Human Resources Report Index-Summary

E-MAIL

– Breach of contract and unpaid wages, reporter's claims reinstatement (2d Cir.), 1139
– ERISA, electronic notice of plan reduction insufficient (N.D. Ill.), 914
– Privacy, messages on company laptop, communication policy vague (N.J.), 355
– Social networking

See SOCIAL MEDIA

E-VERIFY PROGRAM

See EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION

EAPs

See EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (EAPs)

EARLY RETIREMENT

– ERISA, amendment blocking unreduced benefits, no breach, age bias (8th Cir.), 384
– France, asbestos workers benefits, calculations, 54; compensation for anxiety, not lost pay (Cass. Soc.), 585
– GM offer to skilled trades workers at 14 plants, 1356
– Health care reform, effects, 13
– Reinsurance program under PPACA, employer compliance advise, 405; program starts, requirements, 486; most employers may apply, 601; duration projections, 630; applications, HHS clarification, 659; fact sheet available, 735; applications submitted, 958; 3.6K employers accepted, 1158

EARNINGS

See WAGES AND SALARIES

EARTHQUAKES

See NATURAL DISASTERS

EBSA

See EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (EBSA)

ECI

See EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX (ECI)

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

– Business Cycle Dating Committee, recession Dec., 2007 - June, 2009, 1018
– Industrial productivity

See PRODUCTIVITY

– Pay data

See WAGES AND SALARIES

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

– Blue Chip Economic Indicators survey, 2010 1st quarter, 52
– Debt and deficit controls, Obama bid for bipartisan accord, 148
– Financial system regulatory reform

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 4173

– Hiring

See HIRING

– Job creation

See JOB CREATION

– Natl. Ass'n for Bus. Econ. (NABE)

– – Government priorities, survey, 975
– – Quarterly reports, 2010, 803; 1141; 1170

– President's Council of Econ. Advisors, annual report to Congress, FY2010-2011, 190
– Recovery

– – Bus. Cycle Dating Comm., Natl. Bureau of Econ. Research (NBER) report, 413; 1018
– – Global recovery, 2010, 33
– – Obama on recovery, job growth, impact on small firms, 514
– – Temporary jobs upswing as sign of recovery, permanent jobs, 497
– – 2010 Workplace Survey, 1086

– Survey of Prof'l Forecasters, 2d quarter, Philadelphia Fed, 555
– UCLA Anderson quarterly forecast, 1031
– Unemployment rates

See UNEMPLOYMENT RATES

EDUCATION

– CEOs, leadership ability, relevance, study, 1015
– College graduates salary offers down, 2010, NACE report, 405
– Income gender gap, married couples, comparison, 66
– Internships, for-profit, private sector, WHD fact sheet clarifies FLSA pay rules, 431
– New jobs, postsecondary education requirements for 2018, study, 722
– Spain, impact on pay, report, 1062
– Wal-Mart Lifelong Learning Program, online education, partial tuition reimbursement, 639
– Working learners, lifelong career planning, technology, agency roles, report, 332

EDUCATION ASSISTANCE

– Race bias, disparate treatment, reimbursement claim time-barred (7th Cir.), 800

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

– Am. Public Univ., Wal-Mart, partial tuition reimbursement for online classes, 639
– Brunswick County Bd. of Educ., ADA, lateral transfer not adverse action (E.D.N.C.), 772
– Chesterfield Cty. Sch. Bd., ADEA, supervisor remarks, RIFd school worker triable claim (E.D. Va.), 1221
– College of St. Scholastica, FMLA, notice lacking, absentee worker declined leave offer (8th Cir.), 719
– Community colleges and private sector employer partnerships, Obama initiative, 1077
– Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & Sch., ADA claim (6th Cir.), 296
– Indep. Sch. Distr. No. 1, ADA, failure-to-accommodate, constructive discharge claims (10th Cir.), 185
– Liberty Univ., PPACA, minimum coverage requirements constitutional under Commerce Clause ( W.D. Va.), 1297
– Madison Are Tech. College, marital ass'n retaliation, race bias, pretext (7th Cir.), 1249
– McGavock H.S., FMLA, absentee coach's supplemental pay unearned, verdict reversed (6th Cir.), 188
– Natl. Am. Univ., ADEA, promotion denial showed pretext (8th Cir.), 717
– New Britain Consol. Sch. Distr., national origin bias, disparate treatment, student-on-teacher harassment (2d Cir.), 297
– Ohio State Univ., nursing director race bias, demotion, firing claim (6th Cir.), 800
– Redford Union Sch. Dist., FMLA, abuse of leave (E.D. Mich.), 51
– St. Coletta, ERISA, COBRA, pro se plaintiff's disclosure claims (E.D. Va.), 973
– Sch. Dist. of Somerset, ADA, teacher accommodation claim (W.D. Wis.), 1136
– Seton Hall Univ., professors' pay bias claims, Ledbetter ruling rejection (N.J.), 1306
– Traverse City Area Pub. Schs. Bd. of Educ., First Amend., nonrenewal of teacher contract, constitutionality (U.S., rev den), 1296
– Univ. of Pittsburgh, RIF'd analyst's race and sex bias claims (3d Cir.), 1053
– Univ. of Texas at Arlington, religious bias claims (N.D. Tex.), 829
– Universities Research Ass'n, sex bias, firing for personal company computer use (7th Cir.), 967

