Our HR and Benefits webinars offer a wealth of information about crucial issues today's professionals face. These Continuing Education (CE) courses are a reflection of the most recent regulatory developments in HR and benefits management at the state and federal levels.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) are continuously taking initiatives to improve each agency’s law enforcement, specifically against employee misclassification. Guided by their standards, the DOL and the NLRB aggressively enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) respectively to expand the scope of classifying joint employers while narrowing the scope of categorizing independent contractors.
The evolving business environment and the economic fluctuations prompted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continue to affect the implementation and design of executive compensation. In its recent move to tighten regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 120 which underscores a new and more aggressive focus on executive compensation issues.
The implementation of several amendments in employee benefit plans by the end of 2021 along with the new requirements for the coming year continue to bring regulatory changes in areas including welfare plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and hardship distribution. These pose new challenges among practitioners in complying with all the legal developments and addressing critical issues in this field.
The flexible work arrangement has become a norm in the post-pandemic time, presenting hurdles among company decision-makers when it comes to employee classification. Misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor can pose legal risks to employers including liability claims related to employment taxes, interest, and penalties.
The work-from-home setup has rapidly become a trend after businesses started shutting down due to the pandemic. Although this setup can be helpful, it presents unique challenges which employers need to face, particularly in the field of wage and hour law. Typical issues several businesses are struggling with, include claims of unpaid wages, timekeeping inaccuracies, and employee misclassification.
The executive compensation landscape has continuously evolved over the years. Companies have been confronted with shifting regulatory standards, competitive global markets, and economic challenges and demands. These developments require businesses to re-evaluate their existing executive compensation strategies and policies and turn them into a more effective and advanced program to mitigate risk exposure and legal liabilities.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact workplace situations in the U.S., the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released guidance to clarify employers’ growing concern on the application of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other EEOC laws.
