New Regulations Against Employing Illegal Immigrants
Sejm (the lower chamber of the Parliament) has adopted a bill on the consequences of employing foreigners who are staying illegally in the Republic of Poland. The act will enter into force once it is accepted by the Senate and signed by the President. It obligates the employers to demand from prospective foreign employees a confirmation of the right to stay in the country and sets forth penalties, also for legal entities, for employing illegal immigrants. At the same time it lays down provisions facilitating the pursuit of claims for unpaid remuneration by immigrants against employers.
Outstanding Vacation Leave May Be Granted Until the End of September
Outstanding vacation leave may be granted until the end of September. Previously it had to be granted until the end of March. Despite some discussions on whether this deadline applies already to 2011 vacation leave or only to vacation leave acquired in 2012, eventually the view has prevailed that vacation leave from 2011 is already covered by the new law. It should be noted that it is the employer's duty to grant leave during the year in which the employee has acquired the right to it, and only in particular cases listed in the Labour Code it is possible to deviate from this rule and defer the leave until the following year.
Legislative Update for the Week of June 11, 2012
FLSA Bills Would Increase Minimum Wage, Strengthen Non-Retaliation Provisions, Preserve Companionship Exemption, and Create New Exemption
A number of bills were introduced in the House and Senate that seek to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act and prevent an FLSA-related regulation from moving forward. Read the full post here. (June 15)
Senate Committee Hears Testimony on Employment Nondiscrimination Act
On June 12 the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing to discuss the merits of the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), legislation that would create comprehensive employment anti-discrimination protections for individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Read the full post here. (June 12)
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UK Employment Law Reforms - Latest Developments
In the weeks since our previous review, in April, of recent and forthcoming legal changes affecting UK workplaces, the detail of some of the Government's reform plans has become a little clearer and some novel proposals have emerged.
The Queen's Speech
The Queen's Speech on 9 May 2012 heralded two bills that will overhaul significant aspects of employment law - the Children and Families Bill and the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill.
The Children and Families Bill - not yet published - will include some of the reforms mooted in last year's Modern Workplaces consultation, although possibly not all of them. The Government's formal response to the consultation is expected shortly. The most significant proposals were:
- A new system of flexible parental leave, designed to give parents more choice about sharing childcare responsibilities in the early stages of as child's life. In outline, the scheme is likely to entail the mother taking 18 weeks' leave at or around the birth, with the remainder of the current 52-week maternity leave period being reclassified as "parental leave" to be taken flexibly by either parent.
- Extending the right to request flexible working to all workers who have been employed for 26 weeks, irrespective of the reason for the request. This would be based on the existing system for requesting flexible working for children/adult carers, retaining the current list of eight business reasons for employers turning down a request.
Legislative Update for the Week of June 4, 2012
DOL Issues Updated Regulatory Retrospective Review Analysis
In response to an executive order aiming to improve regulation and regulatory review of rules that could potentially hinder job growth and creation, the Department of Labor released an updated Retrospective Review Progress Report that includes revised target completion dates for certain agency rulemaking efforts. Read the full post here. (June 6)
Paycheck Fairness Act Stalls in Senate
Supporters of the Paycheck Fairness Act failed to muster the votes needed to advance the bill to a final Senate vote. Read the full post here. (June 5)
Legislative Update for the Week of May 28, 2012
Senate Bills Would Provide Greater Workplace Protections for Veterans
Senators Robert Casey (D-PA) and Mark Pryor (D-AR) introduced legislation that would increase reemployment and leave protections for veterans and returning members of the National Guard and Reserves. Read the full post here. (May 31)
NLRB Member Terence Flynn Resigns
National Labor Relations Board member Terence Flynn announced his resignation from the Board following allegations cited in an NLRB Inspector General report that he committed ethics violations while employed by the Board, but before he assumed his Board member position. Read the full post here. (May 29)
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Legislative Update for the Week of May 21, 2012
Paycheck Fairness Act Moves Forward
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) filed a motion that would allow the Senate to debate and vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 3220). A vote on this motion - which requires at least 60 votes to pass - is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5. Read the full post here. (May 25)
DOL Issues Guidance on the New Retirement Plan Participant Fee Disclosure Regulations
Field Assistance Bulletin 2012-02 provides additional guidance in the form of frequently asked questions on the new retirement plan participant fee disclosure regulations. Read the full post here. (May 25)
Legislative Update for the Week of May 14, 2012
Defense Reauthorization Bill Includes Amendment Banning Project Labor Agreement Requirement
The House of Representatives approved the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 with an amendment that would "prevent federal agencies from requiring contractors to sign an anti-competitive and costly project labor agreement as a condition of winning a federal construction contract" for military construction and housing projects. Read the full post here. (May 18)
OSHA to Develop Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced plans to establish a committee charged with advising and making recommendations to Department of Labor and OSHA officials regarding ways to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of OSHA's whistleblower protection program. Read the full post here. (May 18)
Legislative Update for the Week of May 7, 2012
DOL Seeks to Gauge Worker Knowledge of Workplace Wage and Safety Rights
The Department of Labor (DOL) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a proposed information collection request to determine the degree of employee knowledge concerning their rights governed by the DOL's Wage and Hour Division and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Read the full post here. (May 13)
Agencies Issue Proposed Rule Implementing Federal Service Contractor Employees' Right of First Refusal
The Department of Defense, General Services Administration , and National Aeronautics and Space Administration have issued a proposed rule that would amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement Executive Order 13495, Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts, signed by President Obama on January 30, 2009. Read the full post here. (May 11)
Legislative Update for the Week of April 30, 2012
Bill Would Permit Unionized Employers to Award Merit Pay
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced legislation to amend the National Labor Relations Act to permit employers whose workplaces are governed by collective bargaining agreements to award their employees with additional wages or other compensation for their job performance. Read the full post here. (May 1)
House Committee Approves EEOC Budget with Amendment Blocking ADEA Rule
A bill to provide nearly $367 million for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for fiscal year 2013 was approved by a voice vote, but the bill prevents the EEOC from using funding to implement and enforce an Age Discrimination in Employment Act regulation that clarifies the reasonable factors other than age defense in disparate impact cases. Read the full post here. (April 30)
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