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| As the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce and the White House are trying to minimize their differences, a brewing battle at OSHA over
a workplace injury reporting rule illustrates how tough that could become, given the
administration's pro-labor leanings. At issue is a regulation that would force employers to identify
when a workplace-related injury or illness is considered a musculoskeletal disorder, a term broadly
used to describe ailments caused by repetitive stress, like carpal tunnel syndrome or strains from
frequent heavy lifting. |
| (Source: NJ.com (free reg. req'd),
2010-02-13) |
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| Many U.S. employers are
increasingly losing confidence in their workers' ability to save for retirement and, as a result,
plan to step up efforts to help workers maximize 401(k) savings, starting by reinstating the match,
Hewitt Associates found. In fact, 80 percent of companies that suspended or reduced their company
match are planning to restore it this year. |
| (Source: Financial-Planning.com,
2010-02-09) |
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| Responding to pleas from
immigration judges and lawyers who say the nation's immigration courts are faltering under a
crushing caseload, the American Bar Association called for Congress to scrap the current system and
create a new, independent court for immigration cases. In a vote at its semiannual meeting in
Orlando, Fla., the lawyers' organization endorsed a recommendation for a separate immigration court
system that would be similar to federal courts that decide tax cases. |
| (Source: The New York Times (free reg. req'd),
2010-02-08) |
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| Increased site visits are a
key tool in the federal government's newly aggressive fight against immigration fraud. The visits
are to expand to as many as 25,000 this fiscal year from 5,000 last year, according to Alejandro N.
Mayorkas, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. |
| (Source: Los Angeles Times (free reg. req'd),
2010-02-07) |
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| Some might say it's a good
thing, others might say the opposite, but there's no denying that union membership is declining in
the United States. Last year, 12.3 percent of wage and salary workers were union members, compared
with 20.1 percent in 1983, the first year for which the federal government compiled comparable
data. |
| (Source: The New York Times (free reg. req'd),
2010-02-13) |
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| A government agency must pay
$4.5 million in attorneys' fees to a Cedar Rapids trucking firm that the agency sued more than two
years ago for allegedly sexually harassing female drivers, a federal judge ruled. The award follows
an October ruling by U.S. District Judge Linda Reade. She rejected claims by the federal Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission that CRST Van Expedited Inc. subjected women to sexual harassment
and improper touching when they were paired with male drivers in sleeper-cab trucks for long-haul
truck driver training. |
| (Source: Des Moines Register,
2010-02-15) |
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| Workers with depression stay
home sick more often than healthy colleagues, even when their disease is treated, according to a
Thomson Reuters report. The report, commissioned by drug maker Sanofi Aventis, suggests that
employers would benefit from better treatments of their workers for depression. |
| (Source: Reuters, 2010-02-09) |
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| As the Senate considers a
"jobs bill" to reduce unemployment, lawmakers will have to decide whether to continue an
unprecedented change in how the country treats people who are out of work, which was quietly
approved last year. Through a series of laws, including the $787 billion economic stimulus, people
in states with high rates of unemployment are eligible to get jobless benefits for up to 99 weeks,
an all-time high, but Congress did this in a piecemeal fashion, and it must pass legislation to keep
benefits going for an estimated one million people who would otherwise become ineligible at the end
of the month. |
| (Source: The Washington Post (free reg. req'd),
2010-02-09) |
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| The Compassionate Use Act,
which takes effect in July, protects medical marijuana users from criminal prosecution and
penalties. But how the bill applies to the workplace is bound to become a hot topic for many
companies. |
| (Source: NJ.com (free reg. req'd),
2010-02-15) |
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As you walk around the office this week and notice the Valentine's Day sweet nothings still
decorating your employees' offices, you may need to devote some attention to the employee who
received flowers from "Bob in Accounting". . . and you'll definitely need to take some steps to
protect your business if the flowers are from "Your Supervisor." With the economy forcing many
employees to work longer hours, it appears that the office has turned into a matchmaking hotbed.
According to CareerBuilder.com's annual survey of 8,000 office workers, 40 percent of workers
have had at least one romantic relationship with a co-worker. Even more surprisingly, 67
percent of workers currently involved in an office romance said that they made no effort to keep
their relationship a secret. It is okay if these statistics make you feel a bit squeamish.
Read the entire article about office
relationships and cupid agreements. |
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Ice Miller's Labor and
Employment Practice is proud to partner with Lorman Education Services to present a seminar on
"Administering the Family and Medical Leave Act Under the Current Regulations" on Friday, March
5. The seminar will take place at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre Hotel. This
event will be a great opportunity to network with other professionals in your area.
You can receive $50 off the registration fee by using the priority code 15000 and discount code
Z7745121. Click here to view the event
details and register, or call (866) 352-9539. |
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Conducting Employee Background Checks in the EU: Is it Legal? Is it Advisable?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
In Europe, serious concerns have been raised regarding privacy issues, what information can be
legitimately asked and obtained from former employers, what kind of background information can be
collected, and what is the potential risk of data protection liability. This webinar will
discuss why background checks are important and how they can be done legally and practically in the
EU, even taking into account the numerous privacy laws among all the different countries.
Federal and State Laws Regulating Pre-Employment Screening and Safe Hiring
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The session will provide an overview of the latest legal issues triggered when conducting
pre-employment screening in the U.S. The presenters will offer practical insight on how
employers may conduct legally compliant screening programs that ensure that they hire a safe and
qualified workforce and avoid claims from job applicants that their legal rights were infringed.
To register for either webinar, please visit www.employmentlawalliance.com and click the
links in the box on the right entitled, “Employment Law
Webinars.” |
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Questionable
Claims?
If you question an employee's worker's compensation claim, make sure your insurance adjuster
understands the reasons why. Call the adjuster, and suggest a conference call with your
worker's compensation attorney before any decisions are made.
If you have questions about a worker's compensation issue, please contact Ann Stewart.
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