The Complete Guide to Human Resources and the Law: 2003 Edition

The Complete Guide to Human Resources and the Law will help you navigate complex and potentially costly Human Resources issues. You'll know what to do (and what not to do) to avoid costly mistakes or oversights, confront HR problems - legally and effectively - and understand the rules. The Complete Guide to Human Resources and the Law offers fast, dependable, plain English legal guidance for HR-related situations from ADA accommodation, diversity training, and privacy issues to hiring and termination, employee benefit plans, compensation, and recordkeeping. It brings you the most up-to-date information as well as practical tips and checklists in a well-organized, easy-to-use resource. The 2010 Edition provides new and expanded coverage of issues such as: Discussion of the economic recovery measures under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, the Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act of 2008, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 The PBGC flat-rate premium for single employer plans for 2009 is $34/participant The requirement of distributing Summary Annual Reports to participants and beneficiaries has been replaced by the requirement of issuing annual funding notices for most benefit plans; DOL issued a model notice and FAQs for implementing the requirement Courts continued to develop standards under Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Glenn, 128 S. Ct. 2343 (2008), for reviewing claims decisions made by decision-makers (such as plan sponsors and insurers) that have a conflict of interest because they are responsible for paying whatever claims are allowed The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-3 (CHIPRA), intended to improve coordination between EGHPs and state Medicaid and SCHIP (coverage for uninsured children) plans, caused EGHP and cafeteria plans to be amended "Michelle’s Law," Pub. L. 110-381, requires EGHPs to extend coverage to employees' dependent children who are covered as post-secondary students if they have to interrupt their studies for health-related reasons More states allowed same-sex couples to marry or have legally related domestic partnerships or civil unions - with implications for work-related benefit plans that cover "spouses." The requirement of benefit parity between mental and physical illnesses was made permanent by EESA The HITECH Act (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health; part of ARRA) was enacted to strengthen the privacy and security rules under HIPAA, and to promote broader usage of electronic medical records. State Attorneys General now have the power to enforce HIPAA through suits in federal court. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (Pub. L. 111-2) was enacted. It increases the number of employment discrimination suits that can be brought by reversing the Supreme Court's decision that the timing rules for lawsuits begin when an allegedly discriminatory practice is adopted. The Supreme Court extended its string of pro-arbitration cases by ruling in 14 Penn Plaza LLC v. Pyett, 129 S. Ct. 1456 (4/1/09), that a collective bargaining agreement clause that clearly obligates union members to arbitrate ADEA claims is enforceable. The Supreme Court held that federal labor law preempts a California law that forbade employers that receive state contracts or other funding to discuss union matters with employees. As long as employers avoid coercion, federal law seeks to promote wide-open debate on labor issues: Chamber of Commerce v. Brown, 128 S. Ct. 2408 (2008). Another Supreme Court ruling discussed allows unions to charge non-members who pay agency fees in lieu of joining the union amounts representing certain expenses of national litigation: Locke v. Karass, 129 S. Ct. 798 (1/2/09). The Supreme Court also ruled, in Crawford v. Metropolitan Gov't of Nashville and Davison County, TN, 129 S. Ct. 846 (2009), that it is unlawful to retaliate against employees who answer questions about sexual harassment as part of an internal investigation. Protection against retaliation is not limited to employees who initiate an investigation or volunteer information. Discussion of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, ADAAA, Pub. L. 110-325, which took effect January 1, 2009, and reverses a number of Supreme Court decisions that narrowed the definition of "disability" Discussion of the Department of Labor's massive new regulations under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)