The taxable wage base in Hawaii for 2010 will be $38,800. This amount is an increase of $25,800 from the 2009 taxable wage base amount of $13,000 (HI ¶12-1700).

The Office of Human Rights and the Commission on Human Rights made amendments to Chapter 5, Employment Guidelines, of Title 4 (Human Rights) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR). The principal purpose of the amendments was to provide guidelines for the protected category of genetic information and the rights of breastfeeding mothers under the protected category of sex or gender. In addition, a number of technical amendments to other provisions of this chapter were also made. Title 4, Chapter 5, Sections 500 through 599, as amended effective July 31, 2009. Paras 9-20,128.01 through 9-20,128.22.

The UI rate schedule in effect for 2010 will continue to be Schedule F+. This is Schedule F plus a 15% emergency surcharge, rounded to the nearest tenth. Schedule F+ provides for UI contribution rates ranging from 1.5% to 6.2%. The taxable wage base for 2010 for UI purposes remains at $7,000. The new employer rate will be 3.4% and the Employment Training Tax rate remains at 0.1% for 2010. Note that the voluntary UI payment program is not in effect in 2010. The SDI taxable wage base for 2010 is $93,316 (CA ¶5-1700).

The San Francisco minimum wage poster has been updated (CA ¶5-9900).

Effective January 1, 2010, all employers shall pay a minimum wage of $9.79 per hour for work performed by adult and minor employees who work two or more hours per week within the geographic boundaries of the city of San Francisco. The minimum wage is normally adjusted annually based on increases in the regional consumer price index, but will remain the same as the 2009 figure until December 31, 2010 (http://www.sfgov.org/olse/mwo) (CA ¶5-1000).

Nondiscrimination on State Contracts

An Executive Order now prohibits discrimination in state contracts. Executive Order 2009-09 reaffirms the state’s prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, age, color, religion, sex or national origin, and expands rights to Indian tribes and religious organizations under federal law. Executive Order No. 2009-09 supersedes Executive Order 99-4 and amends Executive Order 75-5, signed October 20, effective immediately. Para 3-23,400.

Alaska’s taxable wage base for 2010 will be $34,100. This represents an increase of $1,400 from the 2009 taxable wage base amount of $32,700 (AK ¶2-170

Unemployment Insurance Law
For 2007, the minimum rate is 0.12%, and the maximum rate is 5.4%, except that employers participating in the short-time compensation program will be subject to a maximum rate of 6.4%. New employers pay 2.7% in 2007. The noncharge adjustment ratio is .0026, the excess payment ratio is .0016, the fund size ratio is .0000, the gross benefit ratio is .0115, the multiplier is .3652, and the final adjustment ratio is .0012 (FL 10-1700).

Imagine logging on to your computer on your day off to catch up on a little work. And there, on your screen, is a friendly little pop-up reminder from your company: “It’s the weekend.”

This actually happened to Lorie Baker, a director at PricewaterouseCoopers, according to the article “You’re Cut Off” by Inara Verzemnieks in the October issue of Working Mother magazine. Hoping to reduce work stress, PWC sends the reminder note to curb weekend work-related emailing, according to the article.

It sounds counterintuitive, but some companies are starting to see that stressed out, burned out employees aren’t very good for the bottom line.

Research shows job stress is linked to depression. And a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows stress at work is linked to a second heart attack. Those who returned to work in a stressful job had two times the risk of a new heart attack, compared to those who returned to a low-stress job, according to the Canadian researchers.

The study authors recommend that heart attack patients, who return to work, ask for help in reducing work stress.

But a few companies, are proactively stepping up to help. Here are some innovative strategies they’re using, according to Verzemnieks’ article in Working Mother magazine:

• To reduce email overload, The University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison has a policy that encourages employees to have a conversation rather than send an email.
• Boston Consulting Group monitors employees’ hours. Those who average more than 55 hours a week over five consecutive weeks are reported to management.
• At the outdoor clothing, equipment and acessories company Patagonia, the day’s surf report is posted above the front reception desk, the “boardroom” stores surfboards and particularly good surf conditions might be announced over the company’s loudspeaker.
• At tax and accounting firm Ernst & Young, employees receive an annual voicemail message from global chairman and CEO James Turley, stressing the importance of a vacation. If you don’t take one, someone from human resources will come and talk to you.

PricewaterhouseCoopers recently distributed an employee handbook entitled “Rest and Relaxation: The Value of Time Off.”

“Among the instructions: Try not to call the office to discuss business matters or check voicemail or email. You are either on vacation or you’re at work you shouldn’t try to be in two places at one time. And perhaps most important: “Enjoy your family, friends or solitude.”

Source: Jule Deardorff, Chicago Tribune.