Employment Law Tip: What Hours Can Teens Work This Summer?
Thinking of hiring teens to work this summer? If so, now’s the time to get a handle on the rules regarding what hours they can work, so you don’t run afoul of state and federal laws.
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News Notes: Proposed Legislation On Workplace Electronic Monitoring
New legislation, SB 1841, has been introduced in Sacramento to require employers to notify employees in writing or electronically before monitoring the workplace electronically—by such means as computer, phone, wire, radio, or camera. The detailed notice would have to be issued when electronic monitoring is implemented and annually thereafter. Violations would carry a steep penalty […]
Employee Benefits: New Proposed Rule on Penalty Assessments for Disclosure Violations
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a proposed regulation for assessing fines against plan administrators who fail to disclose certain documents to participants, beneficiaries, and others as required by the Pension Protection Act (PPA), which amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
Workers’ Compensation: Insurance Commissioner Approves Big Premium Rate Increase
The state Insurance Commissioner has approved a 10.1% premium rate hike for workers’ compensation insurance in response to increases in medical costs that have battered workers’ comp insurers. Although the approved boost is only advisory, increases adopted by the commissioner are frequently used by the industry as a guidepost to set policy prices.
Minimum Wage Update
Whistleblowers: Supreme Court Scales Back Whistleblower Rights
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a new ruling that limits the right of whistleblowers to recover a slice of the damages paid by government contractors whose violations are exposed. Engineer James Stone filed a lawsuit under the Federal False Claims Act (FCA), charging Boeing Co. made false statements regarding safety and environmental issues at […]
Key Changes of 2010—Are You Up to Speed?
From nursing mothers to ‘in loco’ parents, it’s been quite a year in HR, says attorney Stephen R. Woods. Today, his tips on some of the biggest changes of the year and what to do about them. Woods is a shareholder in the Greenville, South Carolina office of law firm Ogletree Deakins, Nash, Smoak & […]
Off-Duty Conduct: Employer Heads to Trial to Defend Charges that Employee Was Fired Because of His Politics
A new ruling from a California appeal court demonstrates why you can’t interfere with the away-from-work activities—including political activities—of your employees.
Bulletin: Government revises Form I-9
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a new Form I-9, which you can access at www.uscis.gov. Five documents, which employees previously could have submitted for proof of identity and employment eligibility, were removed from List A because they lack sufficient features to help deter counterfeiting, tampering, and fraud. Employers can no longer accept […]
IRS Gives Tax Break on Leave Donations to Benefit Storm Victims
Employees who want to help victims of Hurricane Sandy through leave donation may do so without being taxed on the monetary value of the vacation days, sick days and personal leave they donate, the IRS announced Nov. 6. In a leave donation program, employees forgo vacation, sick or personal leave and return it to their […]