Tag: news

Obama pushing to make more workers eligible for overtime

The latest development in President Barack Obama’s continuing effort to boost pay for low-wage workers is coming in the form of a plan to increase the number of workers who  are eligible for overtime pay. A March 11 report on The New York Times website says Obama will direct the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) […]

EEOC, FTC team up to provide tips on background checks

Employers and jobseekers alike are getting more direction on employer use of background checks with the release of two technical assistance documents from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). On March 10, the EEOC and the FTC copublished the documents, which are available on the agencies’ websites. The documents—Background […]

New York City paid sick leave law begins April 1

by New York Employment Law Letter New York City employers need to be ready for the city’s new Earned Sick Time Act by the April 1 effective date. Beginning April 1, the law, passed last summer over the veto of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, requires private-sector employers with 20 or more employees in New York City […]

Expert Advice on E-Learning

There are four key “land mines” that trainers might encounter when developing e-learning modules, but careful planning can help trainers sidestep those problems, says Jennifer DeVries, president and chief solutions architect of BlueStreak Learning (www.bluestreaklearning.com). The first problem deals with delivery. Even the most innovative, cutting-edge e-learning module won’t be effective if it is designed […]

Training, enforcement key parts of DOL’s proposed budget

The Obama administration’s proposed U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) budget for fiscal year 2015 stresses a continuation of enforcement initiatives from previous years as well as new job training and assistance initiatives. Released on March 4, the budget proposal includes $11.8 billion in discretionary funding for the DOL, $300,000 less than the request in the […]

U.S. Supreme Court expands SOX whistleblower protection

In the early 2000s, corporate and accounting scandals involving Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, and other publicly traded companies cost investors billions of dollars and prompted federal legislation to reform corporate financial practices. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) covers everything from mandatory financial disclosures to enhanced penalties for white-collar crime to requiring a company’s CEO to sign corporate […]

Long-Time Trainer Honored for Apprenticeship Development

In his 3-decade career with Bosch Rexroth, Mike Bryan has trained nearly 770 apprentices and continuously demonstrated his support for developing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills among the next generation of workers. His efforts were recently recognized by the German American Chambers of Commerce (GACC), which presented Bryan with its Trainer of the […]

NLRB sets public meeting on proposed changes to union election rules

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has set two days of meetings in April to hear opinions on proposed changes to rules governing union representation elections. The NLRB will meet for April 10-11 at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., to allow members of the public to present their views on what probusiness interests have labeled […]

New resources available on upcoming rules for federal contractors

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has posted new resources on its website to help federal contractors comply with new regulations pertaining to recruiting people with disabilities and veterans. New regulations going into effect March 24 strengthen requirements under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and […]

Study Shows Spending on Training Soars

A recent study by Bersin by Deloitte revealed that overall spending on training rose 15 percent to $1,169 per learner on average in 2013. The rise in training spending is a signal that businesses are responding to a growing skills gap as the economy recovers by investing more in employee development. The findings appear in […]