EEOC

See EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION (EEOC)

ELECTIONS

– Union officers and governance

See UNION INTERNAL ELECTIONS

– Union representation

See REPRESENTATION ELECTIONS

ELECTRONIC FILING

– Benefit plans, Form 5500

See EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

ELECTRONIC MAIL

See E-MAIL

ELECTRONIC MONITORING

– Brazil, time clock rules, opposition, 586; deadline delay, 1061
– Personal company computer use, policy violation, no sex bias (7th Cir.), 967
– Privacy

– – GPS tracking of inspectors, remedies, statutory authority for private enforcement (Conn.), 49
– – Pager text messages, Cal. violation (U.S., oral arg), 425; city audit of employees' use valid (rvs, rem), 649; correction, 686; Quon decision examined, BNA Insights, 976

ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY

– Benchmark Elecs. Huntsville, ADA, preoffer medical inquiry (11th Cir.), 74
– Hon Hai Precision Indus. of Taiwan, working and living conditions, migrant suicides, salary hikes, 599; more pay hikes, 625
– Koninklijke Philips Elec., SOX, patent fraud, no harm to public, investors (2d Cir.), 1168
– Lutron Elecs., ADA, depression, absentee worker not protected (3d Cir.), 1333
– TBD Servs., FLSA, home theater installers' claims against joint/successor employer (S.D. Tex.), 1197
– Tolt Tech. Servs., overtime, technician without work hours records (M.D. Fla.), 244

EMERGENCY SERVICES

– Am. Med. Response of Conn., ULP complaint, Internet policy violation (NLRB Reg.), 1223
– Huron Valley Ambulance, mandatory arbitration, waiver of right to sue not knowing or voluntary, claim revived (6th Cir.), 468
– Pride Ambulance, whistleblower's Medicaid fraud report linked to resignation (W.D. Mich.), 442

EMOTIONAL DISTRESS

– Waterboarding during motivational exercise, claim against boss (Utah), 1297

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (EAPs)

– Mental health parity rules, 1162

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

See also specific benefits
– 2010 SHRM report, 742
– Cost control top employer priority, trends report, 435
– ECI

See EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX (ECI)

– Form 5500

– – Data sets posted, 124
– – Electronic filing, EFAST2 system, DOL posts guidance, 321; e-signature option for Form 5500, 5500-SF, 516
– – Reporting rules, election of funding relief, IRS notices, 850

– HIRE Act new-hire exemption, IRS releases Form W-11 employee affidavit, 377
– Improving conditions for low-wage workers can increase profits, report, 583
– Internships, top 10 employers, Vault 2010 Guide, 72
– Prevailing wage determinations, labor certifications, mailings, DOL on zip code changes, 264
– Total compensation costs, private sector, 2009, BLS report, 294
– Union reporting, T-1 Trust Annual Reports, OLMS filing deadline extension, 10; unions, Chamber differ on DOL's rescission proposal, 502; final rule to rescind issued, 1298; effective date, correction, 1329

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (EBSA)

– Enforcement, FY2009, monetary recoveries, 209
– ERISA

– – Advisory Council, SPD rules revisions, health care literacy, recommendations, 965
– – Delinquent contributions, Borzi on civil enforcement efforts, 1244
– – “Fiduciary” definition revision, rule proposal, 1129
– – §101(f), proposed rule on annual funding notices, 1243

– Form 5500 data sets posted online, 124
– Pension funding

– – Relief, Borzi on administration endorsement, four qualifications, 400
– – Safe harbor for small plan contributions, final rule, 683

– PPACA

– – Enforcement, DOL Solis issues orders, 962
– – Semiannual regulatory agenda, ten proposed rules, 459

