Things to Do
OSHA 300A Summary of Work Related Injuries and Illnesses
All employers covered by OSHA Part 1904 must complete this Summary page, even if no work-related injuries or illnesses occurred during the year. Use your OSHA 300 Log to count the number of entries in each category. If there were none for a particular category, enter “0”. The Summary must be posted from February 1 to April 30. If an inspector visits you, one of the first areas he/she looks at is your safety and health records. Failing to record, or improperly recording work-related injuries and illnesses can result in significant fines.
Social Media and the NLRB – NLRB Actions
Continue to watch for the NLRB playing a role in what can and cannot be posted by employees on social media. They have interpreted several cases that winked at concerted activity to be protected. Employers need to be careful about disciplinary action for employees in this regard. If employers have a Social Media Policy, it needs to be checked to ensure it does not have general language prohibiting negative talk or discussing terms and conditions of employment.
Employee Classification
Exempt vs. non-exempt classifications and workers classified as independent contractors or 1099s will continue to receive increased scrutiny by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and the IRS. Also expect to see more sharing of information between agencies – federal and state, workers’ compensation, OSHA, unemployment and tax agencies, EEOC.
Employee Retention
As a result of the roller-coaster economy, many employees have stayed with their current employer longer than intended. As the job market picks up, employers need to pay particular attention on what they need to do to retain their best employees.
The above information is provided for informational purposes and is not to be considered legal advice. Questions, call Larry Elinskas at 804-966-8100.