President Obama signed the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order on July 31, 2014, which requires prospective federal contractors to disclose labor law violations and give agencies guidance on how to consider labor violations when awarding federal contracts. As of August 25, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council […]
Read More...Is your company required to file a Form 5500 for any of the benefit plans it offers? Have your 5500s been filed correctly and for the appropriate plans? What happens if there are mistakes on a 5500 or missed filings? Will those exempt from filing retain their exempt status in the future? Join the next […]
Read More...Final regulations implementing section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were published on May 18, 2016, by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This prohibits discrimination based on race, color, natural origin, sex, age, or disability in health activities and programs that receive federal […]
Read More...The Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) have both issued new posters that were revised as of July 16, 2016. These posters are required by law to be displayed where they can readily be seen by employees. The EPPA poster has been updated to reflect changes made by the […]
Read More...Free speech at work isn’t as free as you may think. Free speech is more for government employees…and even then, it’s not much. The Bill of Rights applies to government action, not corporation’s actions. These are some examples where you may have some legal protection: Concerted Activity: Employers can prohibit general political discussion and campaigning […]
Read More...The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Women’s Bureau was recently awarded $1.1 million in grants to research and analyze paid-leave programs and how they can be developed and implemented across the country. This is for the millions of workers who have caregiving responsibilities for their young children or aging parents and who have to risk […]
Read More...Join AP Benefit Advisors’ General Counsel and VP of Compliance, Patrick C. Haynes, Jr., for a complimentary, 1-hour, HRCI* and SHRM** pre-approved webinar as he reviews the top challenges facing health and welfare compliance for the upcoming year. Discussion will include guidance on wellness programs, Marketplace Notices, as well as HSA and Form 5500 updates. […]
Read More...Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) who fail to comply with the ACA’s employer shared responsibility provision will be subject to one of two penalties: 1. (i) an employer fails to offer health care coverage to “substantially all” of its full-time employees; and (ii) a low-income, full-time […]
Read More...1. When calculating FMLA entitlement, include overtime and “working lunches” An employee’s actual work week, which includes overtime and working breaks, is the basis for determining FMLA leave entitlement. In a recent case, an employee put his name down for certain overtime shifts and the overtime then became mandatory which the employer should have calculated […]
Read More...In November 2015, federal agencies were required to adjust their civil penalties to account for inflation. The Department of Labor (DOL) is adjusting penalties for its agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). As of August 1, 2016, OSHA has raised its penalties for violations. This is the first time they’ve raised penalties […]
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