Articles by Girish Anand

February 27, 2018

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2nd Circuit Sides with EEOC on Civil Rights Protections for Sexual Orientation

In a rare en banc decision, with just three of 13 judges dissenting, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act does provide anti-discrimination protections based on one's gender identity and sexual orientation. The decision in Zarda v. Altitude Express essentially affirms the position of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which has lon...

February 27, 2018

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20 States File Suit to Have ACA Ruled Unconstitutional

Using as its basis the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which repealed the tax penalty for not having health insurance, a coalition of 20 states has filed a lawsuit in a Texas federal court asking that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) be declared unconstitutional. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III explained the reasoning: The lawsuit filed today explains that in 2012 in NFIB v. S...

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Apple Developing Private Health Care System for Employees and Families

February 26, 2018

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Following an announcement by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase, Apple is beating that alliance to the punch by opening its own health care delivery system this spring called AC Wellness. The Steve Jobs Theater on the new Apple Park campus. The initiative's nascent website likens the new service to a "conc...

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OSHA Renews Entertainment Industry Alliances

February 26, 2018

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, its Territories and Canada, AFL-CIO, CLC (IATSE) recently renewed their alliance to protect the safety and health of workers in the entertainment ind...

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Much Delayed, Title X Family Planning Grants Now Available from HHS

February 24, 2018

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday, Feb. 23, announced the availability of $260 million in a new funding opportunity for the Title X family planning program to help improve and expand quality care. The funding opportunity will assist in the establishment and/or operation of voluntary family planning projects that will offer a broad range of family planning methods and ...

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Trump Administration Follows Through on Longer-Term Skimpy Health Plans

February 20, 2018

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In direct response to President Trump’s October 2017 Executive Order, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury today issued a proposed rule that is intended to increase competition, choice, and access to lower-cost healthcare options for Americans. The rule proposes to expand the availability of short-term, limited-duration health insurance by allowing cons...

OSHA Urges Walk-By Inspections by Owners and Managers

February 19, 2018

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a fact sheet urging owners and managers to conduct regular safety walk-arounds. The fact sheet states: There are at least two reasons why managers and owners should periodically conduct workplace inspections themselves. First, inspections demonstrate management’s commitment to improving safety and health by finding and fixing ...

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GOP to Seek 'Incremental' Health Care Reform

February 14, 2018

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While Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R.-Wisc.) told Fox Business that the new Republican goal was to seek "incremental" health care reform rather than repeal-and-replace, House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R.-Texas) said separately that the employer shared responsibility mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be high on the chopping block. Brady said he has already broached ...

HHS Chief Says He Will Uphold the ACA

February 14, 2018

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Health and Human Services (HHS) head Alex Azar, when pressed about the legality of Idaho's plan to market non-Affordable Care Act (ACA) health policies, affirmed his support for the 2010 legislation that in essence federalizes standards for health insurance. HHS Secretary Azar "I'm not aware that our opinions or views...

Maryland Mandates Paid Sick Leave

February 14, 2018

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Overriding Republican Gov. Pat Hogan's veto, the Maryland legislature passed a paid-sick-leave law that took effect this past Sunday, but which critics say is so lacking in details that many businessowners are scrambling to figure out their new responsibilities. Maryland Capitol At its simplest level, the Maryland Hea...

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Girish Anand

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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