– Retirement fee disclosure, proposal amending qualified default investment alternative, 1300

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOKS

See HANDBOOKS, EMPLOYEE

EMPLOYEE STATUS

– Independent contractors, misclassification

See INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

– Overtime

See OVERTIME

EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (ESOPs)

– ERISA

– – Anti-cutback rule, mandatory cash-out for departing employees (D.N.D.), 245
– – Fiduciary breach

– – – Fair market value, final approval of class settlement (S.D. Fla.), 11
– – – Fannie Mae, stock-drop settlement (D.D.C.), 628
– – – High-risk investments, plausibility standard (D. Mass.), 329; dismissal, 1365

EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

– Temporary work

See TEMPORARY AGENCIES

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

– Bonuses, detrimental reliance on promise of retention bonuses (S.D. Fla.), 21
– Breach

– – At-will presumption trumps oral promise of future job (10th Cir.), 1168
– – ERISA preemption, incentives, profit-sharing, 401(k) matching contributions (S.D.N.Y.), 106
– – Fraud, failure to support efforts to obtain O-1 visa (E.D. Pa.), 79

– Commissions, fraud inducement, Ark. claim over settlement agreement (8th Cir.), 495
– Drafting tips, social networking, executive compensation hot topics, 668
– MSNBC Cable, reporter's breach of contract and unpaid wages claims reinstatement (2d Cir.), 1139
– Noncompetition

See NONCOMPETE AGREEMENTS

– Separation pact, reference checks breach, damage to prospects (E.D. Wis.), 132
– Sleeping on the job, Wyo. law good-faith standard, application (10th Cir.), 775

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION (ETA)

– Forms for prevailing wage determinations, labor certifications, DOL on zip code changes, 264
– Grants

See GRANTS

EMPLOYMENT AT WILL

– Oral promise of job no bar to at-will worker RIF (10th Cir.), 1168
– W.Va., termination for report of perceived criminal misconduct outside “substantial public policy” exception (W. Va.), 524

EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX (ECI)

– Private sector data, BLS report, 2009 4th quarter, 127; 2010 1st quarter, 491; 2d quarter, 854; 3d quarter, 1192

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION

– E-Verify

– – Appendix: Form I-9, WFS 20 (7/26/10)
– – CIS self-check service, comments, notice, 1074; comment period extension, 1381
– – Compliance and risk avoidance strategies, WFS 12 (7/26/10)
– – Comprehensive Immig. Reform Act

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, S 3932

– – DHS enhancements, changes, overview, 305
– – Employer web interface redesigned, USCIS launch, 654
– – Federal enforcement procedures, HR duty, WFS 7 (7/26/10)
– – Identification component, WFS 18 (7/26/10)
– – Information sharing accord between DOJ, USCIS, 289
– – IRCA, employer obligations, WFS 5 (7/26/10)
– – Mandatory use and enforcement, House resolution, 70
– – Passport photo matching capability, 1213
– – Puerto Rican birth certificates, document validity, 992; validity period extension, 1077
– – Resources, government sites, WFS 19 (7/26/10)
– – State and local programs and laws

See specific states

– – USCIS evaluation survey, 12; comment period extension, 320

– I-9 forms

See I-9 FORMS

– ID card component, impact on employers, 471
– Immigration compliance, best practices tips, BNA Insight, 864

ENERGY

– Veterans hiring, pilot program

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 4592

ENERGY PROVIDERS

See UTILITIES

ENGINEERS

– Aging workforce, recruitment and retention challenges, study, 947
– Hi-tech employment, 2010 1st half, TechAmerica report, 1002

ENGLISH-ONLY RULES

– National origin bias, EEOC legitimacy examination urged, conference, 1280
– Tenn., workplace bill approved, 600; enacted, 686

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

See LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

– Penthouse Exec. Club, policies violate FLSA, dancers collective action (S.D.N.Y.), 1159

ENVIRONMENT

– Green jobs

See GREEN JOBS

– Greening of the Am. Workplace, 2009, survey report, 443
– Gulf Coast oil spill

See OIL AND GAS

– Shaw Envtl., FCPA, would-be whistleblower RIF (N.D. Ohio), 637

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

– Gulf Coast oil spill, House panel urges DOL, EPA enforcement to protect workers, 634

EPA (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY)

See ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

EPA (EQUAL PAY ACT)

– Paycheck Fairness Act

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 12, S 182

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

– VEVRAA, DOL interim rules for military veterans, 1044

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION (EEOC)

