On May 2, 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Working Family Flexibility Act of 2017 – a bill that would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to permit private employees to take paid time off instead of...more
OSHA initiated a “Standards Improvement Project” in 1995 in response to a memorandum from Pres. Clinton in order to make non-controversial, consensus changes to requirements in OSHA standards that are confusing, outdated,...more
The Department of Labor was extremely active in 2016 as President Obama’s second term came to a close. From more than doubling the threshold salary level to be classified as an exempt employee to requiring employers provide...more
3/8/2017
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Federal Contractors ,
Minimum Salary ,
Obama Administration ,
OSHA ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sick Leave ,
Threshold Requirements ,
Trump Administration ,
Wage and Hour ,
Webinars ,
White-Collar Exemptions
The ball has dropped, the confetti has been swept out of Times Square, and 2016 (and the Obama Administration) is in the books. It is time to look back at the year and take stock of what we learned from and about OSHA over...more
BLR recently published a two piece article in the HR Daily Advisor by Kara Maciel and Daniel Deacon, of Conn Maciel Carey’s national Labor & Employment Law Practice Group, regarding government agencies increased focus on...more
OSHA’s new electronic injury recordkeeping rule includes anti-retaliation provisions that create new employer obligations and prohibitions related to internal employee injury reporting procedures, and expands OSHA’s...more
On November 16, 2016, a Texas federal judge permanently blocked the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) from enforcing its persuader rule in National Federation of Independent Business, et al. v. Thomas E. Perez, et al., Case...more
OSHA has once again delayed enforcement of the controversial anti-retaliation provisions of its new electronic injury and illness recordkeeping rule. OSHA issued its second delay of the effective date of enforcement of this...more
If there is one issue that has remained a hot topic in employment news throughout 2016, it is pay equity and transparency. These topics have not only garnered attention at the federal level but at the state level as...more
On September 20, 2016, business groups and states filed two lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas challenging President Obama’s new overtime rule that is set to take effect December 1, 2016. ...more
With the start of a new NFL football season around the corner, many employers are likely hearing chatter around the workplace about the upcoming season, predictions, and office football leagues. Office betting pools can have...more
OSHA’s recent Injury and Illness Recordkeeping reform has created quite a stir for employers. As we discussed in an earlier article about the new Recordkeeping rule, OSHA now requires employers to electronically submit to...more
8/30/2016
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Drug Testing ,
Electronic Filing ,
Executive Compensation ,
Final Rules ,
Incentives ,
OSHA ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Employers should be cautious of an email that has been circulating to numerous employers around the country that appears on its face to be a request from OSHA to download a guidance document about “Safety & Health at U.S.:...more
On July 14th, the House Appropriations Committee approved a $161.6 billion draft Labor, Health, and Human Service bill that contains several provisions that would prevent the Department of Labor (“DOL”) and the National...more
As of July 1, both Maryland’s and the District of Columbia will increase the minimum wage. Maryland’s minimum wage will increase to $8.75 per hour while the District of Columbia’s will increase to $11.50 per hour. Employers...more
The District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia have all taken steps toward legalizing marijuana in some form. However, these laws differ in many respects and raise some interesting questions for employers. Because medical...more
Perhaps the most significant safety related regulatory reform during the Obama Administration has been the amended Hazard Communication Standard, bringing OSHA’s chemical Right-to-Know regulation more in line with the United...more
Workplace violence has become a serious issue for employers throughout the United States. In the wake of the recent mass shootings that occurred in San Bernardino, CA and Hesston, KA, both of which occurred at least in part...more
On March 23, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) finalized the long-awaited “persuader” rule requiring employers and their labor relations consultants, including attorneys, to report any activities by these consultants...more