Amazon will raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour for all of its US workers, including warehouse and Whole Foods Market employees, on Nov. 1, the company said. The company will also lobby to make a similar move with the federal minimum wage.

Conducting a background check can save you time and money and protect you from potential liabilities, writes Molly Gerner. Employers should implement a consistent policy for background checks -- to avoid bias -- and receive written consent before moving forward.

Quest Diagnostics used an 18-month leadership development program called LeadingQuest Academy to overhaul its leadership culture and drive new growth. The academy focused on experiential learning through an in-residence program, action learning projects, cross-functional team-building and pre- and post-assessments.

Several payroll services are giving employees the option of collecting pay daily rather than waiting every two weeks for a paycheck. Some services may charge employees or employers for using this feature.

Honeywell HR chief Mark James added procurement and, later, security, to his HR duties because he showed that he understood both functions and how to use the skills of each to drive business results. Today's chief HR officer must have "a willingness just to step in and contribute whenever you see there's an issue to be resolved -- and having the business acumen to do it," he says.