Bulletin Item: OSHA’s Revised Form 300 Log Now Available Online
You can now access and download the form that will be required to report workplace injuries and illnesses starting Jan. 1, 2004.
Archives
Bulletin Item: DOL’s Proposed Overtime Unlikely to Win Congress’s Approval
With strong opposition to the proposals in the U.S. House of Representatives, it appears unlikely that overtime changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor will be passed this year. If there are any changes in the progress of this legislation, we’ll let you know.
Bulletin Item: Gov. Davis Vetoes Bills Before Leaving Office
Among the bills that failed to win the governor’s approval were AB 1715, which would have prohibited employers from requiring employees to sign agreements to arbitrate Fair Employment and Housing Act claims as a condition of employment; AB 1093, which would have set a living wage for employees of state contractors; AB 1133, which would […]
Bulletin Item: Employee Benefits Security Administration to Release Final COBRA Rules Early Next Year
Once DOL finalizes these rules, employers will have six months to implement new COBRA procedures. As soon as the new rules are released we will detail what you’ll need to do to implement the changes.
Workplace Violence: New Case Gives Employers a Tool to Ward Off Tragedy; Restraining Orders Now Easier to Obtain
On July 8, 2003, a worker at a Lockheed Martin Mississippi aircraft parts plant gunned down 14 coworkers, killing five. On August 27, 2003, a disgruntled former employee opened fire at a Chicago auto parts warehouse, killing six former coworkers. These tragedies are just a fraction of the workplace violence incidents—which include the spillover of […]
Insurance: Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Corporate-Owned Life Insurance Policies on Workers
Gov. Davis has signed a law barring employers from taking out corporate-owned life insurance policies on employees, with some exceptions. The law does not affect the validity of employer-purchased life insurance that is provided as an employee benefit.
Disability Bias: Threat to Demote Disabled Employee Who Wouldn’t Relinquish Accommodation Illegal; Train Your Supervisors
A new Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal ruling highlights that you can’t threaten an employee with discipline, demotion, or discharge for exercising their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the right to an accommodation. Employee Taken Off “On-Call” Duty Brenda Brown was a Tucson, Ariz., police detective in the neighborhood crimes unit. When […]
Terminating Employees: Firing Employee for Discussing Family Leave Rights with Co-Workers Violated NLRA; Even Nonunion Employers Must Be Cautious
Most employers know the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects an employee’s right to participate in union activities. But the law is actually much broader than that. It also covers workers—union and nonunion—who join together to protest or seek changes in the terms and conditions of their employment. Retaliation against an employee for engaging in […]
Workplace Diversity, Part 1: 4 Reasons You Should Implement a Diversity Program and 4 Ways to Get Started Today
In earlier articles we reported on two new U.S. Supreme Court affirmative action decisions with implications for workplace diversity programs. Cultivating and maintaining a diverse workforce is a complex and ongoing process, and it’s not always easy to know how to proceed. This two-part series will address why organizations adopt diversity programs, ways to get […]
Employee Internet Use: How You Can Guard Against Online Risks—A 7-Point Internet Policy Checklist
One of your employees has been copying pornographic images off the Internet and showing them to coworkers. Another has been distributing racist jokes through company e-mail. And others have downloaded some hot new software onto their office PCs, violating federal copyright laws. It’s bad enough these employees are surfing the Net instead of working. But […]