November, 2009

UPS Must Divulge Nationwide Information on No-beard Rule

United Parcel Service (UPS) must disclose information on religious exemptions to its appearance guidelines at all of its U. S. facilities, including its no-beard rule, the 2nd Circuit U. S.

COLA Increases in 2010 Largely Non-existent

Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) will be largely absent for 2010. Social Security payments will remain flat in 2010 due to low inflation, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced.

House Panel Mulls Who Decides When H1N1 Leave Is Taken

A House Committee on Education and Labor hearing on emergency legislation to mandate paid sick leave for workers suffering from swine flu delved into the issue of who ultimately should decide when leave was taken — the employer or the employee.

Citing Vaccine Shortage, New York Suspends Flu Vaccine Mandate for Health Care Workers

Citing inadequate supply of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines, New York State Commissioner of Health Robert F. Daines announced the suspension of an emergency regulation promulgated in August requiring certain health care facility personnel to be vaccinated with influenza vaccines.

Rehabilitation Act Covers Independent Contractors, Ninth Circuit Rules

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 extends to a claim of discrimination brought by an independent contractor, the 9th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals held on Nov. 19.

An anesthesiologist who suffers from sickle cell anemia applied for a position as an anesthesiologist at the Yuma Regional Medical Center.

Regulators Warn Against Trying to Evade MHPAEA

Federal officials warned plan sponsors not to try avoiding the stricter new parity requirements of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) through stratagems such as splitting mental health and major medical coverage into separate plans.

Training Is Key To Preventing Workplace Violence, Experts Advise

Training supervisors and employees to recognize and report early warning signs of inappropriate behavior, including bullying, is critical to preventing workplace violence, said two experts during a Nov.

Genetic Discrimination Law Now in Effect

Discrimination on the basis of genetic information in any aspect of employment is illegal as of Nov. 21 when the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 becomes effective. Except in a few limited circumstances, employers may not even acquire genetic information.

Immigration Audits Target "Critical Infrastructure" Businesses

U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will audit the hiring records of 1,000 "critical infrastructure" businesses across the United States to determine compliance with employment eligibility verification laws, Assistant ICE Secretary John Morton announced on Nov.

Charge Filing Numbers Way Up, EEOC Reports

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received nearly 94,000 private sector employment discrimination charges in fiscal year 2009, an amount expected to exceed 100,000 one year from now, according to the agency's annual report released this week.