Labor Law Updates

Keeping you current on the ever changing labor laws

OSHA Whistleblower Complaint Form Updated

Continuing the trend of modernization we’ve seen recently from federal agencies, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has decided to take advantage of the interactivity that the use of online forms makes possible. The agency’s online whistleblower complaint form has been revised to ensure that individuals issuing complaints are aware of their rights and Read more

Federal Court Strikes Down Overtime Rule

Nearly a year after a Department of Labor  (DOL) Final Rule intended to raise the salary threshold for overtime-exempt status was put on hold before it could go into effect, a federal court has struck the exponential increase down for good.  Stating that that the DOL had “gone too far,” the U.S. District Court for Read more

E-Verify Posters Have Been Redesigned

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently released a redesigned E-Verify Participation Poster. The poster informs current and prospective employees of their legal rights, responsibilities, and protections in the employment eligibility verification process. The new redesigned poster is now available in English and Spanish as one poster. It includes new text that helps clarify Read more

US DOL’s Opinion Letters Are Making a Comeback

Employers can soon expect more descriptive guidance from the US Department of Labor (DOL). The agency has decided to bring back the “Opinion Letter,” a form of fact-specific guidance which it stopped issuing in 2010. An Opinion Letter is an official, written opinion of how a particular law, usually the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Read more

Texas Bilingual State Hospital Handgun Poster

During the 2017 legislative session, Texas passed a new handgun law that became effective today, September 1st. Under the new law, volunteer emergency services personnel with a license to carry a handgun will be allowed to carry a handgun while on duty. A volunteer emergency services personnel includes a volunteer firefighter, an emergency medical services Read more

EEO-1 Pay Data on Hold

On August 29, 2017, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum calling for a review and immediate stay on the effectiveness of new EEO-1 data submission requirements. These requirements, finalized in September of 2016, called for revisions to the EEO-1 compliance survey which collects information on race, ethnicity, and gender distribution within Read more

San Francisco Raises Workplace Lactation Accommodation Standards

Benefits of Providing Lactation Accommodation in the Workplace It is well-established that breastfeeding promotes the health and well-being of working mothers and their babies. Breastfed babies and their mothers have reduced risks for many illnesses and diseases. Healthier babies and moms mean a lower health care burden on the national economy. In fact, one study Read more

Virginia Workers' Compensation Fraud Poster

Although some consider it a “victimless crime,” the consequences of workers’ compensation fraud can spread out to an entire community. Insurers pass the high costs of fraud off to employers in the form of higher premiums, which means employers have fewer funds for employee benefits and raises, or for expanding the workforce. When one employee Read more

Seattle Releases Secure Scheduling Poster

Earlier this year, we reported on Seattle, Washington’s adoption of a new Secure Scheduling law which requires employers to provide employees of large retailers and food service establishments who work within Seattle city limits with an estimate of hours the employee can expect to work per week for the upcoming year, to post work schedules Read more