HR Alphabet Soup - gnapartners.com · HR Alphabet Soup Charlotte Ingram, PHR Sr. HR Advisor. Let’s Get Cooking • There are more than 180 federal laws governing employment in the

HRAlphabetSoup

CharlotteIngram,PHRSr.HRAdvisor

Let’sGetCooking

• Therearemorethan180federallawsgoverningemploymentintheU.S.• Complianceiscritical–foryourbusinessandforyourbottomline.

OurIngredients

• ADA• FMLA•WC• COBRA• EEOC

• FLSA• HIPAA• OFCCP•WHD

• LettersinourHRAlphabetSoup

BermudaTriangleofLaborLaw

• WhatistheBermudaTriangleoflaborlawcompliance?• ADA,FMLA&WC• Youcan’tconsideronewithouttheothers• Keystonavigatingit:• Knowingwheneachlawapplies• Knowingwhateachlawrequires• Understandinghowtheyworktogether

BermudaTriangleofLaborLaw

• When,what,how:• SomecasesmayinvolveonlyONE law• SomecasesleavesmayinvolveTWO ofthelaws• OtherscasesmayinvolveallTHREE laws

• Knowinghowthesethreelawsconnectiskeytomaintainingcompliance

ADAAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct

www.ada.gov

AmericanswithDisabilitiesAct

• Whatisit?• ProhibitsdiscriminationagainstAND• Guaranteesequalopportunitiesfor• Peoplewithdisabilities• WhoisrequiredtocomplywithADA?• Employerswith15+employees


• Howtoinquireaboutadisability• DONOTaskemployees/jobcandidatesiftheyhaveadisability

• Ifyou’reconcernedaboutanemployeeorcandidate’sdisabilityaffectingproduction,stopandaskyourself:• Howwillweknowhowadisabilitywilllimittheabilityofapersontoperform?

• Isthisthebestcandidateforthejob?


• DisabilitiesincludedunderADA:• Physicalormentalimpairmentslimitingamajorlifeactivity

• Havingahistoryorrecordofsuchanimpairment• Beingperceivedbyothersasbeingimpaired


• Visiblevs.non-visibledisabilities• Youmayalreadyemploysomeonewithanon-visible(orhidden)disability

• Whataresomecommonnon-visibledisabilities?• Diabetes• Depression• Anxietydisorders• Chronicfatigue

• Changesinbehavior


• Whatistheinteractiveprocess?• Promotesdiscussionsbetweentheemployeeandemployer

• Discusspossible“reasonableaccommodations”• Whenisanaccommodationreasonableorunreasonable?• Createsunduehardshipforemployer• Notallaccommodationsarethesame


• Reasonablevs.unreasonableaccommodations:


• Makingaccommodationswhilekeepingyourpolicyintact


• “CanIdisciplineorterminateanemployeewithadisability?”• Yes - mustgothroughtheinteractiveprocess• “Canwebesuedfordisciplining/terminatinganemployeewithadisability?”• Yes - goingthroughtheinteractiveprocess(anddocumentingit)helpsprotectemployers

• “AmIrequiredtohiresomeonebecausehe/shehasadisability?”• No - hiringdecisionsshouldbebasedonneutralandnon-discriminatoryreasons

FMLAFamilyandMedicalLeaveAct

www.dol.gov/whd/fmla

FamilyandMedicalLeaveAct

• Whatisit?• Providesjob/healthprotectionbenefitsforqualifiedemployees

• 12workweeksofunpaid,job-protectedleave ina12-monthperiod

• WhoisrequiredtocomplywithFMLA?• Employerswithatleast50employeesina75-mileradius


• TobeeligibleforFMLAleaveanemployeemust:• WorkforacoveredemployeratalocationintheU.S.

• Haveworkedforthatemployerforatleast12months

• Haveworkedatleast1,250hoursinthe12-monthperiod


• UnderwhatcircumstancesisanemployeeeligibleforFMLAleave?• Foremployee’sownserioushealthcondition• Forbirthofachildandtocareforthenewborn• Fortheplacementofachildforadoptionorfostercare

• Tocareforanimmediatefamilymemberwithaserioushealthcondition


• NotifyinganemployerofFMLAleave:• Employeesarerequiredtoprovidereasonablenotice• Foreseeableleave:minimum30-daynotice• Emergentsituations:assoonaspossible

• ReasonsFMLAleavemightbedenied• Notprovidingrequirednotice• Insufficientcertification• IssuingtheNoticeofEligibility


• Additionalbenefits/protectionsprovidedbyFMLA:• Maintenanceofgrouphealthinsurancecoverage• Jobrestoration

• Unlawfulemployeractions• Interfering/denyingemployee’srightsprovidedbyFMLA

• Discharge/discriminateagainstemployeesduetoanyinvolvement/activityrelatedtoFMLAleave

WCWorkers’Compensation

Workers’Compensation

• Whatisit?• Programfacilitatingrequiredpaymentstoemployeeswhosufferwork-relatedinjuries/illnesses

• MostemployeesarecoveredbybyWC• Who’sdefinitelynotcovered?• Independentcontractors• Volunteers


• Whatstepsarerequiredwhenanemployeeisinjuredonthejob?• Reporttoimmediatesupervisor• Assesstheseverityoftheinjury• Ifurgentcareisrequired,call9-1-1• NotifyOSHA,ifapplicable

• PrepareTreatmentAuthorizationForm• Escortinjuredemployeetomedicalfacility• SubmitFirstReportofInjuryFormtoG&APartnersorworkers’compensationcarrier


• Whatdowedoifitisdeterminedthatanemployeewillnotbeabletoworkforanextendedperiodoftime?• Whatdowedoiftheconditionispermanent?

