Author: HR Hero

EEOC Hearing Highlights Impact of Age Discrimination

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a public hearing on July 15 to review recent developments under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The panel discussed the effects of widespread layoffs, threats to employee benefits, and controversial recent court decisions on older workers. The panelists testified in detail about the damaging effect […]

House, Senate HELP Committee Health Care Reform Bills

There has been a flurry of health care reform activity in Washington over the last couple of days. House Democrats unveiled their version of health care reform July 14, which includes a “pay-or-play requirement” directed at employers. On July 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved health care reform legislation that […]

Surviving the Recession: How to Cope with Tough Times

All right, I’m officially over the recession. I’m tired of reading, writing, thinking, and talking about it. Most of all I’m tired of having to deal with it every day in our business. I long for the good ol’ days. For our industry — publishing — that was the go-go ’90s. But at this point […]

How Employers Can Avoid Becoming an EEOC Statistic: Part 2

by Amy M. McLaughlin In part one of this article, we discussed the increase in the number of discrimination charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against private-sector employers since 2006. In 2006, the EEOC saw it’s first increase in charge filings in four years. By 2008, the number of discrimination claims filed […]

Three NLRB Nominations Announced by Obama Administration

Late Friday, July 9, the White House announced it had sent the nominations of Craig Becker, Mark Gaston Pearce, and Brian Hayes to be members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to the U.S. Senate. If confirmed, the NLRB would have a full, five-member board for the first time since December 2007. The current […]

U.S. Senate Approves Several Amendments Dealing with Immigration Enforcement

By Hector A. Chichoni On Wednesday, July 8, 2009, the U.S. Senate approved several amendments dealing with immigration enforcement and benefits that were not included in the 2010 homeland security appropriations bill (H.R. 2892) passed previously by the House of Representatives. An amendment introduced by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala) dealing with E-Verify was passed by […]

Federal Minimum Wage Increases on July 24

On July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage will increase to $7.25 per hour. The increase is the result of a May 2007 amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which boosted the minimum wage in three steps. The first two steps — to $5.85 and then a year later to $6.55 — were […]

Canadian Employers May Be Obligated to Provide References

by Stephen Acker and Christopher Ferguson Letters of reference are understandably important to employees. For many employees, they are considered essential rather than a hopeful add-on to an application. A glowing letter of reference from a trusted source can sometimes tip the balance and lead to a hire. A bad or withheld letter, or one […]

Federal Contractors Required to Use E-Verify Starting September 8

Beginning Sept. 8, 2009, federal contractors and subcontractors will be required to use the E-Verify system to ensure their employees are legally authorized to work in the United States.The requirement is designed to stop federal contractors and subcontractors from hiring illegal immigrants. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced this week that the […]