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Jun 2015Department of Labor Releases New Family Medical Leave Act FMLA Forms
June 5, 2015 The U.S. Department of Labor has posted the new model Family Medical Leave Act notices and medical certification forms. One notable change is the reference to the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) that states the following instruction: “Do not provide information about genetic tests, as defined in 29 C.F.R. § 1635.3(f), genetic services, as defined in 29 C.F.R. § 1635.3(e), or the...
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Apr 2015EEOC Issues Proposed ADA Regulations Regarding Employee Wellness Programs
Late last week, the EEOC issued new proposed rules for U.S. employers seeking to implement wellness programs with incentives for their employees. View the EEOC’s proposed regulations. These new proposed rules seek to reconcile two conflicting provisions in the law. The EEOC is seeking public comment on the proposed rules until June 19th. Wellness programs have been around for a long time. These programs are...
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Nov 2014Beware of the Background Check “Police”
In the past, we have discussed the increased dangers of conducting background checks on employees and potential employees, although background checks are important to any business seeking to hire quality applicants. In the last few weeks, two large class action lawsuits have been settled for many millions of dollars, based on alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) as it relates to background...
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Aug 20145th Executive Order of 2014 Applies to Federal Contractor Employers
For the fifth time in seven months, President Obama issued a new Executive Order that applies to federal contractor employers with new federal procurement contracts valued at more than $500,000. The Executive Order, entitled “Fair Play and Safe Workplaces,” is expected to be implemented on new contracts, in stages, and on a prioritized basis, sometime during 2016. The Department of Labor estimates that there are...
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Jul 2014EEOC Says Accommodations Required for Pregnant Employees
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued its first new guidance on pregnancy discrimination since 1983. On July 14, 2014, the EEOC added provisions explaining when the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) might require reasonable accommodations for workers with pregnancy-related “disabilities” or work restrictions, such as, for example, morning sickness or high blood pressure. No Federal Court...
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Jul 2014New Executive Order Requires Federal Contractors to Protect LGBT Workers
President Barack Obama has signed an Executive Order prohibiting workplace discrimination against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (“LGBT”) community. Federal contractors are now prohibited from discriminating against workers and job applicants based on sexual orientation and gender identity, under an Executive Order that President Barack Obama signed July 21, 2014. The order will bring new requirements for federal contractor employers to follow...
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Mar 2014IRS Ruling Includes Estate Tax Exemption Portability Relief
ScottHulse Issues Guide to Ruling Which Includes Retroactive Benefits for Some Widows and Widowers On January 27, 2014 the IRS announced a simplified procedure to provide retroactive tax relief to certain individuals whose spouses died after December 31, 2010 and before January 1, 2014. ScottHulse PC would like to make you aware of a window of opportunity for widows and widowers to take advantage...
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Dec 2013Mexico Tax Reform: Implications for the Maquiladora Manufacturing Industry
In October 2013, the Congress of Mexico passed and approved a package of laws that amend and repeal some existing tax laws and also create new tax laws that will take effect in 2014 (“Tax Reform”). Some of the laws are yet to be published in the official gazette, but most of those laws will become effective January 1, 2014. Even though the Tax Reform...
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