– ADA

See AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)

– ADEA

See AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT (ADEA)

– Agency collaboration, DOL Smith on agenda under Obama, 723
– Agenda, Lipnic on status of ADA, GINA rulemaking, systemic enforcement, 570
– Appointments and personnel changes, recess appointments, quorum, nominations, 8; recess appointments, Berrien, Lipnic, Feldblum, Lopez, 343; commission restored to full strength, 344; Berrien, Feldblum sworn in, 374; Obama renominates recess appointments, 431; Feldblum offers perspective on agency goals, operations, conference, 642
– Berrien on enforcement, regulatory, and resource issues, 881
– Criminal records, hiring policies, bias guidelines, NELP report, 778
– GINA

See GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCRIMINATION ACT (GINA)

– Litigation statistics, FY2009, 12
– OFCCP's Shiu on pay equity, initiatives, partnering with EEOC, 881
– Performance and accountability report, FY2010, 1268
– Sexual harassment

See generally SEXUAL HARASSMENT

– Subpoena to compel hiring data, partial approval (3d Cir.), 996
– Title VII, worksharing accord provides state agency's loss of jurisdiction not binding on EEOC, timely suit revived (10th Cir.), 464

EQUAL PAY ACT (EPA)

– Class arbitration, court reversal of prior decision, denial where contract silent (S.D.N.Y.), 822
– Paycheck Fairness Act

– – Bills

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 12, S 182, S 3772

– – Lilly Ledbetter

See LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT

– – Obama administration enforcement will continue despite failure to pass bill, 1396

– VA nurse practitioners' claim (U.S., rev den), 1076

EQUAL PROTECTION

– DOMA, rights of same-sex couples, violations (D. Mass.), 766

EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS

– Flow Prods., SOX whistleblower protection application, SEC amicus curiae brief (5th Cir.), 823
– FLSA enterprise coverage, interstate inquiry (11th Cir.), 972

ERGONOMICS

– Certifications, WFS 12 (3/29/10)
– Challenges, WFS 8 (3/29/10)
– Education and evaluation, WFS 6 (3/29/10)
– MSDs

See MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

– Nurse Protection Act

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, S 1788

– OSHA

– – General duty clause, enforcement on, 373; modest citations proposed, 1390
– – Recordkeeping, rulemaking concerns, 18
– – Regulations, Michaels' comments concerns industry groups, 1025
– – Semiannual regulatory agenda, 18
– – Voluntary Protection Program, overview, WFS 20 (3/29/10)

– Overview, WFS 5 (3/29/10)
– Patient handling plan, witnesses on Hill weigh costs, benefits, implementation time, 522
– People-based safety technique, WFS 7 (3/29/10)
– Program creation, tips offered, WFS 11 (3/29/10)
– Traveling accommodations, WFS 12 (3/29/10)

ERISA

– Advisory Council, recommendations

– – Outreach, education, data collection and sharing, 1218
– – SPDs, EBSA rules revisions, health care literacy, 965

– Anti-cutback rule

– – Eliminating transfer rights, no violation (1st Cir.), 1114
– – Equitable estoppel applied in pension context (6th Cir.), 552
– – ESOP cash-out for departing employees (D.N.D.), 245

– Attorneys' fees, prevailing party, disability claimant's vacated award (U.S., rev grant), 68; (oral arg), 473; (rvs, rem), 567
– Benefit termination after 10 years, ongoing disability not proved (U.S., rev den), 1326
– Break in service, plan exclusion, portability denial (W.D. Tex), 608
– Cash balance plans

See CASH BALANCE PLANS

– Class actions, annual workplace litigation report, 2009, Seyfarth Shaw, 81
– COLAs exclusion from lump-sum pension distributions, settlement (S.D. Ind.), 403
– Disclosure, failure to provide SPD, pro se plaintiff's claims (E.D. Va.), 973
– E-mail notice of plan reduction insufficient (N.D. Ill.), 914
– EBSA semiannual regulatory agenda, ten proposed rules, 459
– Fiduciary breach

See FIDUCIARY DUTY

– “Fiduciary” definition revision, EBSA rule proposal, 1129
– Hardship withdrawals, disclosure requirements met (N.D. Ill.), 553
– Immigrant status, language barrier not “extraordinary circumstances” to support equitable estoppel (3d Cir.), 832
– Independent contractor misclassifications, common law agency test, bid to compel production of tax returns (N.D. Ind.), 51
– Interpretation, abuse of discretion, administrator entitlement to deferential review (U.S., oral arg), 136
– Matching contributions, two-tiered vesting schedule valid (W.D. Wash.), 777
– MEWAs

