Employers brace for in-person investigations over family and medical leave 
By:
Sylvia Hsieh
Published: May 9, 2013
Tags: Department of Labor, Diane Dawson, Disability Management Employer Coalition, DOL, Family Medical Leave Act, FMLA
All in attendance sat up and took notice when midway through a three-day conference on employment compliance, a branch chief of the U.S. Department of Labor’s enforcement division said that the agency expects to increase on-site investigations into whether companies are complying with the Family and Medical Leave Act.
DOL touts benefits of accommodating aging workers
Published: April 3, 2013
Tags: accommodation, baby boomers, Department of Labor, disabilities, DOL
Employers can preserve “institutional knowledge” by providing accommodations to aging workers who might otherwise leave the workforce prematurely due to disabilities or chronic health problems, according to two new briefs issued by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Labor Dept. rescinds pay discrimination policy
Published: March 12, 2013
Tags: Department of Labor, pay discrimination, unequal pay
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has rescinded two enforcement policies that federal officials said hampered the agency’s a ability to identify and remedy pay discrimination against federal contract workers.
Rule would speed retirement payments from bankrupt firms
By:
Kimberly Atkins
Published: December 20, 2012
Tags: 401(k), Chapter 7, Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, retirement planning
WASHINGTON – A new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor would make it easier for trustees of companies in Chapter 7 bankruptcy to distribute assets from its retirement plans.
Obama administration moves forward on health care regs
Published: November 21, 2012
Tags: Affordable Care Act, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, federal regulations
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration has issued proposed rules under the Affordable Care Act that prohibit insurers from discriminating against people with preexisting health conditions and that outline policies and standards for health benefit plans and wellness programs, agency officials announced.
Justices ponder where fired federal workers can appeal
By:
Kimberly Atkins
Published: October 3, 2012
Tags: appeals, Civil Service Reform Act, Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, federal employees, Merit Systems Protection Board, U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON – Sometimes employment litigation is complicated, so much so that the parties and judges can’t even agree on which court has jurisdiction to hear an appeal.
Employers weigh in on affirmative action case
By:
Kimberly Atkins
Published: August 29, 2012
Tags: affirmative action, Department of Labor, disparate impact, employment discrimination, federal contractors, Supreme Court
WASHINGTON – Colleges and universities aren’t the only ones closely watching the affirmative action case on the U.S. Supreme Court’s docket. Employers are also weighing in, saying that the decision could have a dramatic impact on their hiring practices and in some cases subject employers to federal sanctions or disparate impact lawsuits.
DOL: Potential budget cuts do not trigger WARN Act
Published: August 6, 2012
Tags: Department of Labor, layoffs, WARN Act
WASHINGTON – Federal contractors are not required to give notice to employees about potential staffing cuts that may result if automatic federal spending cuts are triggered at year’s end, the Department of Labor has announced.
New rules issued for consumer product whistleblowers
Published: July 18, 2012
Tags: Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, Department of Labor, DOL, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, product safety, retaliation, whistleblowers
The Department of Labor has issued final regulations implementing the whistleblower protections of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
Wal-Mart agrees to pay $4.8M in back wages, damages
Published: May 3, 2012
Tags: Department of Labor, employee misclassification, Wal-Mart
WASHINGTON – A Department of Labor investigation of Wal-Mart Stores has ended with the company agreeing to pay $4,828,442 in back wages and damages to more than 4,500 employees nationwide.
