Business Law Short Reports

Exempt from Overtime? Think Twice. July 21st, 2011 A general overview of the main categories of overtime exemptions under state and federal law and an explanation of the consequences of misclassifying employees as exempt. Health Care Reform Act Notices Update—Insurers and Timing November 4th, 2010 This Short Report answers questions about notices that group health plans are required to provide under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Notices Required by the Health Care Reform Act November 3rd, 2010 Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), group health plans or issuers of insurance coverage (typically, insurers) must provide certain notices to health plan participants, and in some cases, to all employees. Wisconsin Fair Employment Act Expanded To Provide Additional Protection To Employees August 20th, 2010 Recently enacted legislation provides additional protection to employees under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act. Updating Handbooks to Include Break Time for Nursing Mothers July 22nd, 2010 Most employers are aware that federal law now requires them to provide a reasonable amount of unpaid break time to a nursing mother to express milk. Many, however, have yet to amend their handbooks to include a policy reflecting the federal law. COBRA Premium Subsidy Period Extended to May 31, 2010 May 3rd, 2010 President Obama signed the Continuing Extension Act of 2010 that extends the 15-month COBRA premium subsidy program. COBRA Subsidy Eligibility Extended March 9th, 2010 On March 2, 2010, President Obama signed the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 , which extends the COBRA subsidy eligibility period to include individuals who are involuntarily terminated on or before March 31, 2010. COBRA Subsidy Extended December 29th, 2009 On December 19, 2009, President Obama signed legislation extending the COBRA subsidy rights created earlier this year by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. FMLA Coverage Expanded for Family Members of Military Service Personnel November 13th, 2009 Employers may need to revise their Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policies to reflect an expansion in coverage to family members of military service personnel. Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act Becomes Effective November 21, 2009 November 9th, 2009 The federal Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) workplace discrimination provisions will be effective November 21, 2009. Wisconsin’s FMLA – Employees Are Now Entitled to Family Leave to Care for Domestic Partners July 10th, 2009 Employees are now entitled to take up to two weeks of unpaid leave per year under the Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act to care for domestic partners with serious health conditions. Wisconsin Increases Financial Exposure to Employers for Employment Discrimination Claims June 19th, 2009 Under a new law, Wisconsin judges will be able to force Wisconsin employers to pay compensatory and punitive damages to employees who win discrimination claims before the Equal Rights Division. Department of Labor Issues Model COBRA Notices March 19th, 2009 Today the US Department of Labor issued revised COBRA notices which are intended to help employers comply with the new COBRA provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The New COBRA Subsidy Law – Action Steps March 5th, 2009 In our last Short Report, we outlined some of the key points of the new COBRA subsidy provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In this Short Report, we outline some of the steps employers should take to prepare for and implement those provisions. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Imposes New COBRA Burdens on Employers February 19th, 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009, imposes new COBRA-related obligations on employers. Under the Act, eligible individuals who are involuntarily terminated will only have to pay a small portion of their COBRA premiums and employers must, at least initially, pay the remainder of the premium cost. Federal Legislative Update February 12th, 2009 Washington is moving fast on a couple of high-profile employment-related laws that will significantly expand employer liability.