mind-Reading or Brain Imaging]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=345</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=345</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Have you ever wanted to tell someone, &ldquo;Hey, you know I can&rsquo;t read your mind!&rdquo;&nbsp; Actually, I have to admit that I may have even said it aloud a few times to some of those individuals closest to me, but I think I&rsquo;ve managed to just &ldquo;think&rdquo; it in the workplace while I was saying aloud (keeping it politically correct), &ldquo;We need to keep the lines of communication open &ndash; so talk to me and let me know what&rsquo;s going on.&rdquo;&nbsp;]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 16:06:22 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Storm Clouds at The Weather Channel ]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=342</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=342</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The Weather Channel is currently embroiled in litigation concerning the disclosure of the outcome of a sexual harassment and retaliation arbitration in which the arbitrator issued what one media outlet has described as a &ldquo;blistering arbitration ruling in favor of a former anchorwoman...&rdquo; Presently, The Weather Channel is attempting to keep the results of that arbitration cloaked in secrecy. Here are the facts as I understand them...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 May 2008 15:20:46 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Harassment by Jilted Boyfriend is Sex Harassment]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=335</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=335</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A failed work romance can still lead to a claim of workplace harassment. Regardless of what you wish, workplace romances will happen and they will fail. Once the romance ends, hurt feelings may create a less than harmonious workplace.&nbsp; As an employer, your best line of defense is to make sure your employees are aware of your policy on interpersonal relationships and that inappropriate conduct following a failed romance will not be tolerated.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2008 14:56:31 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[On the Horizon: Highlights of Proposed FMLA Changes]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=331</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=331</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In addition to the recent military family leave changes to FMLA, employers will be interested in learning about the Department of Labor's decision to update the fifteen-year old regulations in an effort to improve communications among workers, employers, and health care providers.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2008 10:46:45 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Good Faith Belief = No Pretext]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=329</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=329</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A case recently decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, involving an employee who was discharged because of reports that he had been sleeping on the job, reinforces the idea that the relevant inquiry in such a case is not whether the stated basis for termination actually occurred, but whether the employer had a good faith belief that it had occurred.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2008 10:57:36 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[ Quest Diagnostics Inc. to Pay $688,000 in Overtime Back Wages After Misclassifying Systems Employees as Exempt Under FLSA]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=323</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=323</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Medical diagnostic testing company Quest Diagnostics Inc. (&ldquo;Quest&rdquo;) has agreed to pay 238 employees across the country a total of $688,772 in overtime back wages due under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) after having misclassified certain computer systems workers, the U.S. Department of Labor Wage &amp; Hour Division announced today.&nbsp; The settlement stems from a misclassification of systems workers as &ldquo;exempt&rdquo; which commonly occurs not only among health industry employers, but also among other employers as well.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:55:38 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Improving Employee Training and Development During an Economic Downturn]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=313</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=313</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When business leaders become worried about the economy they tend to scrutinize every dollar that is spent to ensure that scarce resources are being used wisely.&nbsp; When this happens department budgets are gone over with a fine tooth comb to see what can go and what should stay. Unfortunately the training and development portion of the budget is often put on the chopping block. Discover five things you can do to improve the way training and development is approached in your organization.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:38:19 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[When is an Independent Contractor Really an Employee?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=296</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=296</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The story is all too familiar.&nbsp; A company engages the services of an individual as an independent contractor.&nbsp; In reliance on this type of relationship, the company does not deduct payroll taxes from compensation amounts paid, does not pay the individual overtime, does not provide company benefits, and takes other positions consistent with the existence of an independent contractor arrangement.

]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:50:11 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Corporate Relocation: Plan, Plan, Plan]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=290</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=290</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When looking at corporate relocation, the absolute most important rule is planning, planning, planning!&nbsp; With employees becoming ever more mobile, and companies constantly looking for quality workers and ways to streamline their operations, it is essential that policies be in place before tackling employee relocation issues.

]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:56:51 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[From Web 2.0 to Web Infinity  with Virtual Organization Management]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=289</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=289</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Virtual Organization Management exponentially accelerates the evolution of the Web by leaps and bounds. Although we're already in Web 3.0 stage---the processes and procedures tinkering stage---many of our colleagues are still talking Web 2.0--the social network stage. Nonetheless, regardless of which numeric [x.x] we attach at the end of the word "Web", we will never be able to truly tap into the FULL power and potential of the Web, which I call "Infinity", until we first understand and adopt the virtual organization management concept.

