In this podcast, WPI Co-Chairs Ilyse Schuman and Michael Lotito review the status of several labor and employment issues, as the Trump Administration closes out its first nine months. Ilyse and Michael discuss pending nominations to fill numerous key positions within the Department of Labor, EEOC, and National Labor Relations Board. They address anticipated changes to the EEO-1 report and the overtime rule, both of which are under reconsideration by the new leadership. Join Ilyse and Michael as they explore regulatory and legislative developments at the federal and state levels, including potential clarification on what it means to be a joint employer.
Articles Discussing General Human Resources Issues.
Affinity Groups – Relevant or Relics?
Affinity groups have been receiving mixed reviews from many of late. These groups have been lauded for improving the business, bolstering employee loyalty, and fostering a sense of community. However, these groups have also been criticized for creating employee silos, encouraging distrust and division, and functioning as mere “gripe sessions.”
U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Two Additional Employment Cases This Term
On September 28, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in two cases with labor and employment implications.
Lenovo-FTC Consent Order Calls For 20-Year Monitoring Period
Laptop-maker Lenovo (United States), Inc. agreed to a no-fault settlement with the Federal Trade Commission and 32 states over allegations that it installed ad software that compromised customers’ web security and invaded users’ privacy.
Supreme Court Preview: 2017-2018 Term
The U.S. Supreme Court will begin its 2017-2018 Term with no shortage of cases significant to employers and businesses. Cases to watch involve questions about employment arbitration agreements, Dodd-Frank Act’s protections of internal whistleblowers, and state laws barring discrimination against LGBTQ people.
Tips to Safeguard the Practice of Obtaining Electronic Signatures from Employees
To meet the fast-paced demands of geographically diverse or mobile workforces, or simply for convenience’s sake, many employers have begun electronically disseminating company policies and agreements. However, these employers may find themselves wondering if and when obtaining an employee’s electronic signature – as opposed to a “wet ink” signature – is sufficient, and rightly so.
What employment law concerns should my organization be considering in response to adverse weather events?
There are a number of labor and employment concerns likely to affect employers in the aftermath of a natural disaster. In this video, we examine applicable issues such as leaves of absence, ADA accommodation, wage and hour concerns and payroll issues.
It’s the Little Things That Count in Cybersecurity
Today it seems as though cyber-security protections are always a half-step behind hackers. For every patch that quietly protects from one type of ransomware, there’s another WannaCry infecting a major company or financial institution. Of course, cyber-security is an important concern for all businesses, including professionals, a point which is still gaining awareness across the country. As these less technologically sophisticated businesses learn more about the importance of cyber-security in the modern world, it can be easy to forget that there are many everyday protections that are just as valuable as the software that protects your data.
Vendor Breaches and Their Implications for Employers
The announcement by Equifax, Inc. that it had been victimized in a hacking incident involving the personal information of 143 million Americans generated headlines this past week.1 The sheer size of the hack means that most employers likely have affected employees.
Data Breach Preparedness: A critical risk management priority for small and mid-sized businesses
After hearing a lot lately about big companies suffering data breaches, it is important to remember that, according to inc.com, half of all cyberattacks target small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Based on a 2016 State of SMB Cybersecurity Report, CNBC reported that in the prior 12 months half of all SMBs in the U.S. had been hacked. This makes sense when one considers FBI reporting (pdf) that an average of 4,000 ransomware attacks happen every day in the U.S., as observed in statements from SEC Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar, who in October 2015 said that:
E.U. General Data Protection Regulations to Take Effect on May 25, 2018: Is Your Company Prepared?
Does your company control or process personal data of employees residing in the European Union? If so, be aware of the upcoming implementation of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). The deadline for complying with this considerable change in law is May 25, 2018. If your company hasn’t done so already, it’s time to get to work on this. Considering the monumental size of potential penalties for failing to comply, every company with people in the E.U. needs to be thinking about the GDPR.
Not So Entertaining: Cybercrime in the Entertainment Industry
Although certain industries are known targets for cyber attacks – healthcare, financial, government – cyber attacks pose a threat to all sectors. Organizations in the entertainment industry have increasingly become targets of cybercrime. Over the past several years, a number of large entertainment companies have fallen victim to cybercriminals, resulting in the threatened and actual leaking of sensitive information including such things as internal emails, passwords, compensation information, and unreleased programming.
WPI Insider Briefing: Post-Labor Day Report
Labor Day once again served as an occasion for many policymakers around the country to focus on laws and regulations governing the workplace. The holiday capped a relatively quiet month in Washington as lawmakers left town for the congressional August recess. Even with Congress out of town, the administration and the courts made headlines with some notable workplace developments. The business community received long-awaited decisions on three significant Obama-era workplace policy initiatives—the overtime rule, the “fiduciary” rule, and the EEO-1 Report. The fate of other regulations will play out in the months ahead as the Trump administration continues to puts its stamp on workplace policy.
Crossing the Threshold – Small Business to “ALE”
While many of us have been crossing our fingers behind our backs, hoping that the Affordable Care Act’s employer reporting and shared responsibility penalties would be repealed, many small businesses have crossed the threshold to applicable large employer (ALE) status as a result of hiring or business ownership changes. A business that averaged 50 or more full-time employees (including full-time equivalent employees) in 2016 is an ALE for reporting and penalty purposes in 2017.
Hurricane Irma: 10 Challenges for Employers
Hurricane Irma shows no sign of relenting as it barrels toward Florida and the Southeast Coast of the United States. As noted in a prior Littler article about Irma, safety and security are the top priorities at this point.