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Signals that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is ramping up enforcement became clearer with the levying of a record $87,430,000 proposed penalty against BP Products North America Inc. on October 30. The previous largest penalty, $21 million, was issued in 2005, also against BP, according to OSHA. OSHA levied the proposed penalty […]
Each year we survey our readers to find out more about them – and let them find out more about each other. Most of you wear many hats and compared to previous years’ results a number of you appear to have added more in 2009. At the same time, many of you have fewer people […]
Update Dec. 21, 2009: President signs bill including COBRA subsidy extension Representative Joe Sestak (D-Pennsylvania) introduced the Extended COBRA Continuation Protection Act of 2009 (H.R. 3930) this week in the U.S. House of Representatives. The proposed bill would extend the original federal COBRA subsidy created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), […]
Congress has moved with surprising speed in passing legislation to expand the situations in which an employee may take military caregiver leave and qualifying exigency leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The “Supporting Military Families Act of 2009” was only introduced in the House and Senate in late July. Now it has […]
By Michelle Sullivan, Holland & Hart LLP Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, issued a statement on October 2 indicating that employers awaiting guidance before implementing changes to medical plans required by the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 should not expect […]
On October 23, 2009, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a new Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law poster, which includes information on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). The poster was updated to include information about GINA, specifically that employers are prohibited from discriminating against applicants and employees on the basis of […]
HRHero.com and M. Lee Smith Publishers is making its Pandemics and H1N1 sample policy available to everyone. The policy covers topics such as employee leave, alternative work arrangements, preventing the spread of contagious illnesses in the workplace, and much more. Download the free Pandemics and H1N1 Sample Policy The policy was created through a collaboration […]
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has declared H1N1 influenza, commonly known as the Swine Flu, to be an epidemic. It seems like every national nightly news program brings more stories of outbreaks, school closings, and even deaths — and it’s just the beginning of flu season. What’s a conscientious employer to do? Take the […]
In a 14-9 vote, the Senate Finance Committee has approved Senator Max Baucus’ health care reform bill, titled America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009. All the Democrats on the committee and only one Republican voted for the legislation. Senator Olympia Snowe, a Republican from Maine who helped work on the bill and whose vote has […]
In the wake of the recent scandal involving late-night host David Letterman, Mike Maslanka, editor of Texas Employment Law Letter, provides advice on how to deal with the relationship dynamics between the top brass and their subordinates in his latest podcast. A top boss must never become romantically involved with a subordinate, says Maslanka. In […]