|
|
| |
|
|
|
| When Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats take power in Washington, D.C., employers are expecting them to push a minimum-wage hike and a union-friendly right-to-organize law. Mr. Obama wants to boost the federal minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2011, and also supports the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to unionize. |
| (Source: Crain's Chicago Business, 2008-11-05) |
 |
|
|
|
| A generation after federal civil rights laws were amended to prohibit pregnancy discrimination -- and despite efforts to make the workplace more flexible -- having a family can knock women out of jobs and promotions, according to a new study by a Washington advocacy group. An analysis of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission data from fiscal year 1992 to fiscal year 2007 shows a 65 percent increase in pregnancy discrimination charges, according to a National Partnership for Women and Families study. |
| (Source: Workforce Management, 2008-10-30) |
|
|
|
|
| U.S. corporate pension funds are getting slammed by the stock market's downturn, squeezing profits and prompting some employers to drop their pension plans or make other cuts to offset losses. According to a survey this month by the consulting firm Watson Wyatt, 11 percent of 248 companies said they have frozen or closed pension plans as a result of the financial crisis and another four percent plan to do so in the next year. |
| (Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free reg. req'd), 2008-11-02) |
|
|
|
|
| The right to bring a gun onto a company parking lot is gaining momentum nationwide, to the chagrin of employers who feel caught in the crossfire. In recent years, a growing number of states have passed laws that give employees the right to bring guns onto company parking lots, but employers are crying foul, arguing they are losing their right and obligation to ensure a safe workplace, putting everyone at risk. |
| (Source: law.com, 2008-10-31) |
|
|
|
|
| The former chief executive of the Iowa kosher meatpacking plant that was the site of a large immigration raid in May was arrested on federal conspiracy charges involving harboring illegal immigrants for financial gain and aiding and abetting document fraud and aggravated identity theft. Federal officials allege that Sholom Rubashkin, son of Agriprocessors founder Abraham Aaron Rubashkin, intentionally helped illegal workers obtain false documentation. |
| (Source: The Washington Post (free reg. req'd), 2008-10-31) |
|
|
|
|
| Last December, Wall Street firms paid a total of $33.2 billion in bonuses for 2007, according to New York state's comptroller office. But as Wall Street has since spiraled into a far deeper hole under the weight of worthless assets and bad loans, and nine major U.S. banks have received $125 billion from the U.S. government, lawmakers are calling for closer scrutiny of the compensation structure on Wall Street as concern grows that the same banks that are taking American taxpayers' money will hand out only a slightly pared version of the usual plump bonuses. |
| (Source: USA Today (free reg. req'd), 2008-11-04) |
|
|
|
|
| To cope with the tough economy, some longtime stay-at-home moms are looking to return to the work force -- and they're not alone. |
| (Source: Monterey Herald, 2008-11-04) |
|
|
|
|
| Leadership experts say micromanagers -- from small-business owners to managers in large organizations -- share an unwillingness to trust subordinates; still, many can be successful, to a point. The best managers help employees learn to work independently by giving them meaningful responsibilities, organizational coach Diane Foster says. |
| (Source: The Wall Street Journal, 2008-11-03) |
|
|
|
|
| Most employees have positive views of workplace policies that help women keep up breastfeeding after they return to the job, a new study suggests. Researchers found that among 407 employees at a large U.S. corporation, most looked favorably on such accommodations -- including giving women a designated area to breastfeed or pump breast milk during the work day, or covering lactation services under the employee health plan. |
| (Source: Reuters, 2008-10-31) |
|
|
|
|
| Nearly two-thirds of big U.S. companies have banned their leaders from keeping hefty bonuses when there are questions over executive conduct or the accuracy of financial results, a policy the government is also demanding from firms selling shares to the Treasury Department as part of the bailout plan. A new study finds that these big corporations have voluntarily adopted so-called "clawback" policies that allow them to recoup portions of executive pay in the event of financial restatements, unethical conduct or other reasons. |
| (Source: Reuters, 2008-10-29) |
|
|
|
|
| A Virginia-based IT company will pay nearly $1.7 million to 343 employees holding H-1B visas under a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor. The Labor Department said that Globalcynex Inc. in Sterling, Va., had not paid the employees their required wages from March 2005 through March 2007. |
| (Source: Computerworld, 2008-10-31) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
| |
 |
| Germaine Winnick Willett |
Employers are obligated by a variety of state and federal laws and regulations to keep numerous records and documents relating to employment relationships. Most of these laws carry little or no penalties for noncompliance. So why bother using your precious storage space to keep the documents? If you do not maintain the documents required by law, you may, among other problems, get caught in the "rain" of negative inferences when defending an employment-related lawsuit.
Read the entire article about destroying records. |
| |
 |
 |
 |
| Sarah Akber |
Jenifer Brown |
Christl Glier |
The United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP) currently allows individuals from 27 countries to visit the U.S. for business or pleasure for a maximum stay of 90 days without obtaining a visa or pre-authorization from a U.S. Embassy prior to entry to the U.S. Travel under the VWP is limited in duration, as well as activity; no hands-on, productive work or employment is permitted while in the U.S. under a VWP entry - even during a business visitor admission. The current list of VWP-eligible countries includes most western European nations and others such as Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. However, beginning January 12, 2009, individuals traveling under the VWP will be required to apply for and obtain pre-travel authorization prior to departing for the U.S. through an online Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
Read the entire article on the Visa Waiver Program updates. |
|
| |
Disasters Create Health and Safety Risks – "Duh" You Might Say?
However, if your company is involved in providing clean-up or recovery services, make sure you are doing everything you can to protect your employees. OSHA has a Web site that includes safety and health tips for employers involved in recovery efforts. The health and safety tips include information on hazards such as downed electrical wires, use of chain saws, decontamination and health related injuries.
Please contact Kathleen Shortridge or Ann Stewart if you have questions on this topic or any other worker's comp issue.
|
|
|
Having problems viewing or printing this newsletter? 
