With President Obama declaring a national emergency in response to the H1N1 influenza, commonly referred to as "Swine Flu," many government entities have encouraged employers to create their own plans for helping to prevent the spread of such an outbreak in workplaces across America, while ensuring continued business operations. The latest government entity to issue such guidance is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which wants to ensure that Americans with disabilities and workers with a different national origin are not discriminated against during the flu-prevention process.
Beginning on November 21, 2009, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is requiring employers to post a revised "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" poster. The new poster now includes language regarding the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), which became effective on November 21, 2009, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), which became effective on January 1 of the same year.
On November 19, 2009, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) along with two agencies housed under its umbrella, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), hosted a workforce symposium in Washington, D.C., which  Íæż½ã½ã attended along with approximately 200 of the nation's top immigration lawyers, employer associations, and a handful of employers. With high-ranking DHS officials in attendance, including Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton, and USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas, the symposium was designed to increase the dialogue between DHS and employers across the country.
Are you or your company facing federal prevailing wage laws for the first time? With the downturn in the availability of commercial work, many construction contractors are bidding on federal and federally-assisted work, and having to comply with the Davis Bacon and Related Acts for the first time. The application of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts to all projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 leaves many contractors uncertain about the requirements of federal prevailing wage laws and the consequences of non-compliance. To help, Íæż½ã½ã is offering a three-part webinar series during which industry experts, including the head of enforcement for the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage & Hour Division (WHD) and the head of the Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations division of WHD, will provide the information necessary to understand the specific requirements of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts in a contractor-friendly manner.Â
Íæż½ã½ã recently held its joint 2009 HR Professionals and Training & Development Conference in Atlanta. More than 175 people attended to learn, share best practices, network and take home practical solutions to HR and training problems.
On October 28, 2009, President Obama signed into law the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (2010 NDAA), which expands the recently-enacted exigency and caregiver leave provisions for military families under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The law took effect immediately.
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is calling on employers to enact a written policy that prohibits employees from using a phone or messaging device while driving. Resources for developing such a policy are available on the Secretary's blog.The Drive Against Distraction program is aimed at keeping everyone safe on the nation's roads. Employers that embrace this plan are encouraged to write about it on the Secretary's blog.
Open-shop contractors planning to provide raises to skilled craft workers in 2009 expect to raise wages by an average of 2.88 percent, according to the latest Merit Shop Craft Survey report issued by PAS, Inc. When data from contractors not planning raises are included, the overall anticipated increase averages only 1.96 percent. This compares to actual increases of 4.1 percent (excluding zero-increases) and 3.7 percent (including zero-increases) in 2008, and represents the lowest average increases seen in over 15 years. Based on historical experience and other factors, however, PAS projects that increases will actually end up in the range of 2.3-2.8 percent nationally, and even higher in a few high-demand areas. Although the demand for skilled trades has been limited in most areas of the country so far this year, high demand continues in pockets of the Gulf Coast and Midwest regions, PAS found.
December 3, 2009 | December 8, 2009 | December 10, 2009
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET
Are you or your company facing federal prevailing wage laws for the first time? With the downturn in the availability of commercial work, many construction contractors are bidding on federal and federally-assisted work, and having to comply with the Davis Bacon and Related Acts for the first time. The application of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts to all projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is also responsible for leaving many contractors uncertain about the requirements of federal prevailing wage laws and the consequences of non-compliance. Industry experts, including the head of enforcement for the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage & Hour Division (WHD) and the head of the Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations division of WHD, will provide you and your members with the information necessary to understand the specific requirements of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts in a contractor-friendly manner.Â
Íæż½ã½ã held a regional meeting with the National Construction Alliance II (NCAII) on October 2 in Seattle, WA. Members and chapter staff from collective bargaining chapters in the Northwest attended, along with International Union of Operating Engineers General President Vince Giblin, United Brotherhood of Carpenters General President Doug McCarron, Union Contractors Committee Chairman Jim Clemens, Íæż½ã½ã Union Contractors Committee Staff Associate Denise Gold, NCAII Executive Vice President Ray Poupore, and other leaders from NCAII, the Operating Engineers, and the Carpenters.