Articles by Girish Anand

November 14, 2012

41 view(s)

OSHA Publishes List of Most Heavily Fined Safety Violations

Earlier, we provided a list of the most frequently cited safety violations for FY 2011, and now the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has completed the listings by showing the most heavily fined violations (below), which are quite similar to the violations listed earlier. Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page] Scaffoldi...

November 12, 2012

30 view(s)

Vermont to Raise Minimum Wage to $8.60 on Jan. 1

Vermont, one of several states that tie their minimum wage to inflation, is set to raise its minimum hourly rate to $8.60, up from $8.46, on Jan. 1. The inflation rate is calculated for the 12-month period ending Aug. 31 of each year and takes effect at the dawn of the new year. This year's increase is less than 2 percentage points, based upon results of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For ...

November 10, 2012

25 view(s)

Annual Injury and Illness Absences from Work Basically Unchanged from 2010

The rate of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases requiring days away from work to recuperate was 117 cases per 10,000 full-time workers in 2011, statistically unchanged from 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The total number of private industry, state government, and local government cases with days away from work remained statistically unchanged at 1,181,290. The med...

November 8, 2012

24 view(s)

What the Election Means for Employers

With the election under wraps, employers should be mindful of the following employment and labor issues: The Future of the National Labor Relations Board Unions have not forgotten the promises that President Obama made to them in his first campaign. And while the President has had to>focus on pressing issues concerning the economy, it is likely he will refocus on unions in the second term. T...

November 8, 2012

27 view(s)

Newark, N.J., to Take Hard Line on Criminal Background Checks

Beginning Nov. 18, companies with five or more employees operating in Newark, N.J., will be barred from conducting criminal background checks before an offer of employment is made, and then only if the position is considered "sensitive" enough to warrant such an investigation. Even if the position is labeled "sensitive" (which the law doesn't entirely define), the employ...

November 7, 2012

62 view(s)

Second Largest USERRA Settlement Ever Announced

Though the terms cannot be disclosed, a recent settlement with a returning Wisconsin National Guardsman who was fired from his civilian job is reported to amount to several years' worth of salary. Michael Hanke was terminated by Com Tek, a defense contractor, when he returned from active duty in 2010. Somehow, the U.S. Army, which contracts with Com Tek, is on the hook for the settlement be...

November 5, 2012

23 view(s)

New Employee Background Check Rule Takes Effect Jan. 1

Effective Jan. 1, 2013, employers must use a revised “Summary of Consumer Rights” notice to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). All businesses that conduct background investigations on applicants and employees must comply with the notification and identify theft provisions of the FCRA. Under the FCRA, employers are obliged to obtain a background check authorization fro...

November 2, 2012

22 view(s)

Disability.gov Launches Campaign to Mark 10th Anniversary

The Disability.gov website has launched "What's Your Connection?" to commemorate the site's 10th anniversary. The initiative emphasizes that disability is a natural part of the human experience and focuses on the integral role people with disabilities play in American society. Disability.gov is managed by the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy in ...

October 31, 2012

42 view(s)

NLRB Acting General Counsel Weighs in On Employee Handbooks

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon today released an analysis of at-will employment clauses in two employee handbooks, finding that both are lawful under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Charges filed with the NLRB alleged that the handbooks, distributed by a California trucking company and a restaurant in Arizona, defined at-will employment so bro...

October 29, 2012

34 view(s)

IRS Releases EITC Amounts and Form for 2013

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released updated 2013 Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) amounts and a new Notice 797. Individuals will now qualify for EITC on their 2012 tax return if they: ♦ earned under $45,060 and have three or more qualifying children ($50,270 if married filing jointly) ♦ earned under $41,952 and have two qualifying children ($47,162 if married filing joi...

147 of 221

Options

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.

View All Articles

Articles by Girish Anand