Our Blog | Employment Counsel in WA, OR, and CA | Vigilant
Home » Blog

Vigilant Blog

News, trends and analysis in employment law, HR, safety & workers' comp

Showing all recent posts

Jan 18 2012
Leave Laws

Icy roads, office closures and the FLSA…oh my!

When winter weather forces your facility to close or employees to stay home, do you know your obligation to pay for that time? The rules depend on whether the employee is exempt from overtime. Under federal law, nonexempt employees do not have to be paid for any time they don’t work, unless you have a…

Read More
Jan 18 2012
DisabilityHiring

ADA may require exceptions to minimum education standards

In an informal discussion letter, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Read More
Jan 16 2012
Uncategorized

Think health care reform doesn’t apply to you? Beware the controlled group rules

Question: Can we avoid some of the upcoming health care reform compliance issues, such as the “play or pay” penalties, by carving our company up into smaller corporate entities? Answer: No. Some of the mandates included in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), apply only to employers of a certain minimum size. The…

Read More
Jan 11 2012
Uncategorized

FMCSA revises driver hours of service rules

After years of debate and legal challenges, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a final rule revising the limits on maximum hours of service for drivers of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). The FMCSA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The agency decided to retain the 11-hour driving…

Read More
Dec 23 2011
Labor Relations

NLRB finalizes quick election procedures

As expected, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) pressed ahead by a 2-1 vote with a final rule implementing some of its recently proposed changes to speed up the procedures for union elections. The NLRB Chair wanted to finalize the rule before the December 31, 2011, expiration date of Board Member Craig Becker’s term, which…

Read More
Dec 16 2011
CaliforniaHiring

CALIFORNIA: Notice for new hires effective January 1, 2012

Just a reminder: As of January 1, 2012, California employers must notify new hires of a laundry list of information about their job and the company. For current employees, if any of these items change (for example, due to a promotion), you must give written notice. The Labor Commissioner had planned to have a template…

Read More
Dec 14 2011
Uncategorized

DOT drivers must still carry paper medical certificates

Drivers who hold a commercial drivers license (CDL) to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce must continue to carry a hard copy of their medical certificate under a rule published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), had directed state agencies…

Read More
Dec 09 2011
Labor Relations

NLRB to implement some aspects of quick election procedures

In a 2-1 vote, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) comments from Vigilant) to its proposal to streamline and speed up the process for holding a union election (Vigilant will keep members apprised if a final rule is approved. In a 2-1 vote, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) resolved to draft a final rule…

Read More
Dec 02 2011
Hiring

New tax incentives for hiring unemployed veterans

President Obama recently signed the “ Unfortunately the text of the Act leaves a lot of unanswered questions, such as when the tax incentive period expires and how employers actually claim the credit. We expect the IRS will help fill in the details and offer some guidance for employers seeking to take advantage of this…

Read More
Nov 30 2011
Uncategorized

USERRA 5-year limit on military leave is longer than you think

Most of us know that employees who leave work to serve in the military may be gone for up to five years and still have a right to be reemployed. What may surprise you, though, is that the five years can be extended. As our military force draws down, veterans across the country will be…

Read More
Nov 18 2011
HiringQ&A

Is it a good idea to use Craigslist for recruiting and hiring?

A: Perhaps a better approach would be to post the job opening on Craigslist, but direct all applicants to your company website where they can fill out an online application. That way you’re gathering the same information from all candidates rather than the inconsistent information you may get through the resume solicitation process. Finally, you…

Read More
Nov 15 2011
Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action: Don’t submit data if OFCCP isn’t entitled to it

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) was entitled to take enforcement action on the basis of voluntarily submitted affirmative action data, a U.S. Department of Labor administrative law judge recently ruled. The employer received an audit scheduling letter five months and 26 days into its affirmative action plan (AAP) year. When a federal…

Read More

Is My Company Eligible?

If you are a manufacturing or agriculture employer in Washington and committed to keeping your employees safe and working, you may be eligible for Vigilant's workers' compensation Retro or claims management programs. To see if you qualify fill out our release form now, or contact us.

Release Form
Contact Us
Browse By Category
Browse By Topic
Filter By State
Get Our Newsletter
Sign Up Today
Connect With Us
Linkedin

Don’t Navigate Employment Issues On Your Own

Learn how Vigilant membership can help with your complex employment situations.
Get in Touch Today
Scroll to Top