The U.S. Department of Labor recently revised and issued Family and Medical Leave Act forms in conjunction with its issuance of a final rule that expands FMLA coverage. Find links to the revised forms below:
WH-381 Notice of Eligibility and Rights & Responsibilities
WH-384 Certification of Qualifying Exigency For Military Family Leave
WH-385 Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Servicemember —
» Read more about: DoL Revises FMLA Forms in Conjunction with the New Rules »
The American Bar Association, in association with the Bureau of National Affairs, released its 2013 Midwinter Meeting Report of 2012 FMLA Cases. This report reviews a comprehensive list of FMLA cases from 2012 and categorizes them into subparts of the FMLA to which they pertain.
Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report highlighting the nearly 2.9 million workers who took time off for illness or injury some time during January 2013. The report goes on to reference another 1.2 million workers who did not work at all during January due to illness or injury. These numbers are the highest on record since February 2008.
» Read more about: Illness-related work absences in January 2013 highest since February 2008 »
House Bill 515 and Senate Bill 226 have been introduced for Congressional consideration. These bills are basically a reintroduction of House Bill 6673 and Senate Bill 1358 from the 112th legislative session.
If passed, they would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to provide leave for the death of a son or daughter. Intermittent or reduced schedule leave would not apply to leave taken under this proposed amendment,
I saw this video tonight and thought of all the employment problems that could be solved if everyone learned this lesson early in life.
It’s Valentine’s Day. Here’s to the LOVE of what you do “for a living.”
In the State of the Union Address tonight, President Obama pronounced several areas of focus that may affect employers.
He urged the House to pass a bill that the Senate passed today: the Violence Against Women Act. He also asked Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that he said ensures “that woman [w]ould earn a living equal to their efforts.”
He asked for the minimum wage to be increased to $9.00 per hour and to tie future increases to the cost of living.
» Read more about: State of the Union Identifies Administration’s Employment Law Focal Points »
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its “work stoppage” report today. The report indicates that 19 major work stoppages (“strikes”) idled more workers than all of the strikes in 2011 combined–148,000 workers.
The Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teacher’s Union idled the most employees–26,500; and Lockheed Martin’s strike was the longest–48 workdays. When multiplied by the 3600 Lockheed and International Association of Machinist workers who went out on strike, this equals 172,800 lost work days.
» Read more about: 2012 Union Strike Numbers Surpass 2011’s »
The rule implements congressional amendments to the FMLA permitting eligible workers to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a current service member with a serious injury or illness. Congress also created qualifying exigency leave, which permits eligible employees to take up to 12 workweeks of leave for qualifying exigencies arising out of active duty or call to active duty in support of a contingency operation of a family member serving in the National Guard or Reserve.
» Read more about: DoL Issues Final Rule, Expanding the FMLA »
Today, House Bill 82 was filed for a second reading. This proposed legislation would align the workers compensation laws in the state so that postsecondary students receive the same workers compensation coverage that K-12 students receive while completing work experience credit hours. Under current Idaho law, postsecondary students receiving education credits for completing a work experience project are not covered under the university or college worker’s compensation policy with the State Insurance Fund.
» Read more about: Idaho House Bill 82 Reported out of Committee with a “Do Pass” Recommendation »
On January 28, 2013, I posted an article regarding the D.C. Circuit Court’s ruling that held three of President Obama’s NLRB appointments unconstitutional, bringing into question all cases decided by the Board in 2012. Two days later, Senator Barrasso (R-Wy) introduced the “NLRB Freeze Act of 2013.”
Under the proposed legislation, hundreds of NLRB decisions that were decided by the unconstitutional panel from January 2012 to the present would be frozen or invalidated.
Read Senator Barrasso’s
» Read more about: Wyoming Senator Introduces NLRB Freeze Act of 2013 »
