Articles by Girish Anand

February 3, 2012

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Combustible Dust Standard from OSHA Not on Fast Track

combustible dust

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has moved the development of regulations to control combustible dust hazards to its long-term agenda despite pleas from the Chemical Safety Board to fast track the rules, according to a report from the Associated Press. Combustible dust can be generated from most substances—plastics, metals, chemicals and foods—especially when...

February 2, 2012

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EBSA Delays Plan Disclosure Rule

401(k) EBSA

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has issued a final rule that will provide employers sponsoring pension and 401(k) plans with information about the administrative and investment costs associated with providing such plans to their workers. The department also announced a 3-month extension in the effective date of this rule, meaning service provi...

January 31, 2012

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DOL Proposal Expands Eligibility of FMLA Leave for Military, Airline Flight Crews

The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued proposed new rules regarding the eligibility of military family members and airline flight crews under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The proposed language would extend the entitlement of military caregiver leave to family members of veterans for up to five years after leaving the military. At this time, the law covers only family members of &q...

January 30, 2012

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Retaliation Charges Up in Fiscal Year 2011 EEOC Filings

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 36,344 retaliation complaints in fiscal year 2011, an increase of three percent from the year prior, making them the largest single block of filings. In all, the EEOC fielded 99,947 discrimination complaints, a slight increase from the previous year's 99,922. Fiscal year 2011 ended Sept. 30. Through its enforcement, mediation and l...

January 27, 2012

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OSHA Form 300A Injury and Illness Summary Must Be Posted by Feb. 1

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, must be posted in a conspicuous location by Feb. 1 of each year and left up for viewing until April 30. The summary lists only numbers of affected employees by category. Companies that operate in more than one location must complete a separate summary for each of them. At the same...

January 24, 2012

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OSHA Hazard Communication Standard Approval Delayed

GHS HAZCOM OMB OSHA

The 90-day review period for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM) passed yesterday (Jan. 23, 2012) with no approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which must review all regulations for economic impact and other issues. The OMB Web site, however, indicates that its review will be completed in February 2012. The rev...

January 23, 2012

26 view(s)

UCSD Med Center Settles Over I-9 Discrimination Charge

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and its Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Discrimination announced that the University of California San Diego Medical Center has reached a "six-figure" settlement over its practice of requiring excessive documentation from noncitizen employees during the Form I-9 work authorization process. Specifically, the DOJ says UCSD committed &quo...

January 19, 2012

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EEOC Seeks Commentary on New Strategic Plan for FY 2012-2016

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is seeking commentary on its proposed Fiscal Year 2012-2016 Strategic Plan. The draft plan envisions three strategic goals: 1) "to combat employment discrimination through strategic law enforcement"; 2) "to prevent employment discrimination through education and outreach" and by establishing community partnerships; and 3) &q...

January 18, 2012

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OSHA Orders Pilot Reinstated after Retaliation Termination for Reporting Mechanical Problems

The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines Co., to reinstate a former pilot who was fired after reporting numerous mechanical concerns. The agency also has ordered that the pilot be paid more than $1 million in back wages plus interest and compensatory damages. An investig...

January 17, 2012

24 view(s)

Top 10 OSHA Willful, Repeat and Serious Violations of 2011

Willful violations, with fines of up to $70,000, occur when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) deems the accident to have been due to complete indifference to or disregard for OSHA safety standards. The agency just released its list of the Top 10 willful and repeat violations, which are: Excavation protective system, 84 violations Fall protection, 67 violations Process...

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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

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

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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

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Articles by Girish Anand