labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Many employers have questions regarding the COBRA subsidy under ARRA, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

One of the key features under the ARRA is a 65% subsidy to provide COBRA continued healthcare coverage to the unemployed.

Employers need to realize that regulations are still being written for this law that went into effect on February 17, 2009. We will continue to update employers as new regulations are published.

COBRA, of course, is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, a law that permits employees who have lost their jobs to continue their group insurance coverage for up to 18 months. COBRA also applies to dependents of ensured employees, and to employees who lose coverage because their hours have been reduced.

Only employers with 20 or more (more…)

Proving that sexual harassment is not confined to civilian employers, an Air Force commander was recently found guilty of two counts of indecent assault involving female employees at a base in Texas.  He was sentenced to 9 years in prison and discharge from the service on a total of 34 criminal counts on July 26, 2008. The sexual assault convictions mean that Col. Lofton must register as a sex offender.

According to a Wichita Falls newspaper, a military panel of 7 men and  2 women found Col. Samuel Lofton III guilty of forcing two civilian female employees to kiss him and placing their hands on his genitals. One of the women reported two incidents in 2007, while the other reported two incidents in 2006. Both women worked in the same building as Col. Lofton, although neither reported to him. Col. Lofton was also found guilty of harassing a high-ranking enlisted Air Force member on the phone and making sexually suggestive comments to her at work.

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