Expert Compliance Insights & Tips for Businesses

October 24, 2016

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DOL Clarifies Injury, Illness Reporting Requirements and Violations

A Department of Labor (DOL) memorandum issued on Oct. 19 to all regional administrators of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) clarifies both an employer's obligation to facilitate injury and illness reporting by employees and also an employer's obligation not to retaliate for such reporting through disciplinary action, incentive programs or drug testing, even if inadverten...

October 24, 2016

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Slips, Trips and Falls Again Top OSHA's List of Violations

For FY 2016, the results are in, and slips, trips and falls once again came in as the most frequently cited workplace safety violation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The next nine, in order, are fall protection, hazard communication, scaffolds, repiratory protection, lockout/tagout, powered industrial trucks, ladders, machine guarding, electrical wiring, and elect...

October 22, 2016

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BLS Slates Survey to Determine the Nation's Gig Economy

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has requested approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct the first Contingent Worker Supplement (CWS) survey since 2005 to determine the size, shape and usage of the gig economy -- those jobs that obtained "through electronic matching platforms" as well as "alternative employment arrangements, including independent contractors, on-cal...

October 20, 2016

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HHS Looks for 13.8 Million Obamacare Sign-Ups

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced that she expects 13.8 million individuals to sign up for coverage through the Marketplaces during the upcoming open enrollment. The projection was announced as part of her remarks highlighting what she called the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) success in dramatically expanding access to coverage, and describing ...

October 19, 2016

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Federal Judge Blocks Transgender Bathroom Edict Nationwide

A federal judge in Texas has affirmed a nationwide injunction against implementation of the Education and Justice Departments' guidance on transgender bathroom access, which also means federal funds cannot be withheld from schools that do not comply with the mandate announced in May. Judge Reed O'Connor first issued his injunction in August in the case of Texas v. the United States, but implem...

October 19, 2016

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OSHA Delays Enforcement of Retaliation Rule Until Dec. 1

OSHA has agreed to further delay enforcement of the anti-retaliation provisions in its injury and illness tracking rule until Dec. 1, 2016. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas requested the delay to allow additional time to consider a motion challenging the new provisions. The anti-retaliation provisions were originally scheduled to begin Aug. 10, 2016, but were previous...

October 18, 2016

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OSHA Releases Updated Guidelines for Safety and Health Programs

OSHA has updated the "Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs" it first released 30 years ago, to reflect changes in the economy, workplaces and evolving safety and health issues. The recommended practices present a step-by-step approach to implementing a safety and health program, built around seven core elements that make up a successful program, according to the agency. The ma...

October 17, 2016

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EEOC Announces Strategic Goals Going Forward

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently approved an updated Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) for Fiscal Years 2017-2021, reaffirming the agency's commitment to efforts that have strategic impact in advancing equal opportunity in America's workplaces. EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan for Fiscal Years 2017-2021 continues to prioritize the areas identified in its previous SEP...

October 12, 2016

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WalMart Raises Entry-Level Manager Salaries in Advance of New Overtime Rule

WalMart, the national retail chain operating out of Bentonville, Ark., has raised entry-level manager salaries from $45,000 a year to $48,500 in advance of the new white collar overtime rule taking effect Dec. 1. The new rule raises the salary threshold for overtime exemption from $23,660 a year to $47,476, giving WalMart a cushion of more than a thousand dollars. To be exempt from overtime, ...

October 11, 2016

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OMB Releases Slips, Trips and Falls Final Rule for Publication

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has given its okay to the proposed Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) final rule for general industry. The rule, first proposed in 1990 and then updated in 2010, is commonly referred to as "slips, trips and falls." It is now expected that the author of the proposal, the Occupational Safety and Health Ad...

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