Articles by Girish Anand

October 9, 2013

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401(k) Auto-Enroll Companies Chintzier Than Non-Auto Firms

Companies that follow Congress's suggestion and auto-enroll their employees in 401(k) defined-contribution retirement plans indeed see higher participation rates -- 71 to 67 percent -- but also appear more reluctant to chip in company matching funds, a study has found. Though the matching rates are numerically close, 3.5 percent for non-auto-enroll companies and 3.2 percent for auto-e...

October 8, 2013

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Obamacare Update: HHS Secretary Doesn't Know How Many Have Enrolled

So far, most reports from both the federal and state Health Insurance Marketplaces since their opening on Oct. 1 have focused on "accounts created," not on policies sold. In fact, when asked point blank how many Americans had enrolled in health plans through the exchanges while appearing on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" Monday night, Health and Human Services (HHS)...

October 8, 2013

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Court Refers Mortgage Loan Officer Overtime Status Back to DOL

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has sided procedurally with the Mortgage Bankers Association in a case involving the reclassification by the Department of Labor (DOL) of mortgage loan officers as nonexempt employees who are eligible for overtime pay. Background: A 2006 opinion letter by the DOL awarded exempt status to mortgage loan officers, meaning they were salaried workers not eligi...

October 8, 2013

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North Colorado? Secession Movement Alive in Rural Colorado

Stung by what they see as a leftward tilt by politicians in the state capital of Denver, residents of 11 rural counties in Colorado are voting in November whether to secede from the state. The litany of local complaints range from green energy to gay rights, but the galvanizing event was the state legislature's vote to enact stricter gun controls. That act has already resulted in the ...

October 8, 2013

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French Labor Law Intercepts Another Alleged Foreign Violator, Ryanair

Foreign Labor Law

Earlier, we reported how French labor law enforcement officials had sniffed out Sephora for staying open too late on the Champs d'Elysees, and now they want discount carrier Ryanair to treat its employees equally under French labor laws and are levying a $13 million fine against the company for violations. French authorities charge Ryanair with multiple violations, including the preve...

October 7, 2013

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NLRB to Construe Each Shutdown Day as a Legal Holiday for Filing Purposes

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), following procedural rules it set up to be used in the event of a shutdown, is counting each day the board is closed because of the Congressional funding stalemate to be a legal holiday. Thus the deadline for filings and serving documents will be extended for each day of the government shutdown. These procedural rules have no effect on legal statutes ...

October 7, 2013

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Supreme Court Convenes, for a Week at Least

In the midst of a federal government shutdown, the U.S. Supreme Court opened for business today as it does annually on the first Monday in October. The court announced it would be business as usual through the end of the week, but further deliberations may depend on a resolution to the budget impasse in Congress. Among key cases to be heard and determined this term are those involving campaign...

October 6, 2013

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Federal Health Care Site Down for Repairs

The HealthCare.gov website, gateway for health insurance coverage under Obamacare for tens of millions of American without state-operated exchanges, is down for off-hour repairs this weekend following days of difficulties after the Oct. 1 launch. The government has yet to release enrollment figures but is officially gloating about "record demand in the first days of the marketplaces." The Ass...

October 4, 2013

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Federal Obamacare Marketplace Gets 2.8 Million Visitors

The Obamacare Health Insurance Marketplace operating in the 36 states that declined to operate their own exchange received 2.8 million visitors the first day (Oct. 1), but Health and Human Services (HHS) officials have yet to release any data on sign-ups. In a call with reporters, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Marilyn Tavenner said the agency would be "releas...

October 3, 2013

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

Workplace slips, trips and falls continue to be the number-one safety violation cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), according to a presentation at the National Safety Congress now ongoing in Chicago. Results for 2013 show that there were 8,241 citations issued for slips, trips and falls, with 6,156 citations for the Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM) com...

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About author

Girish Anand

Recent Articles

Practical articles on HR, Safety, compliance, and people operations—written for real businesses, not legal textbooks.

U.S. Department of Labor Officially Restores Prior Overtime Exemption Rules

On May 14th, 2026, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it has officially rescinded the 2024 overtime exemption rules. Specifically, the WHD published a technical amendment to restore previous 2019 regulations that dictated overtime exemptions for...

NLRB General Counsel Takes Action to Tackle Current Case Backlog

On May 6th, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and NLRB General Counsel Crystal Stowe Carey announced the bulk transfer of thousands of labor practice cases. Specifically, this action fulfills an initiative signed by the NLRB General Counsel earlier this year. Overall, the initiative...

Privacy Agency Invites Comments from Businesses on the CCPA’s Usage of Personal Data

Recently, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) issued a call for comments on the current state of personal data collection under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Specifically, the invitation to deliver remarks was issued on April 20th, 2026. The information provided by the...

DOL Proposes New Joint Employer Rule To Unify Standards Under Federal Labor Laws

In April 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule to establish a single, clear standard for determining when joint-employer status applies under three major federal laws: the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Migrant and Seasonal...

DOL Updates Enforcement Approach for Employee Benefit Plans: What Employers Should Know

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced a significant change in its enforcement of employee benefit plan rules. The DOL will now focus more closely on serious violations that harm workers and retirees, meaning compliant employers may face less scrutiny under the updated approach.

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Articles by Girish Anand