See MULTIPLE EMPLOYER WELFARE ARRANGEMENTS (MEWAs)

– Miscalculation ministerial function, benefits cut to recoup overpayments (E.D. Tenn.), 274
– Multiemployer plans

See MULTIEMPLOYER PLANS

– Pension and welfare plans, contributions, safe harbor, DOL final rule, 71
– Phantom account offset, deference standard survives single honest mistake in plan administration (U.S., rvs), 428; attorneys debate implications, 515
– Plant closing, adequacy of class counsel, recertification denial remanded (3d Cir.), 608
– Retaliation, §510, whistleblower firing for reporting plan contribution violations (E.D. Mich.), 1084
– Retiree health benefits

See RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS

– Retirement plan fee disclosure, EBSA interim final rules, 763; regulatory impact on large and small firms, 852; application to health plans, DOL seeks comments, 1160
– §101(f), EBSA proposed rule on annual funding notices, 1243
– §510 interference

– – Chemotherapy costs for wife, mechanic fired (D. N.J.), 106
– – Firing after start of leave without knowledge of FMLA leave request (11th Cir.), 412
– – Independent contractor status for insurance agents, CEO charged (E.D. Pa.), 1251
– – Level of proof, pension obligations as motive for plant closure (U.S., rev den), 38
– – No expectation of future benefits, reclassification after spinoff, reacquisition (6th Cir.), 301
– – Pension rights aerospace workers, ADEA, LMRA claims (D. Kan.), 748
– – Refusal to sign waiver of benefits, firing to avoid higher coverage costs (E.D. Va.), 666

– §4062(e), plant closings, reporting and liability requirements, PBGC clarification rule, 877
– Switching to different pension plan, no violation (6th Cir.), 1113

ESOPs

See EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (ESOPs)

ESTOPPEL

– ERISA, immigrant status, language barrier not “extraordinary circumstances” to support equitable estoppel (3d Cir.), 832

ETA

See EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION (ETA)

ETHICS

– Recusal, NLRB's Becker motion denial, IG probe, 711; Becker cleared, 791; NRTW Found. letter urges probe of Becker votes, 890
– Twitter, reporter reinstatement despite violating journalistic policies (Arb.), 1253

EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

– International data transfers, guidelines released, 1061

EVIDENCE

– ADEA, RIF statistical impact analysis flawed (D.C. Cir.), 910
– Age bias, RIF, exclusion of “other employee” testimony (10th Cir.), 1248
– Age bias, totality, stray remarks relevant circumstantial proof (Cal.), 846
– Burden of proof

See BURDEN OF PROOF

– FCA, whistleblower foreman billing and retaliation claims (4th Cir.), 801
– FMLA interference, “serious health condition,” lay and expert testimony combined (3d Cir.), 300
– Overtime, FLSA, technician without work hours records (M.D. Fla.), 244
– Race bias

– – Direct proof satisfied commonality, class certification denial (U.S., rev den), 233
– – Spoliation, improper jury instructions claim (1st Cir.), 799
– – Theft, comparators not similarly situated (6th Cir.), 773

– Weight bias, NYC law firing claim revived (2d Cir.), 521

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

– Dodd-Frank Act, say-on-pay rules, SEC fast-tracking, comments urged, 1217; disclosure challenges for proxy season, 1357
– Federal contractors reporting requirements, DOD, GSA, NASA interim rule, 765
– Finance industry

– – Bonus earnings, BLS data, 461
– – Higher deposit insurance premiums, FDIC proposal, 71
– – Regulatory reform

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 4173

– Issues and pay practices, 2010 report, 126
– Key benefits and perquisites, 2008-2009, Fortune 100 report, 994
– Overpayment, restricted stock units (RSUs), CEO retirement date not recoverable (11th Cir.), 1252
– Performance measures, 2010, survey, 211
– Proxy statements, risk assessment, disclosure requirements, 182
– Total rewards strategies, performance pay, WFS 13 (4/26/10)

EXECUTIVES

– CEOs, education vs. leadership ability, study, 1015
– Noncompete agreements, att'y discusses challenges in drafting pacts, BNA Insights, 1310
– Women, reasons for resignations, survey, 358

EXHAUSTION OF REMEDIES

– COBRA, failure to exhaust DOL remedies bars notice, ARRA benefits claims (D.D.C.), 468