04/18/2011 - Fifth Circuit Rules Harassment Claims Not Viable Under USERRA
On March 22, 2011, the Fifth Circuit ruled that the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (“USERRA”) does not support a cause of action for hostile work environment. This is the first ruling from any Circuit Court regarding the issue.

04/14/2011 - The EEOC Issues Final Regulations Implementing the ADAAA
On September 25, 2008, former President George W. Bush signed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (the “ADAAA” or the “Act”) into law, broadening the definition of “disability” under the Americans with Disability Act (“ADA”).

03/24/2011 - Flights of Fancy: The Supreme Court Delineates What Complaints the FLSA Protects
According to an old Russian Proverb, “A spoken word is not a sparrow. Once it flies out, you can’t catch it.” Applying this to the employment context, if an employee verbally complains that his employer is violating the FLSA, is the employee protected from retaliation? Deciding a split among the circuit courts, the Supreme Court answered the question affirmatively, eliminating the need for a net: the FLSA protects employees who file oral complaints.

02/22/2011 - OSHA 2010 and 2011: A Review of OSHA’s Expanded Enforcement Initiatives in 2010 and the Outlook for 2011
The business community has been placed on notice. OSHA has been actively pursuing its regulatory agenda, while also arming its arsenal to enforce compliance.

02/17/2011 - Eligible Employees Get Carded by USCIS
Citing security and durability, USCIS announced last week that it is issuing combined employment and travel authorization on one card.

02/03/2011 - Have You Checked The Records? OSHA Continues to Emphasize Recordkeeping Compliance in 2011
After launching a National Emphasis Program (“NEP”) on recordkeeping in 2009, OSHA has focused increasingly more on recordkeeping compliance when conducting workplace inspections.

01/11/2011 - The DNA of GINA: The EEOC Issues Final Regulations Effective January 10, 2011
On November 9, 2010, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued its much-anticipated final rule implementing Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (“GINA”), which applies to all employers covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”), namely, employers with fifteen or more employees, as well as unions, employment agencies and labor management training programs.

12/03/2010 - Update on the DREAM Act Proposal
A new version of the “Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act,” or DREAM Act, was filed on November 30, 2010. The DREAM Act was introduced for the first time in 2001, and has undergone many changes since its inception. The essential premise of the bill is to provide a path to lawful permanent residency for individuals who entered the U.S. as minors and do not have legal status. The current version may come up for a vote on Monday, December 6 at the earliest.

11/18/2010 - U.S. Embassy in London Contemplates Broadening of Visa Reissuance Program
Signaling a possible further relaxation of the strict in-person non-immigrant visa interview requirements, the U.S. Embassy in London has indicated that beginning in December the Visa Reissuance Program may be extended to include key business categories such as “H” and “L” and exchange visitors/students under “J” and “F.” 

11/09/2010 - PERM Labor Certification - Not Open to Interpretation
Underscoring that PERM (Program Electronic Review Management) is a system of bright-line rules that leave little, if any, opportunity to correct errors once an application is filed, the Department of Labor (DOL) held on October 27, 2010 that the failure to include the business name on the Notice of Filing (Notice) is fatal to the entire PERM labor certification application.

11/03/2010 - Reminder: USCIS Filing Fee Changes Begin November 23, 2010
The new filing fees announced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) earlier this year will go into effect on November 23, 2010. Anticipating these changes, which include fee increases and reductions, is important not only to budget planning for sponsors but also for ensuring that your petition is not rejected by the USCIS mailroom as “improperly filed.”

06/30/2010 - U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Employer Searches and Underscores Importance of Electronic Communications Policies
The United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision that provides guidance on steps employers can take to reduce an employee’s privacy expectations and emphasizes the importance of having a clear, well-defined privacy policy.

08/12/2009 - FMLA and Equitable Estoppel
Since its passage in 1993, employers have diligently attempted to incorporate the Family and Medical Leave Act's regulatory scheme into the workplace compliance regimen, only to be tripped up on some final and technical requirement that lands them in the courthouse.
Reprinted by permission from Law360.