Democrats in Congress have introduced bills to raise the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s fines, something that hasn’t been done in two decades. But even without new legislation, OSHA is finding ways to issue large fines. More…
EPA isn’t backing down on plans to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. More…
Federal officials promised to crack down on employers that botch I-9 paperwork that’s supposed to verify employees’ eligibility to work in the U.S. Proof that the feds mean business: 180 companies recently received notices of inspection. More…
All the howls of protest over creating a cap-and-trade program to deal with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have succeeded in killing off the idea. The talk in Congress is now focused on a simpler program: carbon taxes. More…
A judge has ruled the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) must fork over costs and legal fees for mishandling a discrimination complaint against an employer. Will the ruling affect the way the EEOC treats other companies in the future? More…
Unless Congress can find a way to approve a cap-and-trade emission plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many companies will have to budget for new emission controls. More…
Since Congress has been concentrating on jobs, health care and global warming — and not on worker-safety legislation — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has pulled out its own tool to punish companies found lacking in safety: criminal charges against owners. More…
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has joined a growing list of business groups hoping to stop EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions. More…
Note to your male employees: Working for female supervisors doesn’t guarantee you a gender-bias claim if you get canned for poor performance. A recent federal appeals court ruling proves the point. More…
Supervisors beware: Here’s new evidence of how easy it is to run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during the hiring process. More…
The Internal Revenue Service soon will be doing its phone survey of small businesses and owners. That’s on the up-and-up. But be careful if the caller says he’s the Tax Man but starts asking fishy questions. More…
Republican Scott Brown’s win in the special election to fill the open Senate seat from Massachusetts does take away Democrats’ filibuster-proof majority when it comes to hot-button issues like health care and the environment. But Brown’s victory won’t prevent greenhouse gas regulations from being enacted this year. More…
The concept’s been pretty well accepted over the years: When employees want an accommodation for a disability, it’s up to them to make the request. A recent federal court decision sets that concept on its ear.
Are courts more likely to award workers’ comp benefits to injured employees because of the bleak employment picture? More…
By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard that the Obama administration’s COBRA subsidy program’s been extended. What you may not have heard: Employers must send a new notice to affected employees by Feb. 17. More…
The tax season is here. And so are underhanded tax preparers. The Internal Revenue Service has issued warnings about them, and listed four danger signs and case studies about preparers who got themselves and their business clients in legal trouble. More…
Congress is looking at a bill — The Patriot Corporations of America Act — that would gave tax and contracting breaks to companies that meet certain requirements. But wait till you see the requirements. More…
Of course, your company wouldn’t intentionally do anything discriminatory. But should you end up on the losing end of an employee claim, it’s likely going to cost you a lot more than it once would have. More…
How far can companies go in writing policies to control employees’ use of work-issued communications devices? An upcoming Supreme Court decision may provide some answers.
Especially while it focuses on healthcare, Congress isn’t getting any closer to passing legislation to force businesses to control greenhouse gases. But the Obama administration is signaling that it won’t wait forever for Congress to act. More…
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