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News Notes: Gay-friendly Policies Becoming More Prevalent

More large companies are implementing gay- and lesbian-friendly policies in the workplace, according to a report just released by the Human Rights Campaign. This year, 21 companies, in contrast to 11 last year, received a perfect score on the campaign’s “Corporate Equity Index,” which measures how certain Fortune 500 or Forbes 200 companies treat employees […]

News Notes: Employer Settles DOL Charges Over Using Youth Drivers

Restaurant Runners Inc., which contracts with restaurants to deliver prepared meals to customers’ homes, has shelled out $15,200 in civil penalties to settle Department of Labor (DOL) charges that the company violated child labor laws. The DOL said Restaurant Runner, which has offices in Santa Clarita and Bakersfield, allowed minors to work as delivery drivers, […]

National-Origin Discrimination, Part 2: EEOC Issues New Guidance; What You Need to Know About Language Policies and Citizenship Discrimination

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued new guidance to help employers understand the prohibitions against national-origin discrimination and to suggest best practices for fostering a bias-free workplace. Last month, we reviewed what the guidelines have to say about employment decisions and workplace security issues. This month, we’ll explain the guidelines concerning language requirements […]

News Notes: EEOC Proposes Update of EEO-1 Reporting Rules

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has proposed changes to the EEO-1 form, which must be filed annually by private employers with 100 or more employees and some federal contractors with 50 or more employees. The changes would increase the number of categories for reporting racial and ethnic background and split the existing “officers and managers” […]

EEOC Issues Final GINA Regs

Final regulations implementing the employment provisions (Title II) of the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) were issued today by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). GINA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants on the basis of genetic information about the employee, applicant, or their family members.

Improving Employee Benefits: New IRS Guidelines May Increase Popularity Of Tax-Free Transportation Plans

If you’re looking for a free or low-cost way to boost your employee benefit package, a transportation spending account may be the way to go. These programs involve some administrative burdens, but they can result in income tax savings for employees and FICA tax savings for both you and your workers. Until now, many employers […]

Americans With Disabilities Act: Supreme Court Says Disabilities Must Substantially Limit Activities Of Central Importance To Daily Life; Practical Impact In California

In the first of three cases the U.S. Supreme Court is considering this term that involve the Americans with Disabilities Act, the high court has issued a ruling that will make it harder for workers to prove they are entitled to reasonable accommodation under federal disabilities law. However, as we’ll explain, the new decision, which […]