The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released on Oct. 22 a revised “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law” poster (EEOC-P/E-1 (Revised 11/09)) that incorporates the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, the federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (effective Nov. 21, 2009), and updates from the federal Department of Labor. Employers that are covered by federal nondiscrimination laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, must display this poster in conspicuous places on their premises where notices to employees and applicants typically are posted. EEOC advises employers to post the new November 2009 version of the poster or display a supplement next to a prior version of the poster issued by EEOC (September 2002) or the federal Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (August 2008).

From Employee Benefit News

Employer and employees have a new resource that can be used to help battle obesity in the workforce. Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unveiled LEANworks!, a web site full of free resources for employers to develop wellness programs to address obesity. The site, www.cdc.gov/LEANWorks, includes research reports, case studies, ROI information, and an obesity calculator. It features how -to information about assessing the needs of the workforce, developing an effective program, setting goals, budgeting, and strategies for implementing and promoting the program.

With the unemployment rate at more than 9%, talk of layoffs, and the closing of numerous businesses, it’s easy to see why many organizations are tightening their reins.  However, it is important to maintain, or create, an atmosphere of security, flexibility, and contentment for employees especially during an economic crisis.  The temptation may be to put more emphasis on the bottom line than on those that create the bottom line.  This could create more cost than you think.  For example, turnover rates for 2008 (both voluntary and involuntary) averaged 18.7%.  According to Watson Wyatt, total turnover costs including hard dollars and lost productivity are approximately 48% – 61% of salary.  If a company has 60 employees with an average salary of $40,000, that could mean a cost of $215,424 to $273,768!

So how does an employer stay competitive without spending a lot of money?  There are several things employers can do that cost little, but can go a long way in eye of an employee.

1.       Communicate.

Communication creates a sense of security for an employee.  Not only communication about operations and product offerings, but culturally and structurally as well.  If people feel that they have a good understanding of where the company is going and how it is going to get there, they are generally more connected and invested in it.  Communication creates a purpose and meaning to come and work every day.

2.       Be flexible.

Increasing flex-time or being more flexible with work schedules is a great way to add value in the eye of the employee.  Being aware of the scheduling needs of employees and then trying to meet those needs creates a loyalty and appreciation to your company.

3.       Recognition and Rewards.

Recognizing a job well done or rewarding employees that have just finished a project shows that they are appreciated for their efforts and it is noticed.  Rewards could be anything from an extra vacation day or a gift card to a restaurant.  They don’t have to cost a lot to have a significant impact.

These are just a few ways employers can keep their employees productive, content, and loyal through wage freezes or layoffs.  Eventually the economy will turn and the last thing an employer needs to worry about when this happens is finding good employees.  Remember, investing in the your human capital doesn’t have to cost much, but will pay huge dividends in the future.

By Kaiser Family Foundation

Achieving comprehensive health reform has emerged as a leading priority of the President and Congress. President Obama has outlined eight principles for health reform, seeking to address not only the 45 million people who lack health insurance, but also rising health care costs and lack of quality. In Congress, a number of comprehensive reform proposals have been announced as the debate proceeds over how to overhaul the health care system.

This interactive side-by-side compares the leading comprehensive reform proposals across a number of key characteristics and plan components. Included in this side-by-side are proposals for moving toward universal coverage that have been put forward by the President and Members of Congress. In an effort to capture the most important proposals, we have included those that have been formally introduced as legislation as well as those that have been offered as draft proposals or as policy options. It will be regularly updated to reflect changes in the proposals and to incorporate major new proposals as they are announced. This side-by-side offers a summary of the major components of these proposals; detailed descriptions of provisions relating to the Medicare and Medicaid programs can be found online.

Click here to access the comparison

Effective Nov. 6, 2009, the federal Department of Homeland Security rescinds the safe-harbor procedures for “no-match” letters. DHS is taking such action to focus its enforcement efforts on improving verification of employee authorization to work in the United States through DHS programs such as E-Verify and IMAGE. As part of that effort, DHS filed a stipulation on July 9, 2009, to withdraw its support for the safe-harbor procedures with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California; the court issued a preliminary injunction on Oct. 10, 2007, that blocks implementation of the procedures that were to be effective on Sept. 14, 2007 (AFL-CIO v. Napolitano, N.D. Cal., No. C 07-4472 CRB, stipulation filed 7/9/09).