]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:30:11 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[It's Not Always What it Seems...]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=269</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=269</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As the employer, you now have the duty to investigate. That does not mean jumping to conclusions but learning the facts from all the parties. As with any task, it requires advance planning. Here are 8 things you should consider before commencing an investigation.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:29:54 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[When is an Independent Contractor Really an Employee?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=270</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=270</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The story is all too familiar. A company engages the services of an individual as an independent contractor. In reliance on this type of relationship, the company does not deduct payroll taxes from compensation amounts paid, does not pay the individual overtime, does not provide company benefits, and takes other positions consistent with the existence of an independent contractor arrangement. Several months or even years later, taxing authorities and/or other governmental agencies notify the company that the individual has been misclassified...]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:21:49 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Health Care Plans That Work]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=257</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=257</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s no secret that health care costs are spiraling out of control, impacting companies and employees alike.&nbsp; The key is to find a compromising balance that is practical and palatable to all concerned.&nbsp; What most organizations have discovered is that one size does NOT fit all; health care plans need to be tailored to fit the individual worker.&nbsp; Therefore, many employers today are opting for tiered plans which offer a variety of choices to their employees, allowing each individual some input as to the extent, and cost, of his/her coverage.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:14:57 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tuition Assistance Programs: Learning Without Getting "Schooled"]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=249</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=249</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many employers provide tuition assistance benefits to their employees.  Such programs are often viewed as ?win-win? as the employee receives the money to pay or an education, and the employer has a better-educated employee.  Employers often approve only those courses or areas of study that relate to the employees present position or anticipated career path within the company.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:48:06 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[FMLA Amendments and Revisions]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=245</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=245</link>
			<description><![CDATA[While there has been a lot of commotion recently regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act, most of that has centered either on the recent passage of amendments to the Act or on the Department of Labor's promulgation of revised regulations interpreting the FMLA.  However, in addition to those legislative and regulatory changes that are underway, a couple of recent court cases from the 7th and 9th Circuits could go a long way towards defining how employers continue to adapt to the requirements and application of the FMLA.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:45:52 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Every Dream Has Its Imperfections]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=242</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=242</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Everyone has his or her own idea of the ?perfect? home.  Likewise, everyone has a personal idea of the ?perfect? job.  Both of these are extremely individualistic with each person suiting his or her idea of ?perfection? to ones own unique tastes.   If you ask 25 different people, you will most likely receive 25 diverse replies to either one or both of these queries.  But, not to worry!  Diversity is good; it makes life interesting!]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:13:21 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Before You Fire That Problem Employee...]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=240</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=240</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A large number of organizations have an unwritten policy of hiring quickly and firing slowly, and justify such actions with comments such as, ?The position just needs to be filled?by anybody!? or ?Lets give Bill a few more months, maybe he will come around?? Actions such as these consistently rob an organization of possibility as hasty hiring decisions typically put the wrong people in the wrong seats within an organization where they are allowed to perform below expectations and sap an organization of productivity and morale.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:09:57 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Arbitration Agreements - New Supreme Court Decision Concludes State Laws May Not Undercut FAA]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=239</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=239</link>
			<description><![CDATA[For over a decade, employers have increasingly sought arbitration as the forum of choice for the resolution of employment disputes.  Arbitration is relied upon to direct employment-related, as well as other disputes, away from the courtroom and into the arbitration forum for a variety of reasons.  These reasons include the belief that arbitration is less likely to result in large damage awards and can be less costly than the traditional arbitration process.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:52:17 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Fair Labor Standards Act Regulations Must Receive Appropriate Attention (Part II)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=236</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=236</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In this second installment of a series of items discussing the Fair Labor Standard Act, we will look at the second of six key areas which should receive attention in order to reduce the likelihood a wage and hour challenge (or worse) will arise. This second installment is a discussion of the time-keeping practices of an organization.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:08:15 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Promoting Diversity in Management]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=231</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=231</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Weve come a long way in accepting diversity in our communities and in our workplaces since the 1960s ? but we obviously still have some ground to cover.  Research shows that females and minorities still lag behind in management jobs, compared to white males.  For example, while women comprise 45 percent of the workforce, fewer than 15 percent of females are Fortune 500 officers.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:01:40 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Breastfeeding in the Workplace]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=229</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=229</link>
			<description><![CDATA[While there is seemingly a federal law that governs all workplace issues, there isnt one that provides the right to breastfeed or express milk in the workplace.  As such, the states have responded with a patchwork of laws ranging from the very general to the quite specific to address this issue.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:38:09 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Sexual Harassment Prevention]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=227</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=227</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Sexual harassment training is no longer a luxury utilized only by those employers who wish to be, or appear, proactive in an effort to promote a positive workplace. Since the Supreme Court's landmark decisions in the 1998 Faragher and Ellerth sexual harassment cases, subsequent court decisions and EEOC Guidelines have demonstrated that sexual harassment training is essential and is not to be viewed as something to be dismissed or taken lightly.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:46:54 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Could Your Illegal Employees Become Your New Bargaining Partner?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=226</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=226</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Most employers know that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) broadly defines the term ?employee?.  What employers may not know is that definition has been expanded so broadly that it now includes persons who are not even properly documented to work in the United States.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:14:19 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Plugging the Baby Boomer Brain Drain]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=221</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=221</link>
			<description><![CDATA[You are probably well aware of the coming exodus of Baby Boomers from the workforce.  You may have even heard that the first official Baby Boomer ? Kathleen Casey Kirchling ? recently filed for social security benefits with the Social Security Administration, further underscoring the fast approaching departure of millions of highly trained and experienced workers from the workforce. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:58:03 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[THESE ARE THE DAYS!]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=220</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=220</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Do you remember everyones favorite bigot of the 1970s ? Archie Bunker?  Maybe you watched the show, All in the Family, back then ? or maybe youve caught it in some recent reruns on cable.  Poor Archie was having a heck of a time adjusting to all the changes resulting from the turmoil of the 1960s.  New legislation was altering workplace and social norms in the areas of civil rights, womens rights, and environmental awareness.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:59:52 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Supreme Court Gets In The Employment Game]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=219</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=219</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On February 26th and 27th the United States Supreme Court published its decisions in two important cases in the arena of Employment Law -- Sprint/United Management Co. v. Mendelsohn and Federal Express Corp. v. Holowecki.  These cases are two of a surprisingly large number of employment-related cases accepted for decision by the high court in recent days, and they will both likely have significant repercussion in the employment arena.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:43:26 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tips for Interviewing Employees]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=218</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=218</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Companies spend substantial resources to obtain, train, and when necessary, to replace employees.  The workforce should be seen as a valuable resource for a company.   The importance of obtaining the right person for the right position in the company cannot be underestimated. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:00:54 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[They're Lucky to Have You!]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=217</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=217</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Its no surprise to anyone that there is a gender gap in the American workplace.  It is well publicized that men continue to earn higher salaries (on an average basis) and often advance quicker than females, obtaining the ?plum? jobs in corporations.  However, it is also recognized that although the management styles may be different, women are just as intelligent, skilled, and educated as their male counterparts, and are often experts in communicating and understanding the needs of the organization.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:00:19 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Arbitration Agreement- Providing More Coverage Than You Might Think]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=214</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=214</link>
			<description><![CDATA[When I help employers prepare an employee handbook, they typically question the efficacy of an arbitration agreement.  Erroneously, they believe that an arbitration provision is unenforceable, or will be held unconscionable by a court.  When properly drafted, however, a mandatory arbitration provision is enforceable, and can cover virtually any employment related misconduct.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:23:43 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Supreme Court:  ERISA Participants Can Sue Fiduciaries For Individual Damages ]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=212</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=212</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The United States Supreme Court in Larue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc. February 20 ruled that although Section 502(a)(2) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) generally does not provide a remedy for individual injuries distinct from plan injuries in plans providing ?fixed benefits,? ERISA ? 502(a) does allow individual participants to seek to recover individually from fiduciaries for lost value to plan assets in a participant's individual account resulting from a fiduciary breach.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:16:03 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Vocational School Research Strategies]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=210</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=210</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Are you or someone in your workplace considering making a career change, upgrading skills or attending school? Do you have a career bound family member? How do you go about identifying an appropriate training facility?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:03:15 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[EBSA Issues- Guidance on Health Plan Wellness & Disease Management Practices Subject to HIPAA Nondiscrimination Rules]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=208</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=208</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On February 14, 2008, the U.S. Department of Labors Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) released guidance to the agencys national and regional offices on the types of health promotion and disease management programs required to comply with final regulations  relating to the application of the nondiscrimination requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to wellness and disease management programs.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:56:07 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Hiring During an Economic Cool Down - Beware of the "Low Bid"]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=207</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=207</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many have heard the following advice when hiring a contractor to perform construction or remodeling work on ones home ? ?Beware of the low bid.?  These words of advice can also be applied to managers hiring new employees during sluggish economic times such as the ones we seem to currently be in.  ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:29:07 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Don't Just Manage - Motivate]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=201</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=201</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Were all familiar with the clich?s: ?attitude is everything,? ?believe in yourself,? ?success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration,? and ? well, you get the idea.  Actually, we all know that as trite as they may sound, theres really a great deal of truth in all the old platitudes.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 08 Feb 2008 10:53:22 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[FMLA Changes Expand Protection to Employees]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=199</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=199</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On January 28, 2008, President Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act.  While this law was primarily intended to address concerns over litigation surrounding the Gulf War, one section of the bill included provisions extending Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protection to close family relatives of uniformed service members.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:39:56 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Additional Leave for Military Families Passed]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=198</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=198</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Its Official ? on January 28, 2008, President Bush has signed into law the first legislative expansion of rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act since its enactment in 1993.  The expansion of FMLA is part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  The new provisions, like the old, will continue to be enforced by the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:18:50 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The FMLA In A State Of Flux]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=194</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=194</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), enacted in 1993, is a federal statute that requires that public agencies and private employers with 50 or more employees provide eligible employees with the right to take family and medical leave in certain circumstances.  Generally, the FMLA requires employers to permit eligible employees to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave in any twelve-month period for the birth and care of a newborn child, for the placement of a child for adoption or foster care, to care for the employee's child, spouse or parent with a serious health condition, or for the employee's own serious health condition.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:25:05 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[GREAT GET-AWAYS - IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=190</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=190</link>
			<description><![CDATA[We all have our ideal spots for a great get-away ? Maui, London, Paris, New York, San Francisco; or something more generic like the mountains or the beach.  But, lets face it, we cant be jetting off to exotic places every week ? or sometimes, even once a decade.  These days we all just seem to get busier and busier with the responsibilities of the 21st century ? family, work, church, friends, civic duties, school, childrens activities, clubs/organizations, and the list goes on and on.  ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:40:14 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[EMPLOYMENT NEWS - NON-COMPETITION AGREEMENTS]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=189</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=189</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Non-competition agreements between employers and employees, as opposed to those included as part of the sale of a business or the purchase of substantial stock in a company, are generally disfavored as a restraint of trade that must be limited in scope to protect employees with unequal bargaining power.  Nevertheless, most states recognize that under certain circumstances companies will have a legitimate interest in restraining employees from engaging in unfair competition with the employer after the employment relationship has ended.  ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:35:09 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[NLRB Email Decision]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=188</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=188</link>
			<description><![CDATA[At a time when the labor movement is working to increase its ranks, unions are increasingly relying on e-mail and web pages to spread their message and organize new members.  While an employer's ability to monitor traditional methods of communication ? print and oral ? and in-person solicitation has been the subject of numerous National Labor Relations Board (?NLRB? or ?Board?) decisions, until now the Board had not addressed the rules regulating electronic workplace conduct vis a vis the National Labor Relations Act (the ?Act?).]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:02:21 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Why not Hiring is Better than Hiring the Wrong Person for the Job]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=174</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=174</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In a tight labor market everybody is searching for the right talent.

Often times during a labor ?crunch? I commonly hear comments such as ?We just need to get someone in that position? or ?Can we just hire somebody?Please!?

When a client comes to me with statements like these, my response is always...  "You need to hire the right employee for the job.  Don't destroy possibility by hiring the wrong person and paying for it later."

