February, 2010

Workplace Credit Checks Banned in Oregon

The use of an individual's credit history for employment purposes, including hiring, discharge, promotion and compensation, is now prohibited under Oregon law.  Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed SB 1045 into law on March 29.

Off-the-Clock Policies Highlighted

Attorneys who specialize in defending against Fair Labor Standards Act class actions stress the need for strict policies prohibiting off-the-clock work. Here are some sample timekeeping policies.

New Hampshire's New Same-sex Marriage Law

New Hampshire has codified its new law permitting same-sex marriage and recognizing same-sex marriages from other states, effective Jan. 1, 2010. Click here to read the new law. .

New Form for Reporting HIPAA Security Breaches

The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services has made available an electronic form for covered entities under HIPAA to report breaches of unsecured protected health information. Click here to download.

Confidence in Employer-based System Erodes in Face of Inflation, Recession

In a National Business Group on Health/Towers Watson survey, employers expressed increased uncertainty about the future of employer-sponsored benefits.

Fewer respondents (57 percent) said they were "very confident" that employers will continue to offer health benefits 10 years from now than did in 2009, when 62 percent of employers expressed that level of confidence.

Tax Treatment of Same-sex Partner Coverage

More employers provide benefits to the domestic partners of their employees, and that includes opposite-sex and same-sex partners. Employers that does so quickly discover providing such benefits can be complicated — and tax treatment of these benefits can be complex.

GSA Adjusts Mileage Rate to Match IRS’ for 2010

When the IRS updates the standard mileage reimbursement rates for business use of an automobile, the General Services Administration (GSA) usually follows suit by amending the federal travel regulations (FTR) that govern federal employee travel.

Hazardous Energy Programs: Understanding Lockout/Tagout Requirements

A leading environmental care manager in the state of California explains why understanding lockout/tagout requirements is important in designing hazardous energy programs and what core elements such a program should include.

OSHA Plans to Track Musculoskeletal Disorders, Protect Workers From Airborne Infectious Diseases

Plans to publish a request for information to help protect workers from exposure to airborne diseases and proposed changes to restore the musculoskeletal disorders column on its injury and illness recording and reporting form are among the 29 regulatory items on the U.

‘Reasonable’ SPD Distribution Sinks Member Case Against Plan

Satisfactory ERISA document distribution for summary plan descriptions (SPDs) saved a plan from one ex-employee’s allegations, because the process was “reasonably calculated” to ensure receipt by members, a federal district court in Pittsburgh ruled (Davis v.