COBRAConsolidatedOmnibusBudget

ReconciliationActwww.dol.gov

COBRA

• Whatisit?• Federallawthatrequiresemployerstoofferemployeestheoptionofcontinuinghealthbenefitscoverage

• WhoisrequiredtocomplywithCOBRA?• Employerswith20+employees

COBRA

• WhattypesofeventsqualifyforandinitiatetheCOBRAprocess?• Lossofajob• Reductioninhours• Death• Divorce

EEOCEqualEmploymentOpportunity

Commissionwww.eeoc.gov

EEOC

• Whatisit?• Federalenforcementagency• Overseeslawsprohibitingdiscrimination• WhoisrequiredtocomplywithEEOCrules?• Employerswith15+employees

EEOC

• Hostileworkenvironment• Definedbyoffensiveconductaimedatoneormoreoftheprotectedgroups

• Conductthatissevereandpervasiveandresultsinanadverseemploymentdecision

EEOC

• Aone-punch,two-punchknockoutforPsychHospital• PsychHospitalpaysmorethan$1millionindamagesfordiscriminationcharge:• EEOCchargesofsexandgenderharassment,intheamountof$580,000,and

• Chargesofa hostileworkenvironmentintheamountof$450,000

FLSAFairLaborStandardsAct

www.dol.gov/whd/flsa

FairLaborStandardsAct

• Whatisit?• Establishesminimumwageandovertimepaystandards

• WhoisrequiredtocomplywiththeFLSA?• Privatesector,federal,stateandlocalgovernmentemployers

FairLaborStandardsAct

• Non-exemptvs.exemptemployees• Mostcommonexemptions:• Executive• Administrative• Professional• Outsidesales• Certaincomputer-relatedoccupations

HIPAAHealthInsurancePortabilityand

AccountabilityActwww.hhs.gov/hipaa

HIPAA

• Whatisit?• Givesemployee’srightsovertheirhealthinformation

• Setsrulesandlimitsonwhocanlookatandreceivetheirpersonalhealthinformation(PHI)

• WhoisrequiredtocomplywithHIPAA?• Healthplans• Healthcareclearinghouses• Healthcareproviderswhoelectronicallytransmithealthinformation

OFCCPOfficeofFederalContractCompliancePrograms

www.dol.gov/ofccp

OFCCP

• Whatisit?• Protectsworkers,promotesdiversityandenforceslawsrelatedtofederalgovernmentcontractors/sub-contractors

• OFCCPCompliancereports• AffirmativeActionReport• EEO-1Report

OSHAOccupationalSafetyandHealth

Administrationwww.osha.gov

OSHA

• Whatisit?• Federalagencythatassuressafeandhealthyworkplacesby:• Settingandenforcingstandards• Providingtraining• Conductingoutreach• Providingeducationandassistance

• WhoiscoveredbyOSHA?• ALLemployersarerequiredtocomplywithOSHAregulations

OSHA

• OSHA’sGeneralDutyClause• Employersarerequiredtoprovideemployeeswithaplaceofemploymentthatis:• Freefromrecognizablehazardsthatarecausingorlikelytocauseseriousharm/death

OSHA

• Penaltiesfornoncompliance:

TypeofViolation PenaltySeriousOther-Than-SeriousPostingRequirements

$12,675perviolation

FailuretoAbate $12,675perdaybeyondtheabatementdate

WillfulorRepeated $126,749perviolation

Adjusted for inflation as of Jan. 13, 2017

WHDWageandHourDivision

www.dol.gov.whd

WageandHourDivision

• Whatisit?• FederalagencythatadministersandenforcesmanyoftheFederallaborlaws

• WHDenforcementresponsibilities:• Minimumwage• Overtimepay• Childlabor• Migrantandseasonalworkerprotections• Prevailingwagesforgovernment-fundedserviceandconstructioncontracts

Soup’sOn

• A• B• C• D• E

• F• G• H• I• L•M

G&APartnersisheretoHELP withthemanychallengesyoumayfaceintheWORLDOFLABORLAW.

• O• P• R• S•W

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HR Alphabet Soup - gnapartners.com · HR Alphabet Soup Charlotte Ingram, PHR Sr. HR Advisor. Let’s Get Cooking • There are more than 180 federal laws governing employment in the

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