August 13, 2014 the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (FCO) becomes effective. Under the ordinance, covered employers must follow strict rules regarding applicants’ and employees’ arrest and conviction record(s) and information related to such records, as well as, post notice in the workplace for employees and applicants to view. This new ordinance applies to employers Read more
Employers understand the importance of maintaining accurate wage and hour records for their non-exempt employees. A periodic review of recordkeeping requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) can keep an employer on track and avoid problems later on. Records To Be Kept By Employers The FLSA requires no particular form for required records, but Read more
The purpose of conducting an HR Audit is to perform an in depth analysis of your organizations HR functions to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. It consists of taking an objective look at current HR policies, practices and procedures, not to mention, examining strategies to protect the company and organizational benchmarking. Forming a Read more
The New Jersey legislature has approved to new bills that will affect New Jersey employers’ hiring practices. These measures are: “Ban the box”— a law that would prohibit employers from inquiring about job candidates’ criminal histories during the initial hiring process; and Discrimination against the unemployed— a law that would prohibit employers from considering applicants’ Read more
By law, Michigan employers must begin paying the new state minimum wage on September 1, 2014. The wage rate increases incrementally over four years by one dollar and eighty-five cents ($1.85). Currently the minimum wage is $7.40 per hour. The first increase, effective September 1, will bring the wage rate to $8.15 per hour. On Read more
Veteran Status has been added as a class protected from employment discrimination under amended Indiana law. Veteran Status has also been added to Indiana’s required Equal Employment Opportunity posting. The law (HB 1242) prohibits employers from refusing to employ an applicant based on his or her status as a veteran. The law applies to veterans Read more
California’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has released mandatory updates to the Whistleblowers Are Protected posting, the result of legislation enacted in 2013 that was effective this year. Employees in California are encouraged to notify specified individuals when they have reason to believe their employer is violating state or federal statue, or violating or not Read more
Illinois’ new “Ban the Box” law will soon give workers a second chance when it comes to landing a job. The law prohibits private employers or employment agencies in Illinois from asking about the criminal histories of applicants until they are deemed qualified and selected for interviews or receive a conditional offer of employment. In Read more
Tennessee’s 2014 legislative session has ended with a couple of bills that require mention. Employers need to know about the “Employee Online Privacy Act of 2014” and the “Healthy Workplace Act”. Tennessee Employee Online Privacy Act of 2014 This law becomes effective January 1, 2015 and essentially stipulates what an employer can and cannot request Read more
The EEOC has just released its Enforcement Guidance: Pregnancy Discrimination and Related Issues, adopting new and substantive changes to the way federal law impacts workplace treatment of pregnancy. The guidance is divided into four sections: The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) – The PDA requires accommodations for pregnant women, regardless of the severity of their pregnancy-related Read more
