Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.
Discrimination in the Workplace/Employee Wage and Hour Law
The Senate passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (S. 181) without amendment.
Immigration
Another immigration bill – the 10K Run for the Border Act (H.R. 588) – was introduced that would substantially increase employer penalties for hiring undocumented workers.
Labor/Management Relations
President Obama named Wilma Liebman to Chair the National Labor Relations Board. Also in labor news, President Obama’s ambitious labor agenda is conspicuously absent from the new White House website.
Workplace Flexibility
The Family Fairness Act of 2009 (H.R. 389) was introduced in the House, a bill that would eliminate the requirement that employees must have worked at least 1,250 hours within the previous 12-month period to be eligible to receive FMLA benefits.
Workplace Safety
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued a proposed rule regarding the criteria for manufacturing continuous personal dust monitors (CPDMs). These devices monitor continuously and in real-time a miner’s coal dust exposure, and would be used in place of coal mine dust personal sampler units (CMDPSUs).
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding potential changes to the Respiratory Standard. OSHA also issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking regarding its desire to develop a diacetyl standard.