Many Implications for Employers in Senate Health Care Reform Bill
Read the latest news on health care reform efforts in Congress and how they will affect employers
In a 60-39 party-line vote, U.S. Senate Democrats voted last night to begin full debate on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), a comprehensive 2,074-page health care reform bill. The legislation, which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) unveiled on November 18, 2009, would have serious impacts on employers if enacted.
Immigration Crackdown: DHS Launches Thousands of H-1B Inspections, I-9 Audits
The federal government is making it clear to employers that immigration enforcement is a priority for the Obama administration, and that employers failing to comply with the law face severe consequences.
On November 19, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent out a notice that it intends to audit the I-9 forms of 1,000 employers. The audits are in addition to news from July in which 654 employers were informed that their I-9 forms would be scrutinized. Additional waves of audits are also expected.
DOL Hires 250 New Wage and Hour Investigators
If a recent news release from U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is any indication, 2010 may prove to be a year of ramped-up enforcement from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). In her November 19 statement, Secretary Solis sent a clear message about the enforcement and outreach efforts occurring within the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), announcing the recent hire of an additional 250 wage and hour investigators as well as plans for a public awareness campaign on worker rights, expected to launch in 2010.
The hiring effort at the WHD represents a staff increase of more than one-third, a move that will significantly improve the DOL’s top priority of protecting worker rights by allowing prompter response to complaints of wage violations and more targeted enforcement. Solis’ message is clear: “Failure to comply with these basic labor standards means that workers are not receiving the money they have earned,” and the department “will not rest until the law is followed by every employer, and each worker is treated and compensated fairly.”
Senate Health Care Reform Bill’s Impact on Employers
After weeks of negotiating, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) finally unveiled a highly anticipated health care reform bill Wednesday night called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The 2,074-page bill is a combination of two different health care reform bills approved by Senate committees earlier this year. Reid revealed the Senate bill less than two weeks after the U.S. House of Representatives passed its own version of health care reform legislation by a slim 220-215 margin.
Audio Conference: Health Care Reform Is Here: Impact and Answers for Employers offered April 22, May 6 and May 20
Congress Members Introduce More Paid Sick Leave Legislation
U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut) introduced legislation yesterday that would guarantee paid sick leave for employees infected by the H1N1 virus (also known as “swine flu”). The legislation would take effect 15 days after being signed into law but would end after two years.
According to Dodd and DeLauro’s websites, the legislation would allow employees to earn up to seven paid sick days to use: read more…
Holidays 2009 Survey Results
Each year, HR Hero Line surveys its readers about what days they will be off at the holidays and in the coming year. Most of you will have a paid holiday later this month on both Thanksgiving Day and the day after, while about 36% of you will get off on Thanksgiving Day only. Christmas is on Friday this year, and most of you will be off on Christmas Day and about 40% will be off on Christmas Eve, as well. The following week, nearly everyone will be off on New Year’s Day, but only 12% will be off on New Year’s Eve.
So since most of you will not be at the office, HR Hero Line will be taking some time off, as well. There will be no issue of HR Hero Line on Nov. 27. There will also be no HR Hero Line issue on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1, 2010. Instead, we will have an issue on Dec. 30.
House Passes Momentous Health Care Reform Legislation
In a 220-215 vote, House Democrats passed a controversial health care reform bill with only one Republican voting for the legislation. The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) is a combination of three different health care reform bills approved by House committees this summer and is 1,990 pages with a 42-page manager’s amendment.
Audio Conference: Health Care Reform Is Here: Impact and Answers for Employers offered April 22, May 6 and May 20
Senators Introduce Another COBRA Subsidy Extension Bill
Update Dec. 21, 2009: President signs bill including COBRA subsidy extension
Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) introduced the COBRA Subsidy Extension and Enhancement Act (S. 2730) this week in the U.S. Senate. The proposed bill would extend the original federal COBRA subsidy created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which President Barack Obama signed into law in February.
Will Congress Require Paid Sick Days for Flu?
Congress Members Introduce More Paid Sick Leave Legislation – November 18, 2009
A U.S. House committee is set to consider a bill during the week of November 16 that would temporarily require employers to provide paid sick days for employees sent home or told to stay home from work because of the flu.
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