As an individual who remembers cutting-edge tech­nology in the form of a word processor that used floppy disks the size of dinner plates, it’s been inter­esting to observe the changes in the way information is accessed, processed, and dispersed. It’s daunting to realize that today our lives can be stored in a piece of equipment that fits in the palm of our hands.

HR Florida hosted its inaugural Day on the Hill event in Talla­hassee, Florida on February 23, 2011.

We entered 2010 with a myriad of pending employment law related legislation. Below is an update of some of the current pending legislation:

Does making employees satisfied and engaged motivate them to improve productivity and retention? Contrary to popular thinking, making employees satisfied and engaged does not directly motivate them. If anything, it opens the door for employees to complain about wanting more, new, and improved things to keep them satisfied.

As with Title VII, violations of Title II of GINA may be costly. GINA provides employees the right to file civil actions based upon intentional discrimination, harassment, or retaliation by employers, among other GINA violations.

In today's society, most organizations are being challenged by the rising cost of healthcare. It is not a coincidence that one of the main reasons for the skyrocketing medical premium costs is the overall health of our nation's workforce. The following list details some very frightening statistics relating to our health as a nation (Centers for Disease Control, 2009):

Less than a year ago, the Pension Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act were signed into law. These two massive pieces of legislation are more commonly referred to as "health care reform." Since health care reform was signed into law, federal regulatory agencies have issued thousands of pages of regulations and other guidance in order to assist with the implementation of the new requirements.

Many employees who quit or are fired steal company data. Many employers do not learn of a departing employee’s theft until it is too late. By the time they become aware that their confidential and proprietary information has been compromised, the former employee may have already shared the information with a competitor, who, in many cases, becomes the individual’s new employer.

Since 2001, Effective Resources, Inc. has been providing salary, wage and benefit data for the State of Florida and its major metropolitan regions via SalarySurveyOnline.com. This survey is developed by professionals for professionals. The survey is an invaluable source of information for employers of all sizes, business owners, human resource professionals and educational institutions with graduating seniors.

With the exception of the economic turmoil over the last couple of years, benefits usually are a standard or expected part of a total compensation package. Certainly, not all small employers could afford to do so, but if an organization is looking to attract and retain top talent, insurance benefits in the form of healthcare, dental and vision are usually the norm.