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The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee heard extensive testimony this morning on the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182; H.R. 11), a bill that proposes numerous changes to the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Among the witnesses present were Representative Rosa DeLauro, who is one of the sponsors of the Act, and Commissioner […]
It can be hard to find workers in any business environment, and that’s even more true with a strong economy and low unemployment But it’s not just big corporations looking for top-dollar professionals that are feeling the pinch; companies whose workers are part-time, temporary, and largely independent need to be careful of how they treat […]
As if union elections weren’t a hassle already, the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) has proposed new procedures to “fix the flaws” in the current system. Here’s what they want to accomplish: The proposed amendments are designed to fix flaws in the Board’s current procedures that: build in unnecessary delays encourage wasteful litigation reflect old-fashioned […]
Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), and Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) today in the U.S. Senate. ENDA was previously introduced on June 24 in the U.S. House of Representatives. If passed, ENDA would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. According […]
In a 14-9 vote, the Senate Finance Committee has approved Senator Max Baucus’ health care reform bill, titled America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009. All the Democrats on the committee and only one Republican voted for the legislation. Senator Olympia Snowe, a Republican from Maine who helped work on the bill and whose vote has […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Our first National Employee Attitude Survey report showed your workers were getting only about three-fourths of what they want from you. Well, we’re running it again, starting on February 8, 2008. It’s still free, but you may find the results priceless. Here’s the article I wrote about last […]
On April 27, the Senate confirmed Alexander Acosta as secretary of labor by a vote of 60-38. Eight Democrats joined the Republican majority in voting for President Donald Trump’s nominee, completing Trump’s Cabinet just shy of his 100th day in office. Acosta, a former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member, previously served as assistant attorney […]
Nearly 75% of employers nationwide—more than double the number from 1997—actively monitor employees’ phone calls, voice mail, e-mail, Internet use and computer files, according to a new survey by the American Management Association. The financial services industry had the highest incidence of electronic monitoring, with over 90% of employers engaging in such activities. The survey […]
When Dipen Joshi left India on an H-1B visa to work for Compubahn, a Silicon Valley recruitment firm, he signed a contract requiring him to remain with the firm for 18 months or pay steep penalties. He tried to leave for a job at Oracle Corp., but Compubahn demanded $77,000 in fees and penalties under […]
In recent sweeps, the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) uncovered wage and hour and other violations at construction firms in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. The DLSE issued 54 citations totaling more than $279,500 for failure to provide itemized wage statements, obtain a California’s contractor’s license, and provide […]