Keeping a position open until the right candidate is identified is one of the most strategically important moves an organization can make.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:44:13 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Cost Savings Through Return-to-Work Programs - Pt 2 ]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=171</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=171</link>
			<description><![CDATA[This is the second in a two part series on experiencing cost savings by implementing an effective return-to-work (RTW) system. The first part explained the benefits. In this second part, we look at some of the mechanics.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:38:41 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[CONDUCTING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS OF EMPLOYEES AND APPLICANTS: EMPLOYER'S MUST PROCEED WITH CAUTION ]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=167</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=167</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Employers increasingly rely on the results of background investigations to evaluate the suitability of an employee, or applicant for employment, before making employment decisions. This trend is certainly not surprising in light of post-9/11 concerns about national security, as well as public demand for increased honesty and integrity of corporate executives, officers and directors following the Enron scandal.  Background investigations are often conducted in the employment context to verify a variety of information such as previous employment, educational history, credit history, to identify criminal activity and to otherwise evaluate the truthfulness of an employee or applicant for employment.  In certain industries, federal or state law may require background checks of individuals who will work in sensitive positions.  Some examples are the banking industry, certain government jobs and positions involving work with children, the elderly or the disabled. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:26:09 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Rules for an Old Game:  Conditional Job Offers]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=163</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=163</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Hiring is one of the most critical steps in the employment process ? where precision and diligence pay off.  Is the company line on hiring: "At this point in our recruiting process, I am pleased to make you a conditional offer of employment.  It is, important, however, that you fully understand the conditions of this offer as they are detailed below. . . our offer is contingent upon your successful completion of a drug test, a medical examination, and a satisfactory background check...."?  Based on new case law, your company may need to rethink the hiring process.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:11:04 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Employers Must Pay For Protective Gear]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=159</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=159</link>
			<description><![CDATA[After eight years in the making, OSHA has released a Final Rule setting out when an employer must pay for personal protective equipment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:34:57 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Employee Retention - How much is retaining the wrong employee costing you?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=158</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=158</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking at a conference about employee hiring, retention, and interpersonal communication based on behaviors. The audience was comprised of business owners and their immediate senior management team members.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:31:17 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Employee Councils and Minority Collective Bargaining--]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=153</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=153</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Unions are using two long forgotten tools in their effort to turn around failing organizing efforts and declining membership?employee councils and minority bargaining.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:13:25 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[FLSA Regulations Must Receive Appropriate Attention (Part I)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=151</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=151</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What's common may not be what is accurate. Litigation and challenges to various aspects of wage and hour law continue to grow. Employers need to reconsider practices which are fairly common if they want to reduce the likelihood they will become an employee target.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:08:33 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=148</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=148</link>
			<description><![CDATA[	On November 7, 2007, the United States House of Representatives approved the Employment Non-Discrimination Act  by a vote of 235-184.  The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, H.R. 3685, is intended "to provide a comprehensive Federal prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation" and "provide meaningful and effective remedies for employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."  In short, if the Employment Non-Discrimination Act were to become law, it would extend the protection of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prevent disparate treatment of employees based on sexual orientation.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:47:46 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Cost Savings Through Return-to-Work Programs]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=143</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=143</link>
			<description><![CDATA[This is the first in a two part series on experiencing cost savings by implementing an effective return-to-work (RTW) system. This first part will explain the benefits. Part two will look at some of the mechanics.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:37:40 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Help! I Need to Upgrade My Technology]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=135</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=135</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Obviously you have to keep up with technology in order to remain competitive.  Your hardware and software need to be updated regularly and employees must be trained frequently to ensure their competence on same.  Even I attest to this, and can proficiently use any number of software applications and navigate the web super-highway and admittedly conduct a wide amount of research on the Internet.  However, I recognize that there are limits to things on which I wish to remain current. If you own a business, work in a business, or simply have a telephone and/or mailing address youre keenly aware that technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:44:45 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Playing Fast and Loose With "Contractors" May Get Your Agency in Trouble]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=132</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=132</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In certain situations, employers that wish to avoid the hassle and expense of bringing on additional employees will simply enter into ?independent contractor? agreements with individuals and have them perform the services desired.  But does the parties agreement that their relationship will be considered an independent contractor relationship make it so?  More often than not, the answer is ?no? leading to potentially crippling liability for the owner of the agency.  This was recently discovered by Bankers Life & Casualty Company in a class action lawsuit filed against it by one of its ?independent contractors.?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:01:53 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Re-Employment of the Troops]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=131</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=131</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Let this serve as an hypothetical:  The second line manager of our manufacturing facility was called to active military duty over a year ago.  Due to the need for a manager, the position was immediately filled by a person who has worked out great.  The previous manager recently returned from active duty and notified the company of his intent to return to work.  Reinstating him would mean displacing one of the best managers the company has ever had, which would be very disruptive.  Are we required to reinstate the returning reservist?  If so, can't we just create an assistant manager position for him, with the same rate of pay as the general manager?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:42:13 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[National Article Provides Valuable Reminders Regarding Harassment]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=115</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=115</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A recent Wall Street Journal article regarding harassment provides context for consideration of several important principles which help reduce the likelihood important resources will be drained off by protracted litigation.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:00:40 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[SEXual Harassment... The BIG Issue in the Workplace, part 2]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=106</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=106</link>
			<description><![CDATA[National media coverage has made it more than apparent that sexual harassment within the workplace is an area of critical exposure for business owners and corporations alike. Federal guidelines through the EEOC recommend, and California law AB 1825 requires, communication of harassment policies and proactive education of supervisors regarding company policies against harassment. Proper employee training can significantly minimize the risk of sexual harassment lawsuits.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:29:23 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Key Elements of Effective Compensation]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=101</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=101</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What contributes to an increased likelihood that compensation will actually produce its intended results? There at least five general elements of effective compensation, which must be considered if the return on the resources used is to be maximized.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 29 Jul 2007 20:40:34 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Employing People with Disabilities, part 2]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=100</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=100</link>
			<description><![CDATA[This is the second article in a series regarding employing people with disabilities. The purpose in writing this series is to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities, through dispelling myths and providing some tools.

In the first article, we explored some of the barriers to hiring from the employer's viewpoint. We also discussed some of the concerns expressed by job applicants through the employee's viewpoint.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:04:53 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[A Behavioral Definition of the Open Door Policy Is Important]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=97</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=97</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Open Door policies are common. As a result of specific false conclusions, such policies may not be as effective as they are intended to be. Defining what an Open Door looks like behaviorally reduces conflict and increases productivity.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:26:15 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[ER visits decline under CDHP]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=96</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=96</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study shows decline in nonemergency procedures under Consumer-Driven Health Plans]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:29:29 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[High Court Upholds Department of Labor Regulation Exempting from Overtime Companionship Services Employees Paid By Third Party Agencies]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=95</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=95</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The US Supreme Court has held that companionship services employees are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regardless of whether they are paid directly by the individual or family receiving their service or by a third party home care company or agency. The case, Long Island Care at Home, Ltd. v. Coke, was decided on June 11, 2007. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:26:53 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[CIAB Poll Shows Benefit Costs Soaring - Again]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=94</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=94</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Employee group health benefit costs for businesses continued a rapid increase over the past six months, and a majority of employers, regardless of size, paid a lot more to renew, a producer group reports. What are you going to do?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:01:21 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Supreme Court Limits Untimely Pay Discrimination Suits]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=93</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=93</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In a ruling that will greatly limit the ability of employees to file pay discrimination lawsuits, on May 29, 2007, the United States Supreme Court held that courts cannot consider claims of discriminatory pay based on acts preceding the deadline to file a charge with the EEOC.  ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 May 2007 09:30:58 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Imus Dismissal: Some Considerations Regarding Policy Enforcement]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=89</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=89</link>
			<description><![CDATA[How does your organization react when faced with its own Imus? It's not if policies will be violated by high performing, highly visible employees - it's when. What happens next typically sends powerful messages to employees. Are they be messages the organization wants sent?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 09 May 2007 21:50:11 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Violence in the Workplace, part 3: GANGS]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=88</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=88</link>
			<description><![CDATA[ Gang activity is on the rise in the United States.

