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| President Bush is expected
soon to sign into law federal protection against genetic discrimination, a bill barring employers
and insurers from using test results against patients. First to benefit will be people who put off
learning if they inherited genes responsible for diseases that run in their families for fear of
losing insurance coverage or a job. |
| (Source: The Clarion-Ledger,
2008-05-20) |
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| The closure of Eureka's Arctic
Circle last month -- prompted in part by an Americans with Disabilities Act noncompliance lawsuit --
has sparked community outrage over what some see as a spate of frivolous lawsuits, while others say
it's the disabled who remain the victims. Many business owners are afraid that minor infractions are
exactly what some plaintiffs' lawyers are looking for. |
| (Source: The Times-Standard,
2008-05-18) |
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| While working mothers have
made strides in achieving a balance between their home and work lives, the number of pregnancy
discrimination charges has nonetheless been rising at an alarming pace, according to the federal
government.
And as the economy slows, pregnant employees could be on the frontline of layoffs, employment
lawyers said. |
| (Source: Daily News, 2008-05-19) |
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| Message boards in the
workplace could be a troublesome new source of liability for employers. Postings could lead to a
host of lawsuits against employers, including sexual harassment, discrimination, defamation and
wrongful termination claims, some labor and employment attorneys warn. |
| (Source: law.com, 2008-05-13) |
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| Some employers are asking
dating coworkers to sign "love contracts," which define the nature of their relationship as
consensual and restate the company's harassment policies. While these contracts may be
proliferating, they are not new. |
| (Source: U.S. News & World Report,
2008-05-14) |
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| Seventy percent of the
employers responding to a recent survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee
Benefit Plans reported that they offered retirement or financial planning education or programs to
their employees. Pat Krajnak, IFEBP Director of Reference/Research Service, reported that this
assistance was most commonly provided in the form of group meetings and workshops, but that
web-based tools were gaining in popularity. |
| (Source: CCH Business & Corporate Compliance,
2008-05-20) |
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| Efforts to increase the H-1B
cap have been stuck in a legislative swamp, but U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) has introduced
three bills in the past few weeks to help foreign nationals already working in the U.S. obtain
permanent residency. Fixing the permanent residency, or green card employment-based, visa program
has been a top legislative goal of high-tech industry proponents, on par with their efforts to raise
the H-1B cap. |
| (Source: Computerworld, 2008-05-14) |
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| The tenure of chief
executives, those richly compensated princes riding herd on America's publicly traded companies,
ranks among the shortest of any professional group. And it's continuing to be whittled down,
according to recent data from consulting firms. Forty percent last no more than two years in the
corner office. |
| (Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free reg. req'd), 2008-05-14) |
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| In an era of increased
scrutiny of executive pay practices, it may seem perilous for corporate boards to reward an
underperforming CEO with a generous raise. Yet the practice continues, in part because of the
long-standing custom of basing executives' compensation on the pay of their peers. Known as
"competitive benchmarking," it has contributed to the runaway inflation in executive pay, corporate
compensation experts say. |
| (Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune (free reg. req'd), 2008-05-16) |
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| Exchanging ad space for gas
money is just one example of how employers are helping their workers cope with the rising cost of
commuting. Some companies now offer car and vanpool services to work. |
| (Source: ABC News, 2008-05-20) |
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| In 2004, when cameras first
became widely available for devices, many companies that purchase devices for their employees dug in
their heels and asked their wireless carriers to provide models with no cameras. Four years later,
however, that hard-line approach appears to be softening, at least in the private sector. |
| (Source: Computerworld, 2008-05-19) |
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| Jenifer
Brown |
Sarah
Akber |
Christl
Glier |
As previously announced, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a new rule on April
8, 2008 providing foreign students in F-1 visa status two possible ways to extend the normal one
year of post-degree Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment permission. Read a previous
publication on Cap Gap and STEM extensions to OPT. Additionally, this new rule contains
several other provisions applicable to all foreign students working in the U.S. on OPT after the
completion of their studies.
Read more about the changes to OPT
regulations for F-1 students.
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Help Your Employees Quit Smoking
this Summer
Smoking increases the risk and severity of musculoskeletal injuries and occupational illness. Of
course, it also adds to lost time and health care costs. The National Cancer Institute estimates
that every smoker costs their employer an additional $1,000 per year. Employers can help employees
quit smoking by offering information through a health care provider, individual counseling and
incentive programs, such as reimbursement for smoking cessation programs.
Please contact Kathleen Shortridge or Ann
Stewart if you have any worker's comp questions.
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