Articles by Girish Anand

February 4, 2010

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GINA Could Put Kibosh on Workplace Wellness Programs

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which took effect Nov. 21, 2009, not only forbids employers and health insurers from collecting individuals' genetic information and using that in their decision-making; it also prohibits the solicitation of family medical histories, again to prevent discrimination in decision-making. As the Wall Street Journal recently pointed out, how...

February 1, 2010

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Pilgrim's Pride Settles Back Wage Claims for $1 Million

In an announcement this past Friday (Jan. 29, 2010), poultry processor Pilgrim's Pride said it had agreed to fork over $1 million in back and unpaid overtime wages, including an acknowledgment that it will henceforth pay workers for the time spent donning and doffing their uniforms and work-related gear. Though Pilgrim's Pride is a substantial operation, no company of any size is immune from un...

January 26, 2010

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Obamacare: How the Reconciliation Process Works

With the election of Scott Brown as the 41st Republican to prevent the full Senate from voting on health care reform, the Democrats are left with difficult choices to see their baby through. Some bloggers have written of a secret deal between Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid by which the House would approve the Senate version and thus avoid any further filibuster-possible votes in the upper body, wh...

January 21, 2010

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Wild Edibles Settles Wage-and-Hour Dispute to Survive Alive

Brandworkers Wild Edibles

Wild Edibles, a Long Island City, N.Y.-based wholesale seafood purveyor that was forced into bankruptcy in July 2009, has settled with a wage-earners' group that led a successful boycott of the firm's provisioning by 70 Manhattan restaurants. The boycott was orchestrated by the nonprofit group Brandworkers, which alleged overtime and wage-and-hour violations by Wild Edibles and ended up securin...

January 20, 2010

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IRS to Audit 6,000 Firms on Worker Misclassification

independent contractors IRS

Strapped for cash, the Internal Revenue Service has announced plans to audit 6,000 businesses, both large and small, with a focus on worker misclassification, fringe benefits, reimbursed expenses, and executive compensation. If the IRS discovers personnel listed as independent contractors who are in fact company employees, the results could be costly. The firm could owe large sums in past ...

January 15, 2010

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Maine Floats Paid Sick Leave Law, Businesses Recoil

paid sick leave

First Congress proposed a paid sick leave policy for all the nation's businesses, but that initiative seems to have stalled behind some minor issues like health care reform and carbon transfers. Now Maine is getting into the act, and the proposal has state businesspeople up in arms, especially those who run small businesses. The bill was introduced by State Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, ...

January 12, 2010

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Becker to Be Renominated to NLRB, Sources Say

Craig Becker NLRB

Though there's been no official announcement, the New York Times is reporting that the White House will renominate Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Obama's original nomination of Becker was sent back by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 24, 2009, for reconsideration. Becker met a hailstorm of criticism from Republicans and business interests when he was first nominated, largely ...

January 11, 2010

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EEOC Warns About Background Checks and Hiring Decisions

background checks

When the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in recent years noticed an increase in complaints about employment background checks and their effect on minorities, it unveiled its E-RACE (Eradicating Racism And Colorism from Employment) program. With adverse hiring decisions arising from background checks still hurting black and Latin applicants, the agency is reissuing its warning abo...

January 8, 2010

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EEOC Claims Fall--to Second Highest Level Ever!

Complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in fiscal 2009 fell to 93,277, but that was still the second highest total ever. In addition, the agency obtained $376 million in relief for complainants. Topping the list were charges alleging discrimination based on race (36 percent), followed by retaliation (also 36 percent) and then sex-based discrimination (30 percent...

January 4, 2010

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Who's Gobbled the Most ARRA Pork?

ARRA

Just got my hands on a list of the "Top 10 Bailout Money Recipients" detailing the companies that have received the largest grants from ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funds. Topping the list is an organization called Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC (SRNS). SRNS operates the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, which--get t...

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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