labor lawAdivision of labor law center

With layoffs and wage reductions mounting, many employers are besieged by pleas from help from employees and former employees. It is enough to touch the heart of even the most hard-nosed small business owner. Employer’s resources are strained to the limit, and often Human Resource pros just don’t have any more to offer.

As severance packages shrink, employees are increasingly demanding more from their former employers.

That’s why it is important for Human Resource professionals to know about a new resource they can direct workers to.

The federal government recently expanded GovBenefits, a program to provide information about government assistance and benefit programs.

GovBenefits is available at www.govbenefits.gov. The website is an excellent source on a number of resources for employees including: 

• Expanded unemployment insurance
• Continued health benefits
• COBRA premium reductions
• Federal training programs
• Disaster relief funds
• Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF)
• Food stamps
• Affordable housing
• Career Development 

GovBenefits recently launched a Twitter account to provide continuous updates about government resources available to workers and their families. The tweets will address new site content, and new government benefits programs. (more…)

An new executive order requires federal contractors to post notices informing employees of their right to form unions and collectively bargain. This requirement must be included in every federal contract along with language giving the government the right to terminate/suspend the contract or even debar the contractor for noncompliance.       

Under Executive Order 13496, every federal contractor is required to post a notice informing employees of their rights to form unions and collectively bargain. This executive order overturns an order signed by President George W. Bush early during his administration.

Under the Executive Order signed by President Barack Obama on Friday, January 30, 2009, this requirement must be included in every federal contract along with language giving the government the right to terminate or suspend the contract if the employer does not comply.

In fact, employers who fail to post the required notice can be debarred for noncompliance.

The Executive Order signed by President Obama focuses specifically on (more…)

Employers have already been warned that the state minimum wage will increase with the new year in Oregon, Washington, Florida, New Mexico, Vermont, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, Montana, Ohio and Connecticut.

However, employers in other states also have to contend with minimum wage increases this year.

Even if an employer has no minimum wage employees, each increase means the employer must update his or her minimum wage posters. By law, employers are required to display a variety of labor law posters prominently in the workplace. Failure to do so can result in fines, penalties and citations.

On July 1, 2009 the Illinois minimum wage will increase by 50 cents, from $7.50 to $8.00 per hour. This is the final step in a 3-tiered increase introduced by the now-infamous (more…)

The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued new regulations regarding Military Family Leave.

In 2008, the president signed into law a new measure, which guarantees FMLA leave for military families in a variety of circumstances. As we have already reported, the new law permits a wounded soldier’s next of kin to take up to 26 weeks of unpaid, job-protected FMLA.

Every employer must post a Military Family Leave notice under this law, even if they have no employees who qualify for the leave.

The law permits members of a military family to take FMLA leave for a variety of situations when a family member is on active duty. This also applies when a member of the National Guard or military Reserve is called to active duty. When this occurs, family members may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected FMLA for any one of a number of “qualifying exigencies.”

The new FMLA regulations defines “qualifying exigency” as (more…)

The new FMLA regulations go into effect on January 16, 2009.

In a key change, the FMLA regulation for Continuing Treatment, Section 825.115, defines a “serious health condition.”  The FMLA permits employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for a serious health condition. During that period, the employees’ benefits, including their group health insurance, must continue on the same basis as before. After the leave, the employee must be returned to his or her job. (more…)