Page 1 of Michele O'Donnell's writing

1. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act On May 21, 2008, President George W. Bush signed The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) into law effective November 21, 2009 . GINA protects insurance policy holders and employees from discrimination on the basis of genetic... (posted by Michele 2 years 198 days ago.)

2. Worker Classification Investigations Gain Momentum Currently, one of the fastest growing areas of litigation, including class action suits, is in the proper classification of workers as either employees or Independent Contractors. The dictionary defines an Independent Contractor as "a person who... (posted by Michele 2 years 296 days ago.)

3. Managing Time Off Requests Summer time is here again. Does it seem now that everyday someone is missing from the office and on occasion most of the staff is out on the same day? The increase in employees' time off during the summer months happens for many reasons. School is... (posted by Michele 2 years 345 days ago.)

4. Ideas for Low-Cost Morale Boosters During this recent period of economic difficulty, one frequent question our clients have asked is "What can we do to boost staff morale without breaking the bank?" This is a great question at any time, but applies especially now as many companies... (posted by Michele 3 years 5 days ago.)

5. What is UI? Do I have a say in how claims are processed? The federal Unemployment Insurance Program (UI) provides weekly benefit payments for workers who lose their job through no fault of their own and are attempting to re-enter the workforce. Eligibility for benefits requires that the claimant be able... (posted by Michele 3 years 56 days ago.)

6. Motivated Employees Will Build Company Morale Motivation is vital to developing a healthy relationship between an employer and the employee. Having a sound relationship in the workplace is significant in retaining key employees and building employee loyalty to your organization. Motivation... (posted by Michele 3 years 69 days ago.)

7. New COBRA Requirements for Employers On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("ARRA"). The ARRA has two key measures which immediately impact displaced workers. One, unemployment insurance benefits are extended and... (posted by Michele 3 years 89 days ago.)

8. Staff Reductions: The Last Resort Part 2 This article reviews best practices for when employee lay-offs are unavoidable. Legal commentators speculate that 2009 will see an increase in litigation arising out of reductions in force ("RIF") cases. Generally, this is because RIF cases... (posted by Michele 3 years 134 days ago.)

9. Staff Reductions: The Last Resort Everywhere you turn, the current state of the economy is a central topic. The economic crisis is not only an issue in the United States, but a matter of global concern. In fact, the United Nations projects that about 20 million jobs will be lost... (posted by Michele 3 years 134 days ago.)