Tag: news

U.S. Supreme Court Building

Employers: “Full Speed Ahead” on Healthcare Reform

By Douglas R. Chamberlain Sulloway & Hollis, P.L.L.C. The U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision on healthcare reform (also known as the Affordable Care Act, or ACA) will be dissected and argued about for many years to come. The Court essentially upheld all the key elements of the healthcare reform law — most notably the so-called […]

U.S. Supreme Court Building

Supreme Court Upholds Healthcare Reform Law

By Jessica Webb-Ayer The wait is over: The U.S. Supreme Court has decided that the massive healthcare reform law (also known as the Affordable Care Act, or ACA) enacted in March 2010 is constitutional. So what happened, and what does this mean for employers? Read the Supreme Court’s decision on Health Care Reform The most […]

U.S. Supreme Court Building

SB 1070 conflicts with federal law on alien employment

By Dinita L. James Arizona’s attempt to make criminals out of those who work or seek employment while unlawfully in the United States suffered a fatal blow in the U.S. Supreme Court today. The 5-3 decision, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, held that Congress already has “decided it would be inappropriate to impose criminal penalties […]

Ask the Trainer: Weekend Training

A: According to BLR legal editors, there is no federal law that would prohibit an employer from requiring an exempt employee to attend a training session over a weekend, especially where the training is necessary for the employee to perform the job. However, the company should consider any union contract, individual employment contract, or policy […]

New NLRB website highlights “protected concerted activity”

by Tammy Binford The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is continuing efforts to broaden its impact on the workforce with the launch of a webpage aimed at communicating to workers how they can use the law in disputes with their employers. The webpage is the latest of several recent NLRB moves that many employers find […]

U.S. Supreme Court rules drug reps are exempt as “outside salesmen”

By Nancy Williams Pharmaceutical representatives who persuade physicians to prescribe specific drugs don’t make any actual sales. They can’t because the products they promote can be sold legally only through a doctor’s prescription to an individual patient. Yet for years, it has been a common industry practice to categorize such employees as outside sales representatives […]

2012-2013 Pay Budget Survey

It’s time for BLR and HRHero’s annual Pay Budget Survey. What’s happening with salary increases and bonuses in 2012 and 2013? How do your plans compare to those of your competitors? Let’s find out. By sharing your insight, opinions, and experience, you can help highlight trends and define benchmarks — by industry, geographic location, and […]

Court Ruling in Defense of Marriage Act Case Leaves Uncertainty for Employers

By Kathy Carlson A federal appeals court in Massachusetts ruled Thursday that the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional because it prevents same-sex married couples from receiving benefits available to heterosexual married couples. The U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled that in enacting DOMA, the federal government was intruding into domestic […]

NLRB Member Resigns Amid Leak Allegations

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which risked losing a quorum just a few months ago, is losing one of its two Republican members. Terence Flynn, who joined the NLRB in January, submitted his resignation on May 26. The resignation is to be effective July 24, but Flynn already has recused himself from all agency […]

Oklahoma Employees May Have Misconceptions About New ‘Open Carry’ Law

by Charlie Plumb Effective November 1, 2012, Oklahoma handgun owners will be permitted to carry their firearms more freely than before. Yet contrary to some popular belief, the state’s new “open carry” bill (SB 1733) does have limitations. Though some employees may believe they now will have the right to carry guns while at work, […]