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SUPREME COURT ISSUES DOUBLE WIN FOR EMPLOYERS
June 26, 2013
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two opinions favorable to employers. Both decisions will make it harder for employees to prove employment discrimination. In each case, the rulings were decided by a 5-to-4 majority with dissenting members of the Court calling on Congress to fix what they ...
MODEL NOTICES OF HEALTH COVERAGE OPTIONS IN SPANISH
June 24, 2013
Last month, we reported on new health care notices released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that employers must provide to employees by October 1, 2013. The DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has now issued these model notices in a Spanish language version. ...
NEW FACT SHEET ON IDENTIFYING WORKPLACE HAZARDS
June 20, 2013
A new OSHA Fact Sheet describes some common program elements of Injury and Illness Prevention Programs and how to implement them. These systematic programs allow employers on an ongoing basis to find and fix workplace hazards before workers are hurt or become ill. OSHA maintains that a ...
RESTAURANT TO PAY $52,000 FOR ILLEGAL TIP POOL
June 18, 2013
An Ohio restaurant that maintained an illegal tip pool where management deducted wages from tipped employees to pay nontipped employees will pay nearly $52,000 for violating federal wage and hour laws. Sanchez Corp., which operates as Rancho Fiesta Restaurant in Mansfield, Ohio, was subject to ...
HEAT SAFETY APP TO PROTECT WORKERS
June 12, 2013
With temperatures rising across the nation, employers have a useful resource available to help protect their workers. The OSHA Heat Safety “app” can be used to calculate the heat index for work locations and get reminders about how to prevent heat illness on the job.* OSHA's ...
EEOC SUES TWO EMPLOYERS OVER BACKGROUND CHECKS
June 10, 2013
Last year the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published guidance on the use of criminal background checks in the hiring process, leading many to believe the EEOC planned to step up its enforcement efforts in this area. Now, two employers are facing lawsuits for civil rights ...
TAX CALENDAR FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
June 5, 2013
The IRS Tax Calendar for small businesses and the self-employed is a useful resource that helps small business owners meet their tax obligations. Using the online calendar, employers can view due dates and actions for each month. The calendar can be adjusted to see all events or filter them by ...
FINAL RULES ISSUED ON WELLNESS PROGRAMS
May 30, 2013
In the continuing effort to implement health care law, the Obama administration has released final rules on employment-based wellness programs. The final rules support workplace health promotion and prevention as a means to reduce the burden of chronic illness, improve health and limit growth of ...
NEW HUMAN TRAFFICKING POSTING REQUIREMENT
May 28, 2013
Certain employers in the state of California must display a new “human trafficking” poster in the workplace. The mandated posting comes as a result of Senate Bill 1193 , which requires specified businesses and other establishments to post a notice informing the public and victims of ...
FIRST GINA CASE IS SETTLED
May 24, 2013
Earlier this month, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) settled the first lawsuit alleging genetic discrimination under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). In its complaint, the EEOC claims the employer violated GINA by requesting an ...
