Category: Labor, Employment & Civil Rights

National Labor Relations Board Addresses Social Media Policies

On July 31, the Senate confirmed five new members to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), three Democrats and two Republicans, restoring the NLRB to full membership for the first time in a decade.

Established by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in 1935, the NLRB has increasingly become a focus of partisan politics, with the party holding the White House appointing a majority of either pro-labor or pro-business members. Unlike a court of law, the NLRB is not bound by its own precedent. Its decisions on controversial issues swing wildly based upon the party makeup of the sitting board. In fact, “party oscillation” has become the NLRB’s new norm, following a change in administration. With a solid three member pro-union majority on the recently appointed board, President Obama’s pro-Union agenda should have very little problem in being advanced.

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Do Your Employees Have the Right Stuff?

Using Competency Models in Strategic Human Resource Management
By: Michael P. James, J.D., M.B.A.

Human Resource Management Professionals:

Have you been asked to complete a skill or competency analysis for employees in your organization? Are you in charge of evaluating or designing a talent/knowledge-based compensation system? Would you like to create training and certification programs to ensure that employees possess the skills required for the positions they hold in your company? These responsibilities can be overwhelming, yet they are also critical to the success of your organization. Where should you start?

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DOL Issues Electronic Fee Disclosure Guidance

The Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) new fee disclosure regulations applicable to participant-directed defined contribution plans are effective for plan years beginning after October 31, 2011.  For calendar year plans, the first annual disclosures are due by May 31, 2012, and the first quarterly statement of expenses incurred is due by August 14, 2012.  Many plan sponsors have urged the DOL to issue new guidance pertaining to the electronic disclosure of this information, as the DOL’s existing electronic disclosure rules are often criticized as cumbersome and outdated.

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Federal Court Issues New Ruling Regarding Applicability of Title VII to Employers with Volunteer Work Forces

Recently, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals addressed the issue of whether an person must receive compensation in order to be considered an “employee” for purposes of meeting the 15-employee threshold for covered employers under Title VII.

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