The New Massachusetts Transgender Equal Rights Law On November 23, 2011, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed into law "An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights." The new law, effective July 1, 2012, prohibits discrimination on the basis of "gender identity" in employment, housing, credit and lending, and makes violence against transgender individuals a hate crime. Please click
HERE to read more about this law.
Noncompetition Legislation
Two state representatives - Representative Lori Ehrlich and Representative Will Brownsberger - recently proposed legislation that would significantly restrict the enforceability of noncompetition agreements under Massachusetts law. Click
here for the text of the proposed legislation.
We are honored to be hosting these legislators at our next Roundtable on September 15, 2009. Contact us for more information.
NLRB Issues Final Rule Requiring Employers to Post Notice of NLRA Rights NLRB Issues Final Rule Requiring Employers to Post Notice of NLRA Rights The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a Final Rule requiring most private-sector employers to notify employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The rule, now effective April 30, 2012, mandates that employers post an 11 x 17 inch notice in conspicuous places where they are readily seen by employees. Click HERE for more information on the rule. Click HERE for a copy of the legally-required poster.
EEOC's GINA Regulations Create New Notice Obligations for Employers The EEOC recently issued final regulations implementing the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 ("GINA"). Click
here for more information on the new regulations, including new notice requirements applicable to employer requests for medical information.
Federal Contractors Required to Use E-Verify Effective September 8, 2009, federal contractors with contracts in excess of $100,000 will be required to use E-Verify, a free, internet-based program run by the federal government for verifying employment eligibility. Click
here for more information.
Amendments to the Mass. Data Security Regulations were recently issued. Click
here to read a summary of the changes. Click
here to read the original overview of the regulations. The new compliance date is March 1, 2010.
COBRA Subsidy Extended On Thursday, April 15th, President Obama signed H.R. 4851, the Continuing Extension Act of 2010. The Act extends the 65% COBRA subsidy for terminations occurring up to May 31, 2010.
No Texting While Driving Law On July 2, 2010, Massachusetts passed the new "Safe Driving Law" (House No. 4795), which makes it illegal to text, IM, send or read e-mail while driving and which will go into effect on October 2, 2010. Click
here to read a summary of the new law.
Sweeping reforms to CORI have been signed into law, impacting the hiring practices of many employers. Click
here for a summary of the legislation and for information concerning effective dates.
Massachusetts Personnel Records Law Amended The Massachusetts personnel records law was amended on August 5, 2010. Employers are now required to notify an employee within 10 days of the employer placing in the employee's personnel record any information that has been or may be used to negatively affect the employee's qualification for employment, promotion, transfer, additional compensation or the possibility that the employee will be subject to disciplinary action. Click
here for more information on the amendments.
Proposed Regulations To Require Posting of Notice of Right to Join a Labor Union The U.S. Department of Labor has issued proposed regulations that will require private-sector federal contractors and subcontractors to post a notice advising employees of their right to join a labor union. Click here for an executive summary of the proposed regulations and the proposed format of the required Notice to Employees. Click here to view the proposed regulations.
The FTC Red Flags Rules
require every business that permits customers or clients to defer payment for goods or services to create and implement a written identity theft prevention program by November 1, 2009. HRW's Data Security Team is prepared to assist clients in addressing the requirements of these rules. Click here for an Overview of the FTC Red Flags Rules. Click here to see the FTC's Guidelines to the Red Flags Rules.
COBRA Continuation Under ARRA On 2/19/09, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). ARRA provides for a 65% reduction in COBRA premiums for certain individuals.
Click here for a summary of the new rules.
Click here for links to the DOL and IRS informational web pages.
The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) This controversial federal labor bill is organized labor's number one legislative priority in 2009. EFCA would result in sweeping changes in the way that unions organize workers and in the collective bargaining process.
Click here to learn about EFCA and what employers should be doing now to prepare.
New FMLA Regulations went into effect on January 16, 2009. Covered employers are required to make immediate changes in their policies and procedures. Click here to learn more
Click here for a summary of the new regulations.