What are some proactive  strategies employers can implement to promote a safe workplace?
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 Apr 2007 15:31:57 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Conflict Resolution:  An Increasingly Important Consideration (Part I)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=87</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=87</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Life in any organization will involve differences, or what most refer to as conflict. Its not if but when and about what the conflict will occur. Despite the certainty, an irony exists in our behavior toward these differences. Further, there are several convergent factors that potentially increase the frequency and intensity of the interactions we typically refer to as conflict. The outcomes of conflict can be quite damaging to an organization. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:55:30 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Role of the Vocational Consultant, the Underutilized Resource,  Part 2]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=86</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=86</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Did you know that Vocational Consultants have the unique skill set to foster proactive discussions and actions? When brought in early enough,they have the capacity to turn the tides on complex situations and offer a winning edge! Read on!]]></description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Feb 2007 11:25:27 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Vocational Expert: the underutilized resource, part 1]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=85</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=85</link>
			<description><![CDATA[ Early intervention and enlisting the services of a skilled vocational expert has the potential to impact case outcomes in the legal arena in a positive, winning fashion.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jan 2007 15:14:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Eight in Ten Internet Users Go Online for Health Information]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=84</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=84</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Eighty percent of American internet users, or some 113 million adults, have searched for information on at least one of seventeen health topics.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:46:08 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[LA Times Article Highlights the Importance of Health Plans for Employees.]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=81</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=81</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Make sure you are looking at all of your options: Health Savings Account - HSA, Health Reimbursement Arrangements - HRA, Flexible Spending Accounts - FSA and Health and Wellness Tools to develop a plan that creates the proper financial incentive for employees to get engaged in their health care.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:45:50 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Ohio Minimum Wage and No Smoking Ballot Issues to Have Impact on Ohio Employers]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=82</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=82</link>
			<description><![CDATA[On November 7, Ohio voters passed two statewide issues that will have an impact on the vast majority of Ohio employers. The voters passed both Issue 2, a minimum wage issue, and Issue 5, a smoking ban issue. It is important for Ohio employers to gain a good understanding of what their legal obligations will be in light of these two ballot issues.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:44:41 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[View From The Trenches (....or what they wish you knew)]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=83</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=83</link>
			<description><![CDATA[How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these. -George Washington Carver]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:28:23 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Survey Shows Health Insurance Premiums Continue To Rise Twice As Fast As Wages]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=80</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=80</link>
			<description><![CDATA[If you havent taken the time to review the recent Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Benefits Survey, you should.

]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Nov 2006 13:29:40 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Interactive Process]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=79</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=79</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A company's greatest resource is the staff.
Learn about how the Interactive Process Meeting can serve as a productive forum for branstorming working safer,smarter strategies.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Nov 2006 07:35:04 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[DOL Issues Recent Opinion Letters Construing White Collar Exemptions Revealing Trend of Applying Principles In Place Before 2004 Amendments]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=78</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=78</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Within the last few months, the United States Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division ("the DOL") has issued a number of opinion letters construing the executive, professional, and administrative overtime exemptions to the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA") with respect to a number of very specific positions.  These opinion letters are worth paying attention to.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 Oct 2006 08:21:51 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Ties that Bind, part 2]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=77</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=77</link>
			<description><![CDATA[We do not get to choose who ends up at the desk next to us. Therefore, with this in mind, it is essential that we develop tools to embrace each other's uniqueness, no matter what pre-existing viewpoints are held and stereotypes.Read on!

]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Oct 2006 08:57:22 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Executive Employment Agreements:  Employer Prevails Against Terminated Executive In Case Over Executive's Contract Giving Company Discretion to Determine Whether "Just Cause" Exists]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=76</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=76</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A state appeals court recently reversed a jury verdict in favor of a companys former executive, finding that the employer had the discretion to determine whether just cause existed, highlighting the importance of close attention to ?just cause? provisions in executive employment agreements. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 Oct 2006 11:31:19 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[THE TIES THAT BIND, part 1 by Jamie Charter, M.S., CPDM]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=75</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=75</link>
			<description><![CDATA[?Goodwill is the mightiest practical force in the universe?-Charles F. Dole

]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 Sep 2006 15:38:15 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Controlling Medical Trend]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=74</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=74</link>
			<description><![CDATA[There are three components of medical trend - knowing which one you can influence is key to controlling costs over time.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 05 Sep 2006 12:58:21 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[CHANGE POSITIONS!]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=73</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=73</link>
			<description><![CDATA[?Nothing is permanent but change?-Heraclitus


Change.  It is inevitable, yet it is much feared often avoided and will send grown people kicking and screaming, running for the hills, fighting like mad against it.
Why is this? Want to learn more? Read on!
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Aug 2006 09:50:48 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[He put his money where his mouth is... and it is working.]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=72</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=72</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Last week, I met with one of the most sophisticated buyers I have ever met.  This Human Resources professional oversees the North American HR functions for a very large, world wide company]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2006 08:05:15 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[THIS IS NOT A DRESS REHEARSAL]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=71</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=71</link>
			<description><![CDATA["Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed"....Corita Kent]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2006 08:20:30 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[What is the goal?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=69</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=69</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As an employer, you control the dollars that provide health benefits for your employees.  Know what you want before you make a change.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:06:12 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[THE CARE AND FEEDING OF THE DOVE]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=68</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=68</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What could an aviary and bird rescue possibly have to do with workplace discrimination and promoting diversity?
Read on!]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Jul 2006 08:17:28 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Age Discrimination: The Naked Truth!]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=67</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=67</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Did you know that the ADEA provides protection for those over 40?
Learn more, read on!]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jul 2006 07:43:34 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Employment - Partnership or Prison?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=22</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=22</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Is it possible that much of what companies do to prevent challenges actually contributes to its production?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jul 2006 09:23:15 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[EMPLOYING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, PART 1]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=66</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=66</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Want to enhance your workforce in your organization?
There is a fantastic resource available to you!]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:33:33 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Did you miss the H-1B visa cap? - Part II]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=62</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=62</link>
			<description><![CDATA[All hope is not lost.  There are alternatives to H-1B visas.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jul 2006 08:39:56 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE, part 2]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=64</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=64</link>
			<description><![CDATA[This article will continue to discuss the subject of workplace violence. In part 1, we discussed the different forms in which workplace violence can manifest.
Workplace violence can range from threatening or offensive language and, in the most extreme cases, homicide.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jul 2006 12:57:29 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Controlling Costs and Achieving Better Health with CDHP]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=61</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=61</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A successful consumer-directed health plan is not about an acronym or an account, but about providing a reason for a consumer to enhance his or her healthcare purchasing behavior with information.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:15:49 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[High Court Broadens Grounds for Retaliation Claims]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=58</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=58</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The US Supreme Court has held that employer actions less severe than those needed to establish a claim for discrimination can form the basis for a retaliation claim under Title VII.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jun 2006 08:49:04 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[The Value of Independence]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=60</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=60</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Stability, Flexibility and Trust - what you need to keep control of costs and improve benefits for your employees.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:50:37 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Homeland Security Publishes Proposed Rule Outlining Employer Responses to Social Security "No Match" Letters]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=56</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=56</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has published a proposed rule to amend the regulations relating to the unlawful hiring or continued employment of unauthorized aliens (8 CFR ?274a). The amended regulation describes the legal obligations of an employer that receives a "No-Match Letter" from the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the DHS.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:26:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Violence in the Workplace, part 1]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=55</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=55</link>
			<description><![CDATA[My motivation in writing this article series at this time is to put a spotlight on the vital issue of violence in the workplace. I had been planning to write this series in the future but now it takes precedence over other subjects. This week, a story unfolded in Santa Cruz, California that is very close, both in geographical proximity to my business, as well as on a personal level. 

On Wednesday evening, June 14, 2006, an applicant attorney, Jay Bloombecker, was shot and killed by a disgruntled injured worker. This incident occurred right in our community, where Mr. Bloombecker and his family reside. The situation has far-reaching impacts on both a professional and personal level. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 10:35:53 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[300 Benefit Managers]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=50</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=50</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What 300 benefit managers were talking about last week: Consumer-Driven Health Plans and Health Awareness Strategies.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jun 2006 12:01:37 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[DOL Issues Opinion Letter Limiting Employers' Ability to Make Deductions from Pay of Salaried Nonexempt Employees Paid Using Fluctuating Hours Method]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=48</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=48</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Many employers take advantage of the fluctuating hours method of paying salaried nonexempt employees.  The DOL's Wage & Hour Division, however, recently issued an opinion letter pointing out an important drawback to the use of the method.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jun 2006 09:06:08 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Did you miss the H-1B visa cap? - Part I]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=45</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=45</link>
			<description><![CDATA[If you use H-1B visas, then you probably know that the annual quota for H-1B visas was reached at the end of May 2006.  That is frightening news.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jun 2006 08:43:19 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[DIVERSITY AND DISABILITY]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=44</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=44</link>
			<description><![CDATA[According to recent studies, the workforce of America is rapidly changing and growing more diverse in nature. It is anticipated that over the next few decades, the primary percentage of new growth in the workplace will be comprised of ethnic minorities, immigrants and women. It is also anticipated that the number of employees with disabilities will increase.

