Safety and HealthTermination & Resignation  

Oregon employers may be liable if they retaliate without knowing it

If an employer disciplines or terminates an employee on the advice of a supervisor, without knowing the supervisor is actually retaliating against the employee, the employer can still be liable, ruled the Oregon Supreme Court. Sometimes, the people with authority to make employment decisions don’t really make decisions alone, but instead rely…

Safety and Health  

New app calculates heat index and illness risks for outdoor workers

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have created a “Heat Safety Tool” app for Android and iPhone to help workers and supervisors calculate the heat index for their worksites and determine risk levels for outdoor workers. The app also includes…

Disability  

New resources available for workplace disability accommodation

The US Department of Labor’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has released a comprehensive Workplace Accommodation Toolkit which provides employers with resources and tools needed to create a more disability-inclusive and compliant workplace. The toolkit contains practical solutions for workplace accommodations, coaching on the interactive process, and training on the basic obligations of…

Vigilant NewsWorkers’ Comp  

We’re Hiring: Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager

We are seeking an experienced, full-time Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager. This position is responsible for proactive counseling and advice related to management of claims for employers who are enrolled in our Washington Workers’ Compensation/Retro program. This position acts as an employer advocate with a goal of getting injured workers back to work. At…

WebinarLeave LawsWage and Hour  

Webinar: Oregon Legislative Update 9/12/19 - Register now!

  WHAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW Thursday, September 12, 2019 10-11 a.m. Pacific / 1-2 p.m. Eastern   Oregon employers are facing a wave of new state employment laws after the 2019 Legislative Session. Many are still trying to figure out how to sort through all the new rules, and asking questions such as: What changes do we…

Montana employers can’t require employees to have microchips

Effective October 1, 2019, Montana employers can’t require employees to get microchip implants as a condition of employment. The Montana legislature passed and Governor Steve Bullock signed SB 286, which prohibits employers from making microchip implants a condition of employment, although employers may request and employees may volunteer for microchip implants.…

Wage and Hour  

EEO-1 portal now open for filing data on pay and hours

Employers with 100 or more employees can now file “Component 2” of the EEO-1 Report, which covers pay and hours worked during 2017 and 2018. The deadline for filing the report is September 30, 2019.   The requirement to file Component 2 data applies to companies with at least 100 employees on an employer-chosen…

Safety and Health  

Employer can’t blame worker for preventable on-the-job injury

A federal appeals court recently affirmed three citations for serious safety violations following the partial amputation of an employee’s thumb at a poultry processing plant. The company had challenged the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s citations in federal court, arguing that the injured employee engaged in unpreventable employee misconduct by violating…

Wage and Hour  

California employers must pay, even for brief periods of work

Nonexempt employees must be paid for all time worked under California’s Labor Code, even very brief periods of work, according to a recent opinion from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In general, nonexempt employees (often called hourly employees) must be paid for all time spent performing work, but federal law…

Safety and Health  

Q&A: Keep exit routes clear and unobstructed

Question: How many exit routes should we have? Also, is it okay to temporarily block an exit route?   Answer: Generally, you’ll need to have at least two solid exit routes for your employees and your operation, but more exit routes may be required depending on the number of people onsite and/or the size of…