With the first measurable snowfall hitting many parts of Pennsylvania this week, it’s time to start thinking about inclement weather policies. Closing a business for any reason can have a dramatic impact on customers and employees. Many employers struggle with business closings and delays necessitated by inclement weather. Good communication and planning can help eleviate some of
Final FMLA Regulations issued with an Effective Date of January 16, 2009
The Department of Labor issued 762 pages of regulations covering the FMLA. . As expected, 2009 will be a busy year for Human Resources Professionals because of compliance and legislative changes. The following is a brief summary of the regulatory changes:
Military Caregiver Leave: Implements the expanded FMLA protections for family members caring for a covered
E-Verify Final Regulations Issued Requiring Government Contractors and Subcontractors to Verify Employment for New and Existing Employees who Perform Contract Work
Federal government contractors and subcontractors will be required to begin using the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ E-Verify system starting Jan. 15, 2009 (now 5/21/09), to verify their employees’ eligibility to legally work in the United States. The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council amended the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to
Will Your Employees be some of the 5 million Workers Unions expect to add to their Membership under the Employee Free Choice Act?
Change is coming to Washington and to America’s workplaces. President Elect Obama launched a new website Change.gov where he explains his labor agenda which included passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. The Obama Administration’s transition views are summarized at the Connecticut Employment Law Blog.
Unions are on board too. After their push for
Employer’s Strategic Planning for an Obama Administration
President-Elect Obama told his hometown crowd that "Change has come to America." Through his election speeches, website and co-sponsorship of Senate Bills there is a road map of what changes will likely be coming to the American workplace.
Employers would be well served by examining the impact of likely legislation on their business
Injunction “No-Match” for DHS Rulemaking
On October 23, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released an advance copy of its supplemental final no-match safe harbor regulation initially issued in August 2007. The original regulation was set to take effect in September 2007 but was enjoined by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The revised regulation is
ADA Amendments may Open the Door for Nicotine Addiction Claims
Today’s smokers [are] more addicted to nicotine according to a new study, which notes that 73% of those trying to quit are “highly dependent”. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 20.2% of Americans are smokers. Pennsylvania has a slightly higher rate of smoking at 21.5 % with 51.9% attempting to quit. Many of these smokers
Obama Victory may give rise to Unprecedented Unionization of the American Workplace
Union membership and the public perception of the role of labor unions are relatively unchanged in recent years. Union membership was up only slightly in 2007 based on a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor, which published the following statistics on union membership:
Percentage of unionized workforce
Prohibition of Excessive Overtime in Health Care Act will Exacerbate Nursing Shortage
Clinical staffing problems for Pennsylvania healthcare facilities created by shortages of nursing professionals will be greatly exacerbated by a new law prohibiting mandatory overtime for employees engaged in direct patient care. The Commonwealth is already facing a nursing shortage, which is growing worse. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an arm of the
Employer’s Guide to the Election
The election rhetoric has been relatively quiet on employment-related topics, except for the brief mention in the last debate. Candidate Obama has a clear agenda employment legislation based on his co-sponsorship of various bills and other media comments. Candidate McCain’s position is less clear. Detailed below is a summary of the key legislative initiatives considered by Congress in