With labor shortages as a factor facing businesses in America, there is a very logical solution to hire the current generation of Americans with disabilities.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jun 2006 10:25:55 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[IS YOUR ORGANIZATION PREPARED TO COMBAT SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUITS?]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=40</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=40</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Employers need to be certain they are providing a comprehensive program that meets all Federal expectations, including preventive education for your employees. Such a program can include:

* Supervisor and management training. 
* Prevention compliance to meet Federal recommendations (EEOC) and state regulations. 
* Interactive discussions regarding less-than-obvious harassment. 
* Presentation of clear on-the-job rules for both male and female employees.
* How to prevent sexual harassment.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 31 May 2006 11:14:49 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Not-So-Comprehensive Immigration Reform]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=19</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=19</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A vote on immigration reform is likely in the coming days.  But is the proposed legislation a real solution?]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 24 May 2006 11:49:07 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[We've Been Through This Before]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=21</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=21</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Attention Health Care Shoppers, you have already experienced what is going on around you the last time you bought a car, researched real estate, invested, purchased music or a book, or looked for the latest news. ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 24 May 2006 08:51:03 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Doctor Google]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=20</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=20</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Health Care Consumerism Just Took a Huge Leap Forward

Now when you go to Google and type in a health related search you will find different options that will make searching for health care related information easier.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 24 May 2006 08:49:15 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION: WHAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=18</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=18</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Sexual Harassment Prevention: This is the first in a series of informational articles on this important subject. Through this article series, we will discuss sexual harassment, what it is, what it is not, some strategies, and work toward instituting measures to ensure that the workplace is a safe and respectful environment.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 May 2006 09:03:40 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Want to withhold payment for unused vacation upon termination?  Make sure you can.]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=17</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=17</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It happens all the time.  An employee departs either voluntarily or involuntarily under unpleasant circumstances.  The employer believes the employee isnt deserving of receiving a check?often a sizable one?for unused vacation.  So, the employer simply pays the employee their base pay through the last day worked.  Permissible?  Sometimes.  Sometimes not.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 May 2006 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[CDHP controls costs]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=15</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/view.php?blog_id=15</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Heres what I know:  consumer-driven health plans (CDHP), structured correctly, can control costs for employers, provide employees the financial resource necessary to obtain health care services and improve benefits for companies that have been hit with increase, after increase, after increase, after increase?

I make that statement based on the renewal rates for companies (more than 250) I know are taking advantage of consumer-driven health care plans.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 May 2006 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Ed Craine]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/edcraine/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/edcraine/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ed Craine is the CEO of award winning Smith Craine Finance, one of the oldest independent Mortgage Companies in San Francisco, California.  A 25+ year veteran of the real estate financing industry, Ed has originated and negotiated loans in excess of $2 billion, to include both commercial and residential properties.  He has simultaneously held such notable positions as Vice President of the California Association of Mortgage Brokers (CAMB), as well as serving as the Public Relations Committee Chairperson of the 5,000 member strong association during 2007, the year in which the mortgage industry received more media attention than in recent history. Ed currently also serves as 1st Regional Vice President of the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute (CCIM).  He will be inducted as Vice President of the Southwest Region of CCIM in September 2008.

In recent years, Ed has put his years of experience to use educating others in various mediums.  As a certified instructor for both the California Association of Mortgage Brokers and the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, Ed has instructed thousands of colleagues through various continuing education seminars.  He is a regular contributor to Mortgage Originator, National Mortgage Broker, Scotsman Guide and Broker Agent Magazines.  

Ed is also regularly interviewed by national media outlets for his input on topical mortgage and finance subjects. He has appeared on KGO-TV and MarketWatch.com TV in San Francisco, as well as all KCBS, KNBC, KABC, and KLTA TV in Los Angeles. He has been quoted in print publications including the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, and in electronic media outlets including CNBC.com, Forbes.com, Investors.com and more.  

Additionally, Ed teaches courses for such organizations as Lorman Seminars, The Learning Annex and The Learning Exchange.  He has also been a featured speaker at Crittenden Conferences.

In 2007, after long holding a position as an Executive Director for Business Network International (BNI), Ed became a contributing author to a New York Times Best Selling Book for the third time.  His contributions appear in Masters of Sales, Masters of Success and Masters of Networking.    Prior to these contributions, Ed co-authored two books, The Lazy Millionaire and The Lazy Millionaire Workbook.

Ed currently serves as a co-founder and featured speaker for Commercial Lending and Strip Mall Conferences, which have attracted thousands of attendees in just over a year.

In October of 2008, Ed will become the new publisher of the professional trade journal Broker Banker Magazine, which reaches more than 10,000 banking and lending professionals each month.  

Ed holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Cornell University.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:46:42 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Christopher Olmsted]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/christopherolmsted/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/christopherolmsted/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Christopher W. Olmsted is an attorney and shareholder with the San Diego law firm Barker Olmsted & Barnier, PLC.  He advises clients regarding legal compliance with state and federal labor and employment law. Mr. Olmsted also represents businesses clients in state and federal employment law litigation, as well as in connection with agency enforcement actions. Mr. Olmsted can be reached at 619-682-4040 or cwo@barkerolmsted.com. For additional articles, visit www.barkerolmsted.com]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:42:30 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Peter Arsenault]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/peterarsenault/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/peterarsenault/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Peter J. Arsenault, AIA, NCARB, LEED-AP is an architect and Senior Sustainability Consultant with Stantec in the Rochester, NY office. Peter has nearly 30 years of experience in the design, planning, and construction of buildings and communities of many different types and styles.  A 1977 graduate of Syracuse University, he earned degrees in both architecture and sociology with an emphasis on urban design and environmental planning.  Since 1980, even before the term ?green? architecture was popularized, he has focused his work on the principles of energy consciousness, environmental sensibility, and sustainable design.  Mr. Arsenault has served clients throughout the Northeastern United States including large and small U.S. corporations, Federal and State government agencies, not-for-profit associations, and private individuals.  His innovative work includes research and design of energy-efficient, livable buildings and systems using measures such as passive solar design, natural daylighting, ventilation, and building envelope techniques.  Additionally, he is known for his experience in affordable housing and sustainable community work.  Results of some of his work have been published in technical journals, books and magazines.

Peter is recognized as a committed leader within the profession, currently serving as a National Vice President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), having served in the past as President of the New York State and Central New York chapters of the AIA. He is a LEED Accredited Professional, a member of the US Green Building Council, and served as the charter president of a green advocacy organization known as Greening USA.  He has led or participated in multiple green design ?charrettes? and presentations in American cities with an emphasis on identifying action plans and recommendations for greener, more sustainable cities and communities.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:45:59 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Rosanna DiFilippo]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/rosannadifilippo/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/rosannadifilippo/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ms. DiFilippo provides MFA's publicly-held and private clients with winning solutions to their increasingly complex business issues. Rosanna delivers tax compliance and consulting services to a broad range of multi-state entity types, such as corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies. She is experienced in a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, software development, high-tech, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, wholesale/distribution, retail and service.

Rosanna has significant expertise in FAS 109 Accounting for Income Taxes, FIN 48 Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes analysis, multi-jurisdictional tax planning and IRC Section 382 consulting. Additionally, she assists companies in making the appropriate tax elections and establishing a structure that will minimize income tax expense.

Prior to MFA, Rosanna worked five years with PricewaterhouseCoopers focusing on the Boston middle market and high technology fields.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:24:03 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Roger Minch]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/rogerminch/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/rogerminch/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Roger Minch was born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota and graduated from North Dakota State University in 1974 and The University of North Dakota School of Law in 1978. Mr. Minch joined the firm in 1978 and became a stockholder and officer in 1984. Mr. Minch's past and present activities include serving as the past chairman of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the State Bar Association of North Dakota, and as member of the Information and Service Committee of the State Bar Association of North Dakota. He is a current member of the Bankruptcy Rules Committee of the State Bar Association of North Dakota, the Commercial Law League of America, the bankruptcy section of the Minnesota State Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute. He has written numerous Continuing Legal Education outlines and text for legal seminars for the State Bar Associations of North Dakota and Minnesota, banks, savings and loans, credit union associations and private suppliers of continuing legal education programs concerning bankruptcy, collections and real estate foreclosure. His areas of concentration include bankruptcy, loan documentation, collections, foreclosures and workouts. He served as a Board member of the Fargo/Moorhead Symphony for seven years and for one year as its President. He is chairman of the North Dakota Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Mr. Minch is licensed to practice law in all Courts in North Dakota and Minnesota and in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is one of two North Dakota Attorneys certified as a Creditor's Rights Specialist by the American Board of Certification sponsored by the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Commercial Law League of America.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:34:54 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Langdon Owen]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/langdonowen/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/langdonowen/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Langdon T. Owen, Jr. is a member of the law firm of Parsons Kinghorn Harris, p.c. in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mr. Owen is a transactional lawyer who practices in the areas of estate and tax planning, business and commercial transactions involving both corporate and partnership taxed enterprises (including tax, employment, and benefit issues relating to such transactions),  loans and creditors' workouts, pension and profit sharing plans, health care law, probate, and real estate. He has practiced law since 1977.  He has published articles and spoken to a variety of bar, accounting, and business and professional groups on a number of tax and estate planning issues.  He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah (1977) and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley (1973, with great distinction).  He was a Comment Editor of the Utah Law Review (1975-1977).   Mr. Owen has served as an arbitrator for the Utah State Bar Fee Arbitration Committee, FINRA (formerly the National Association of Securities Dealers and New York Stock Exchange), the American Health Lawyers Association, the American Arbitration Association, and the National Arbitration Forum.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:41:57 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Stephen Kirkland]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/stephenkirkland/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/stephenkirkland/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Stephen D. Kirkland, CPA, CMC, CFC is a compensation consultant with Atlantic Executive Consulting Group, LLC, based in Columbia, South Carolina.  He helps businesses and tax-exempt organizations structure compensation plans for their executives.  He also serves as an expert witness in U.S. Tax Court cases involving the reasonableness of executive compensation across the United States.  He can be reached through www.ReasonableComp.biz .]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:45:12 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Michael Simpson]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/michaelsimpson/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/michaelsimpson/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Michael Simpson has over 19 years of experience leading US HR/OD divisions in the healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, and retail industries for $500MM+ organizations. In each of his leadership positions, Michael transformed administrative HR functions to innovative business partners. Michaels passion for individual and organizational development also resulted in HR initiatives across the US, Canada, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

