Vigilant Blog
News, trends and analysis in employment law, HR, safety & workers' comp
May
05
2022
Prepare for heat illness prevention
As summer approaches, now is the time to review your safety plans for protecting workers from heat illness hazards. California and Washington have state-specific heat stress regulations and directives that you must follow, while Arizona, Idaho, and Montana follow federal law. Meanwhile, Oregon is in the process of developing permanent…
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May
05
2022
Form I-9 remote inspection extended again, until October 31, 2022
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has again extended its temporary relaxation of the standards for physically inspecting a new worker’s employment eligibility documents when completing the Form I-9. This extension of the relaxed standard now expires on October 31, 2022. As we originally reported, DHS relaxed the requirement for employers operating remotely and unable to physically inspect…
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May
05
2022
Q&A: Temporary protected status may extend work authorization
Question: Last year during the I-9 process, a new hire showed me a Form I-766 (Employment Authorization Document) as proof of eligibility to work. The card is expiring soon and I’ve asked for updated documentation to reverify their authorization to work, but they say they don’t have any new documents. Will I have to…
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May
05
2022
Federal contractors settle group hiring and pay claims with OFCCP
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently secured three significant settlements from employers with federal contracts. The companies didn’t admit liability, but signed conciliation agreements after routine affirmative action audits uncovered disparities in hiring and compensation. IQVIA Inc. agreed to pay $550,000 in back wages and interest to resolve allegations that…
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Apr
25
2022
Pssst! The secret to lowering workers’ comp premiums
The most impactful way to lower workers’ compensation costs, the secret ingredient if you will, is to prevent injuries in the first place. The Vigilant safety team spends all day everyday doing just that with hundreds of companies. We’ve learned 4 key things about preventing injuries: Establish and maintain a culture of care. At…
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Apr
21
2022
OREGON: Paid sick time expanded in advance of summer heat
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) has made a permanent rule that expands the reasons for Oregon paid sick leave to include time off related to emergency evacuation orders as well as unhealthy air quality or high outdoor temperatures. The permanent rule is identical to the temporary rule…
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Apr
21
2022
OFCCP contractor portal is now open; certifications due June 30, 2022
The OFCCP Contractor Portal is now open for federal supply and service contractors to certify their affirmative action plan (AAP) compliance no later than June 30, 2022. (Construction contractors aren’t required to participate at this time.) You don’t have to upload your written AAP, but you do need to certify that you have…
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Apr
07
2022
WASHINGTON: COVID-19 temporary rule renewed through August 4, 2022
On April 6, 2022, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) filed its emergency workplace safety rule to address COVID-19 (coronavirus), which is now effective through August 4, 2022. The prior rule expired on April 6, 2022. The updated rule (Public Health Emergency Reporting and Notification Requirements for Infectious and…
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Apr
07
2022
WASHINGTON: Employers must disclose pay info in all job postings
On March 30, 2022, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed Substitute Senate Bill 5761, which requires employers with 15 or more employees to include the wage scale or salary range in each job posting, along with a general description of all benefits and other compensation for the job, effective January 1,…
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Apr
07
2022
WASHINGTON: Stay alert for laws that protect employee wages
There are two laws—one passed this year and one last—that protect employees in Washington from not getting paid or for fees related to bounced checks. The first, RCW Chapter 60.90, became effective January 1, 2022. It allows most employees to place a lien on their employer’s property to secure unpaid wages, as well as…
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