Department Of Labor Increases Penalties For Certain ERISA Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published on July 1, 2016, an interim final rule adjusting the civil monetary penalties that it can enforce. These adjustments are the result of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act) whereby federal agencies were directed to adjust their civil monetary penalties for inflation each year.

Before the Inflation Adjustment Act, the DOL had not changed many of the civil monetary penalties […]

By | July 18th, 2016 ||

The Punishing Effect Of Rule 11

People take being sued personally, and lawsuits can take an emotional toll on defendants, whether as an individual or as a representative of an employer. Anger and frustration always lead to the same questions: Can we sanction them for lying? Can I get my fees (or my insurance deductible) back? Won’t the court do something?

Federal courts can and do sanction attorneys for lying, failing to investigate claims and “posturing” a case to get a […]

By | July 15th, 2016 ||

Employee Engagement In The Energy Sector

Rigzone interviewed several industry executives about employee engagement. Take a look at what they had to say.

Employee engagement has a lot to do with trust. It’s important for workers to feel like someone is looking out for them, because a lot of times, workers can have more loyalty to one person than to the company itself, if they trust and respect that person. Employers who are open with their employees and keep them informed […]

By | July 13th, 2016 ||