In addition to his professional experience, Michael taught various HR and HRD courses at DePaul and DeVry Universities. Michael published numerous articles on HR and HRD topics.

Clients enjoy working with Michael as he brings a significant knowledge of HRM, HRD and OD as well as his creative energy to solve his clients' business challenges. Michael brings a unique value proposition to his customers by efficiently developing customized and scalable business solutions. 

Michael has been an active member of SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management), ODI (Organizational Development Institute), and AHRD (Academy of Human Resource Development).]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 07:35:51 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Janna Shearman]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/jannashearman/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/jannashearman/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Janna Shearman is vice president and manager of the Louisiana office of First American Exchange Company, a division of The First American Corporation (NYSE: FAF), Americas largest provider of business information.  She has worked in the exchange industry since 2004 and has attained the designation of Certified Exchange Specialist?.  As a frequent lecturer on 1031 exchanges, she provides continuing education credit courses for attorneys, accountants, title insurance agents, and Realtors?.  Ms. Shearman facilitates all types of 1031 tax-deferred exchanges, including simultaneous, delayed, reverse, and construction exchanges of both real and personal property.  She has had articles published in several trade journals.  Before joining First American Exchange, she worked as a commercial real estate paralegal and licensed title insurance agent.  She is a member of the New Orleans chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women and currently serves on the Programs Committee and is also a member of the Federation of Exchange Accommodators.  Janna delights in delivering personalized service to clients, backed by the financial security and strength of a Fortune 500? parent company.  She can be reached at 800-247-4035 or jashearman@firstam.com.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 May 2008 08:54:05 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Rod Stephens]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/rodstephens/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/rodstephens/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Rod brings a unique perspective to the table in that he represents management and employees. We feel this allows us to offer a broader perspective to our clients in that we understand cutting edge employment law issues and how they are perceived by management and employees. Employment law matters can require immediate response in times of crisis. On those occasions, you can take comfort in the knowledge that we are prepared to provide the type of response that takes advantage of years of experience.  It is our hope that you will also engage our services to provide you with preventive legal care such as training and seminars for management and non-management employees, employment handbooks and revisions, and updates on recent cases such as those provided in our Blog for Washington Employers (www.employmentadvisoryblog.com).

Rod has been selected as one of Washington Law & Politics magazines Super Lawyers from 2000 to 2007.  In addition, Mr. Stephens firm has been recognized in the 2006 Martindale-Hubbell Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers and is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell.  He is a past president of the South King County Bar Association and a past member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association Board of Governors.  Mr. Stephens is a regular speaker at educational seminars for lawyers and  human resource professionals.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:01:43 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Eric Odum]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/ericodum/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/ericodum/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Eric Odum is a veteran in the real estate and financial services industry with over 13 years of experience.  Mr. Odum holds a Masters in International Business in Finance from the University of South Carolina (consistently ranked as one of the top International Business Schools by US News and World report).

He is a real estate agent in the State of Florida, focusing on cash flow income property investments, IRS Code Section 1031 real estate exchanges and other tax-advantaged real estate strategies.  Mr. Odum is an active participant in several real estate trade associations, such as the International Association of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Tenants in Common Association (TICA), and the National Association of Realtors.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:43:53 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Charlotte Kuhn]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/charlottekuhn/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/charlottekuhn/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Charlotte Kuhn is a RIM specialist, presenter and educator in the area of Records Management for Inactive Records Storage.   Her expertises are in, archival records, vital records, inactive record storage, personnel and medical files and secure shredding.  She is a Lorman presenter on writing a records retention program for small businesses.  Charlotte has a B.S. in education from the University of Missouri St. Louis with teacher certification and a CPS certification from IAAP.  She is a member of ASLAA, SAA, IAAP, and ARMA.  She is currently working on her certification for CRM.  She earned the SELECT award from her company for excellence in her roll as records coordinator.   She has dealt with mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs in relation to records and their ownership and storage.   She also writes retention schedules for insertion into web interfaces.   Charlotte currently works for a fortune 500 company and covers the records retention for inactive storage for all of North America.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:11:46 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Langdon Owen]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/langdonowen/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/langdonowen/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Langdon T. Owen, Jr. is a member of the law firm of Parsons Kinghorn Harris, p.c. in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mr. Owen is a transactional lawyer who practices in the areas of estate and tax planning, business and commercial transactions involving both corporate and partnership taxed enterprises (including tax, employment, and benefit issues relating to such transactions),  loans and creditors' workouts, pension and profit sharing plans, health care law, probate, and real estate. He has practiced law since 1977.  He has published articles and spoken to a variety of bar, accounting, and business and professional groups on a number of tax and estate planning issues.  He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah (1977) and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley (1973, with great distinction).  He was a Comment Editor of the Utah Law Review (1975-1977).   Mr. Owen has served as an arbitrator for the Utah State Bar Fee Arbitration Committee, FINRA (formerly the National Association of Securities Dealers and New York Stock Exchange), the American Health Lawyers Association, the American Arbitration Association, and the National Arbitration Forum.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:03:59 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Scott Saunders]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/scottsaunders/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/scottsaunders/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Scott R. Saunders, Senior Vice President with Asset Preservation, Inc. Scott has an extensive background in Internal Revenue Code ?1031 tax deferred exchanges, having been involved in structuring and overseeing over 50,000 transactions during his sixteen years in the exchange industry. Asset Preservation, a subsidiary of Stewart Title Company, is a leading national IRC ?1031 ?Qualified Intermediary? and has successfully completed over 130,000 1031 exchanges throughout the nation.

Scott dedicates a significant portion of his time speaking to accountants, attorneys, real estate brokers and principals nationwide. He has spoken at the annual National Bar Association conference, Colorado Association of Realtors, GMAC Real Estates Annual Convention, Ohio Bar Association, Washington D.C. Bar Association and many other state and local associations. In addition, he is a regular presenter of 8-hour C.L.E. approved classes to attorneys and CPAs arranged by Lorman Education.

In addition to being an accredited speaker in numerous states, Scott has been on the Board of Directors for the Federation of Exchange Accommodators, the national trade association, and was a contributing author to the book Real Estate Exchanges: Using the Tax Deferred Exchange in Real Estate Investment Management.

Scott received his bachelor degree in Business Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:00:25 CDT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Cynthia Stamer]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/cynthiastamer/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/cynthiastamer/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, is nationally and internationally recognized for her work assisting businesses, governments, and other entities to develop creative strategies for dealing with employee benefit and related human resources, insurance, health care and finance concerns.  Ms. Stamer helps businesses design, administer and defend cost-effective employee benefit other human resources programs, policies and procedures to meet their budgetary and other business objectives.

