On April 17, 2012, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that would have required employers to post a notice of employees’ right to form a union, has been blocked by a federal appeals court due to conflicting decisions at the district court level. The conflicting court decisions are as follows: In March 2012, the [...]

On December 23, 2011, The National Labor Relations Board issued a press release announcing its decision to postpone the implementation date for the new notice-posting rule, again, at the request of the federal court in Washington, DC.  The implementation date is now April 30, 2012! As you may already know, most private sector employers will [...]

The IRS has issued Notice 2012-9 to provide additional guidance on informational reporting of employer-sponored health coverage on Form W-2. This notice restates and amends the interim guidance on information reporting to employees initially provided in Notice 2011-28, 2011-16 I.R.B. 656. This informational reporting is required under § 6051(a)(14) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code), enacted [...]

The U.S. Department of Labor has released a new fact sheet on FMLA and retaliation. This sheet provides general information concerning the Family and Medical Leave Act’s (FMLA) prohibition on retaliation against an individual for exercising his or her rights or participating in matters protected under the FMLA.

At times it seems like compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) feels not like running a marathon or a sprint, but rather slogging through a particularly murky swamp.  In fact, it seems that the government agencies themselves are becoming mired in the details of the convoluted law with several of the [...]

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a proposed policy that will allow the states greater flexibility and freedom to implement PPACA. This flexibility is specifically tied to the definitions of “essential health benefits.” The bulletin released today describes an inclusive, affordable and flexible proposal and informs stakeholders about the approach that HHS [...]

NLRB Postponed the Required Posting Date for the New Union Poster Until January 31, 2012! On October 5, 2011, the National Labor Relations Board issued a press release announcing their decision to postpone the implementation date for its new notice-posting rule from November 14, 2011 until January 31, 2012! The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision [...]

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently announced that starting November 14, 2011, most private employers covered under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) will be required to display a new poster in their workplace notifying employees of their right to form and join a union. The poster will reinforce that employees have the right [...]

Every year, thousands of workers become sick from exposure to heat, and some even die.  These illnesses and deaths are preventable.  Please go to OSHA’s webpage, which hosts a nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of working outdoors in hot weather. 

On June 22, 2011 the Illinois Department of Revenue posted this in regards to the new Civil Union Act: The new law permitting Civil Unions did not change the Illinois income tax laws.  Under the income tax act, you may file a joint Illinois income tax return only if you file a joint federal income [...]