Archives

What Is Section 503? What Is VEVRAA? What Federal Contractors Should Know

People with disabilities and veterans both have disproportionately high levels of unemployment compared to the rest of the population, but there are laws on the books aiming to reduce that gap. In fact, two of those regulations – Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) […]

Q&A on Affirmative Action Plans for Federal Contractors

Federal contractors have an obligation to create affirmative action plans (AAPs) with the goal of ensuring that both disabled individuals and protected veterans are appropriately represented in their workforce. The regulations that dictate this – Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans Rehabilitation Assistance Act (VEVRAA) – are changing […]

Wellness Plans Discriminate, Union Official Says

Wellness benefits have exploded in the past decade because they purportedly make employees healthier and save employers money, but they have found a detractor in at least one labor union.  John Borsos, secretary-treasurer of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, told reporters in Washington, D.C., Dec. 17, that wellness programs are a $6 billion industry […]

Train Your HAZWOPER Responders in Their Specific Duties

Hazardous materials specialists are workers who respond and provide support to hazardous materials technicians. Their duties parallel those of the hazardous materials technicians, but they require more-specific knowledge of the various substances that must be contained. Hazardous Materials Specialists The hazardous materials specialist also acts as the site liaison with federal, state, and local authorities […]

Your Rep’s ‘Perceived Symbols of Wealth’ Derail Mediations

Marcus offered her tips on succeeding with mediation at a recent meeting of the Employers’ Counsel Network (ECN) in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Employers’ Counsel Network includes the attorneys from each state who write BLR’s state employment law newsletters. Marcus is one of the EEOC mediators based in the Boston office of the EEOC. Sometimes it’s […]

OFCCP—Out of Nowhere to New Aggressive Stance

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney David Fortney briefed on OFCCP’s new affirmative action regulations. Today, more on the OFCCP plus links to a free 21-page OFCCP compliance guide. With the OFCCP (Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs), it’s not only the two new challenging requirements concerning veterans and employees with disabilities, but it’s also a new […]

Christie bridge scandal raises questions for managers

by Dan Oswald If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly heard about what is now being called “Bridgegate.” (I, for one, am tired of “gate” getting added to every controversy and scandal, but I’ll leave that rant for another day.) It seems that one of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s top aides, […]

DOL 2013 Wage & Hour FLSA Enforcement Infographic: Southeast

The Wage & Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor, which enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), recovered more than $280 million in back wages for over 308,000 employees in Fiscal Year 2012. This map reflects a sampling of 2013 WHD enforcement activity—including recovery of wages and punitive damages—taken against employers in […]

Are Your HAZWOPER Responders Trained for Their Duties?

Here’s a quick review of HAZWOPER emergency responder training requirements. Skilled Support Personnel According to the HAZWOPER mandatory compliance guidelines (Appendix C), employees who are not part of the Emergency Response Program and who may be called to the incident scene to provide emergency support assistance (e.g., public works department staff, operators of bulldozers, sand […]

The Eight Myths of Mediation

The Employers’ Counsel Network includes the attorneys from each state who write BLR’s state employment law newsletters. Marcus is one of the EEOC mediators based in the Boston office of the EEOC. Mediation vs. Enforcement Marcus explains the essential differences between the mediation and enforcement roles of her agency: Enforcement Find out what happened. Determine […]