An attorney board certified in Labor & Employment law, Ms. Stamer is frequently sought out for her experience assisting public and private employers, staffing and outsourcing companies, insurers and others to coordinate and properly manage the risks and relationships between labor and employment, employee benefit plans and ERISA, outsourcers and other vendors, corporate risk management, insurance and health care matters.  Ms. Stamer applies her extensive experience regarding employment, employee benefit, tax, and other related laws to assists clients in a wide range of business and litigation contexts.  Ms. Stamer regularly advises employers, plan administrators, insurers, managed care providers and others about the design, implementation, administration, and defense of self-insured and insured employee health and other employee benefit, workers' compensation, and employment practices.  She also has extensive experience advising and representing employers about the use, documentation, and design of employment,  outsourcing, contract labor, administrative service and other services contracts and relationships, severance, non-competition agreements and other similar arrangements, workforce reduction and re-engineering strategies and procedures including severance pay arrangement, employee waivers, early retirement windows and other incentive retirement arrangements, settlement agreements, and other risk-management strategies and compliance obligations under COBRA, WARN, discrimination, and other applicable laws.  Moreover, Ms. Stamer also advises and assists clients to implement human resource-related changes arising out of corporate mergers, acquisitions, reductions-in-force, and other significant corporate and business events.  In this regard, Ms. Stamer drafts and amends personnel policies, employee communications, employee benefit plans and other related documents, advises and assists clients regarding the organization of employee meetings, and provides other assistance with the details required to implement human resource decisions and changes.  Ms. Stamer also regularly provides advice to organizations about statutory and regulatory employment, health, immigration, employee benefit, tax worker's compensation, pension, social security, education, and other legislative and regulatory reforms in the United States and other nations and has assisted government and private clients to design and craft legislation and regulations in these and other areas.  For instance, she served as a principle legal advisor to the Government of Bolivia on the crafting and drafting of legislation to reform and privatize its pension and social security system. 

In the rapidly changing health care/employee benefit environment, Ms. Stamer also regularly helps a wide range of clients to design, negotiate, draft, and evaluate health benefit plans, wellness and disability management and insurance programs, contracts and agreements and to design, administer and defend those programs.  Examples of these include self-insured and insured health and other employee benefit plans, managed care contracts, insurance and HMO contracts, administration agreements, staffing and a wide range of other managed care agreements.  Ms. Stamer also advises many clients, including insurance companies, plan sponsors, third-party administrators, employee leasing and staffing companies, hospitals, physicians, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, and other managed care providers, and insurance and employee benefits consultants about a wide range of health care, regulatory compliance, and other matters.  She has worked extensively with health care providers, health plan sponsors, third party administrators, health insurers, and their vendors to comply with applicable HIPAA, claims and prompt pay, and other federal and state laws and regulations.

Listed in the International Whos Who of Professionals, Ms. Stamer plays a leadership and is an active member of numerous human resources, health care and civic organizations.  Ms. Stamer presently serves as the Vice Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Real Property, Probate & Trust Sections Welfare Benefit Plan Committee, Chair of the ABA Health Law Sections Managed Care & Insurance Interest Group, and Vice Chair of the ABA Tort & Insurance Practice Section Workers Compensation Committee.  She is a past Chair of the Dallas Bar Associations Executive Compensation and Employee Benefit Committee.  She also has founded the Patient Empowerment and numerous other initiatives to improve and promote the affordability, accessibility and quality of health care and health care coverage in her role as the immediate Past President and Board Member of the Alliance for Healthcare Excellence, a coalition of employers, insurers, and health care providers to improve and promote access to quality affordable health care.  As a current Dallas Board member, and a former member of the State Executive Committee, State Board member and Regional Chair of the Texas Association of Businesses & Chambers of Commerce, Ms. Stamer works as an advocate for business in health and employee benefit, workers compensation, human resources, education and other public policy reform matters.

Ms. Stamer also plays an active role in the Labor, Tax, Tort & Insurance Practice, and Health Law Sections of the American Bar Association and the Employee Benefits Committee and Health Law, Labor and Employment Law, Insurance Law and Tax Sections of the Texas, Arizona and Dallas Bar Associations, the Southwest Benefits Association, and the Dallas Benefits Society, the Self-Insurance Institute of America, the American Management Association, the American Compensation Association, the Society For Human Resources Management, the American Health Lawyers Association, the International Foundation of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists, an adjunct faculty member for the University of Dallas Graduate School of Management, as a Whistle stop Speaker for WEB, A Network of Benefits Professionals and is active in numerous other organizations and committees. She also previously has served on the Board of Directors of the Southwest Benefits Association, the Dallas Benefits Society, the SHRM Consultants Forum, the Richardson Development Center for Children and numerous other organizations.  She also previously has served on the Board of Directors of the Southwest Benefits Association, the Dallas Benefits Society, the SHRM Consultants Forum, the Dallas Council on World Affairs, the Richardson Development Center for Children and numerous other organizations.  She regularly conducts speaks and authors works for these and many other organizations.

Ms. Stamer also presently serves or previously has served member of the Editorial Advisory Board of several publications, including the human resources, employee benefits and health care related publications of The Bureau of National Affairs and Health Care & Compliance Quarterly  Her insights on health and employment matters have been widely published and quoted in numerous national and local publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Morning News, Business Insurance, and a host of other publications.  She is a widely published and highly sought after author of numerous publications on health care, employment, employee benefit and other human resources matters, as well as a wide range of other related topics.

Ms. Stamer is a popular speaker and widely published author and regularly serves as an adjunct faculty member of several college, university, and seminar faculties including publications and presentations for the American Bar Association, World At Work, Aspen Publishers, The Bureau of National Affairs, Spencer Publications, and others.  A sampling of some of her publications and presentations is attached.

Ms. Stamer is a graduate of Arizona State University and a graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. She and her husband, Doug, are the proud parents of two boys, Max, age 11, and Luke, age 6.  In her spare time, she enjoys sports, travel, cooking and entertaining, and gardening.
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:08:07 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Robin Foret]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/robinforet/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/robinforet/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[PRACTICE AREAS
Civil Litigation, Labor & Employment

Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

EXPERIENCE

Robin Foret practices in the areas of employment law, commercial litigation and specialty insurance defense claims.  She handles a variety of employment matters such as theft of trade secrets, breach of employment agreements, non-competition agreements, wage and hour issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), discrimination and harassment issues under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) and the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) issues, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). Robin has handled a wide variety of employment law matters for employers, as well as for executive-level employees, before agencies, and state and federal courts. Robin litigates employment cases in both the judicial as well as administrative forums, which includes the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Texas Workforce Commission and the Department of Labor.  In addition to employment law related disputes, Robin also advises numerous companies on how to avoid employment law pitfalls that lead to claims and possibly, litigation.  This includes giving seminars, authoring articles, preparing employment handbooks, preparing and reviewing employment agreements, and rendering advice on a wide variety of employment-related matters to assist companies comply with state and federal employment laws.  

EDUCATION

Robin received her J.D. from Temple University Law School of Law in 1991 where she graduated cum laude.  Robin was the Articles/Symposium Editor of the Temple Law Review, and organized and coordinated a symposium on the ADA. 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

?  Member of the State Bars of Texas and Pennsylvania
?  Member of the Dallas Bar Association
?  Member of the College of the State Bar of Texas

SPEECHES and PUBLICATIONS

Robin co-authored:  Sarbanes-Oxley: Expanding the Scope of the Federal Whistleblower Protection Laws, which was presented as a seminar through the Dallas Bar Association and Lorman Educational Services.   In addition, Robin has written numerous articles on a variety of employment law topics and has given seminars on various subjects such as: the ADA and FMLA, Title VII Discrimination and Harassment, FLSA issues, Independent Contractor Status and Non-competition Agreements, to associations and to private company employers.    
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:20:29 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Monica Williams]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/monicawilliams/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/monicawilliams/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Monica Williams is principal in Monica B. Williams Co. LPA, a firm focusing on business transactions for privately held companies. She works with business owners who want to avoid the legal potholes involved in buying/selling a business. Her experience ranges from a $100,000 sale of a steel service companys assets to a $44M acquisition of a tool manufacturer. She advises on legal aspects of company restructurings, mergers and acquisitions and works with tax and accounting professionals to structure transactions to protect and benefit clients. 

Before forming her own firm, Ms. Williams served as an in-house counsel for nine years for a major financial services holding company, where she concentrated on mergers and acquisitions, with related work in securities and corporate law. She has taught as an adjunct professor at Cleveland Marshall College of Law, where she developed and taught a course on small business enterprises. Ms. Williams is the author of four texts and numerous monographs on limited liability companies, partnerships and corporations. She has 20+ years of experience. She is legal counsel to the Cleveland Chapter of American Women in the Metal Industries and is a member of the Ohio Bar Association. She received her B.S. degree summa cum laude from Ohio University and her J.D. with cum laude from Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:32:35 CST</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author David Keene, II]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/davidkeene, ii/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/davidkeene, ii/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[David Keene, an associate in Baker Donelsons Tri-Cities office, concentrates his practice in the area of labor and employment law.  Mr. Keene has experience in a multitude of labor and employment areas including negotiating collective bargaining agreements for both private and public sector employers; representing employers in grievance and issue arbitrations;  representing employers in all matters, including elections and unfair labor practices, before the National Labor Relations Board and state labor boards;  helping clients maintain union-free workforces; handling unemployment claims from initial applications for benefits through court appeals;  counseling clients on a multitude of federal employment laws, including the ADA, FMLA, ADEA, and FLSA; litigating employment discrimination claims; and representing individuals against unions.  Mr. Keene has been published in The Labor Lawyer, Labor Law Journal, and numerous other publications, and has taught seminars on a wide variety of labor and employment topics.

