Tag: news

Employer-Related Changes in Democrats’ New Health Care Reform Compromise Bill

Yesterday, congressional Democrats released the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872), a compromise bill designed to provide a package of “fixes” to the U.S. Senate’s original health care reform bill — the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590). Similar to the original Senate bill, there are several provisions […]

Governor Daniels Signs “Bring Your Gun to Work” Bill Into Law

On March 18, Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law a bill allowing most employees in the state to bring weapons onto their employer’s property as long as the weapons are kept out of plain sight in locked vehicles. The bill will take effect July 1, 2010. In the signing statement accompanying the bill, Governor Daniels […]

Democrats Shooting for Passage of Health Care Reform This Weekend

This week, Democrats have been moving full steam ahead toward passage of health care reform legislation that would affect employers in many ways. Since the Democrats lost their supermajority in the U.S. Senate, many of their colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives want to pass the Senate’s version of health care reform so the […]

Senate Passes Another COBRA Subsidy Extension Bill

Last week, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would further extend the federal COBRA subsidy created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213), which passed the Senate by a 62-36 vote, would extend the subsidy to individuals who were involuntarily terminated […]

Senate HELP Committee Hears Testimony on Paycheck Fairness Act

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 […]

Senate Hearing on Pay Equity May Discuss Paycheck Fairness Act

A Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee hearing on pay equity, scheduled for Thursday, March 11, may revive discussion of the stalled Paycheck Fairness Act. The Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182; H.R. 11) was sponsored before the Senate in January 2009 by then-Senator Hillary Clinton and Representative Rosa DeLauro. Representative DeLauro will appear […]

‘Bring-Your-Gun to-Work’ Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature

by David Wagner, Mitzi Martin, and Susan Kline Late Thursday, the Indiana Legislature passed, with overwhelming support, a bill prohibiting employers from keeping employees’ legally-possessed firearms off their property, so long as the firearms are kept out of sight in a locked vehicle. The bill, which mirrors laws in 12 states and was supported by […]

Wal-Mart Settles Sex Discrimination Suit for $11.7 Million

Megaretailer Wal-Mart, called the country’s largest private employer, has agreed to pay $11.7 million to settle a class-action sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In addition to the money, the settlement announced on March 1 requires Wal-Mart to provide jobs to class members as they become available. The EEOC’s suit […]

ICE to Inspect 180 Employers in South

By Hector Chichoni On Tuesday, March 2, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that it had sent 180 notices of inspections (NOIs) to employers in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. At least 30 NOIs have been sent to employers in Tennessee and another 30 or so to employers located in southern and central […]

Price is Right Model ‘Comes on Down’ with Lawsuit

It’s not all fun and games on the set of game show The Price is Right. A former model on the show, Brandi Cochran, filed a suit in Superior Court in Los Angeles on March 1 claiming she was harassed and discriminated against for being pregnant, according to a report in The Wrap, an entertainment […]