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, was ranked by The National Law Journal in 2006 as one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. Through strategic acquisitions and mergers over the past century, the Firm has grown to include more than 500 attorneys and public policy and international advisors. Baker Donelson has offices located in five states in the southern U.S. as well as Washington, D.C., plus a representative office in Beijing, China.  Baker Donelson represents local, regional, national and international clients. The Firm provides innovative, results-oriented solutions, placing the needs of the client first. Our state-of-the-art technologies seamlessly link all offices, provide instant information exchange, and support clients nationwide with secure access to our online document repository. 

Baker Donelson is a member of several of the largest legal networks that provide our attorneys quick access to legal expertise throughout the United States and around the world. 
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:41:11 CST</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Chris Young]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/chrisyoung/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/chrisyoung/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The Rainmaker Group is a human talent maximization company specializing in helping organization maximize their bottom lines by improving employee retention, hiring the best talent possible, and strategic talent management and coaching services.  From the Fortune 50 corporation to the small medical office, The Rainmaker Group guarantees lasting organizational change via a unique blend of energy, insight, and science to maximize talent, transform organizational culture, and provide strategic intervention.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:47:16 CST</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Michael Newman]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/michaelnewman/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/michaelnewman/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Michael Newman is a Partner in the Cincinnati office of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, where he chairs the firms Labor & Employment Appellate Practice Group.  He represents a broad range of business clients, both large and small, in the state and federal courts.

	Mr. Newmans ADR resume is extensive.  He often serves as a mediator or arbitrator, and attended Harvard Law Schools Advanced Mediation Program in 2004.  He serves on the American Arbitration Associations panel of neutrals, and has written about alternative dispute resolution for a national audience in The Federal Lawyer magazine.	

His Bar Association work includes service on the Cincinnati Bar Association Board of Trustees, President of the Federal Bar Associations Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Chapter, and Sixth Circuit Vice President of the Federal Bar Association, an elected position.
  
Mr. Newman graduated with honors from the American University Law School in Washington, D.C. and attended New York Universitys Film School.  He is active in the arts, and has completed the Business on Board training with the Fine Arts Fund.  Recently, he was appointed Chair of the Friends of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. 
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:48:16 CST</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Michael Newman]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/michaelnewman/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/michaelnewman/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Michael Newman is a Partner in the Cincinnati office of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, where he chairs the firms Labor & Employment Appellate Practice Group.  He represents a broad range of business clients, both large and small, in the state and federal courts.

	Mr. Newmans ADR resume is extensive.  He often serves as a mediator or arbitrator, and attended Harvard Law Schools Advanced Mediation Program in 2004.  He serves on the American Arbitration Associations panel of neutrals, and has written about alternative dispute resolution for a national audience in The Federal Lawyer magazine.	

His Bar Association work includes service on the Cincinnati Bar Association Board of Trustees, President of the Federal Bar Associations Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Chapter, and Sixth Circuit Vice President of the Federal Bar Association, an elected position.     
  
Mr. Newman graduated with honors from the American University Law School in Washington, D.C. and attended New York Universitys Film School.  He is active in the arts, and has completed the Business on Board training with the Fine Arts Fund.  Recently, he was appointed Chair of the Friends of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. 
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:48:00 CST</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Dru Beguelin]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/drubeguelin/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/drubeguelin/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Dru Beguelin is a Partner at A-SALT Group, LLC where he is a member of a growing practice in the state and local tax arena. A-SALT Group is a dynamic company comprised of professional individuals who bring over 38 years of combined state and local tax experience to bear on your tax needs. His company offers a variety of services focused in the area of Sales and Use Tax, Canadian Sales Tax, and Property Tax. He is confident that their service, experience, passion, and understanding make them superior in the state and local tax consulting field. Dru does not service clients in a cookie cutter fashion. Instead, he tailors services to fit their needs. His focus is to listen to our clients issues and concerns, getting to know their business and how it operates, recommending solutions that are cost effective and make sound business sense. His group acts as an extension of their department. Dru has been in the state and local tax area for over twenty-five years. His professional experience started in the corporate sector where he worked for British Petroleum of North America, Inc. (BP). He served as company representative on the Trans Alaskan Pipeline System Tax Subcommittee. He also gained experience managing the tax planning, research, audits and compliance for The BOC Group, Inc. He then switched sides of the table to be a consultant working with such companies as DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc., as Northeast Regional Director of the State and Local Tax Division, and Burr Wolff as Northeast Vice President of Sales & Use Tax Services, where he worked closely with clients to develop and implement tax-planning strategies that resulted in future savings, and in the review of sales & use tax matters including automated compliance software, compliance agreements and managed audits. Dru's tax consulting experience includes manufacturing, retail, wholesale, leasing, telecommunications, oil and gas, and transportation. Dru holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Thomas Edison State College. Dru is a Vertex Certified TDM Specialist and has had formal Taxware training. Dru is a member of the Institute for professionals in Taxation (IPT).]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:41:43 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Stuart Freeland]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/stuartfreeland/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/stuartfreeland/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Mr. Freeland represents businesses and institutions both as outside general counsel and in a broad range of transactions, particularly real estate related activities.  His clients include a major Boston area university, real estate development firms and organizations involved in a variety of business activities. Mr. Freeland assists clients to organize and operate their businesses in a tax efficient manner.  

Notable Experience
Represents clients in the formation of all types of business enterprises, including corporations, limited liability companies, joint ventures and partnerships, including advice regarding selection of the appropriate business entity; 

Advises individuals and organizations regarding federal and state income tax consequences of business transactions and investments, including tax free exchanges; 
Represents clients in the purchase and sale of businesses, including asset and stock transactions, leasing and problems of ownership; 

Represents clients in commercial real estate transactions including purchase and sale, leasing and financing arrangements; 
Prepares shareholder and stock redemption agreements; 

Represents clients regarding corporate reorganizations; 

Represents clients regarding private offerings of securities; 

Represents clients in debt financing transactions, including asset based loans and mortgage loans; 

Counsels clients in employment and consulting arrangements, including confidentiality and non competition agreements.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:15:51 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Holly J. Culhane]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/holly j.culhane/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/holly j.culhane/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Identified the need for human resource and organizational assistance for small- and medium-sized business?es and formed Profes?sional Administra?tive Systems in 1987. Now known as P A S Associates, this firm combines specialists in the fields of human resources, labor and employment law, affirma?tive action, and substance abuse policies and education, providing an unsurpassed Human Resource Center. Ms. Culhane publishes a bi-monthly update, "Employer Essentials" and produced "Employment Essen?tials", a radio program which aired for two years on KERNTALK 1410AM assisting Kern County employers in various areas of human resource management. 

Ms. Culhane's professional and community involvements currently include the Rotary Club of Bakersfield, the Society for Human Resource Management, the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, International Christian Ministries, Kern County Youth for Christ, and the National Board of Trustees for YFC/USA. 

Ms. Culhane's well-rounded business and community efforts assist P A S Associates in working with clients to provide such services as customized Employee Policy Handbooks, Employee Maintenance Programs (off-site and on-site human resource assistance), human resource related training, Employee Satisfaction Surveys, Job Descrip?tions, Operating and Administra?tive Procedures Manuals, and Organizational and Compensation Surveys. 

Ms. Culhane's rare gift for relational and substantive training has made her a popular choice by associations, private organizations and the public sector alike for training and presentations in the human resource field.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:52:30 CDT</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[New Blog Author Trey Wood]]></title>
			<guid>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/treywood/</guid>
			<link>http://www.hrresource.com/blog/treywood/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Trey has made it his professional mission to assist clients in maximizing employee relations and minimizing employee claims.  This means being attentive to a clients needs and providing the type of advice that will fit within the framework of an individual clients own philosophy.  But when creative problem solving will not satisfy a litigious employee, it is good to know that Trey has been practicing as a trial attorney for over eighteen years.  He has tried many employment cases in both federal and state courts across the country and has represented clients before various state and federal agencies such as the EEOC, OSHA, Department of Labor, the Texas Commission on Human Rights and the Texas Workforce Commission.  Trey is board certified by t