ICE is now conducting worksite inspections for STEM OPT employers. ICE’s stated purpose for conducting these inspections, or “site-visits”, is to confirm that STEM OPT students are receiving work-based practical training that directly relates to their area of study. See our previous post. Since instituting its new “site-visit” enforcement measure, ICE has issued guidance
Last week, the DOL unveiled its new regulations aiming to increase the annual salary threshold to $35,000 for “white collar” overtime exemptions, up from the current $23,660 set in 2004. The DOL estimates that this will result in approximately 1.3 million additional workers now qualifying for overtime. The DOL also increased the “highly compensated worker”
Recently, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed two Public Acts that made significant changes to the statutes addressing sexual harassment in the workplace. These bills are collectively known as the Time’s Up Act. Among the significant changes made by the Act were changes that (1) expanded the training requirement from employers with 50 employees
The STEM OPT program allows foreign students who have graduated from a U.S. STEM-degree program to gain paid, on-the-job “Optional Practical Training (“OPT”) that supplements and directly relates to the knowledge and skills gained in their academic studies. In order to engage in post-graduation practical training, foreign students must select an appropriate STEM employer who
Join us for our annual fall seminar on October 11, 2019 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. This promises to be an interesting and informative program regarding recent developments in labor and employment law. Our half-day seminar will include discussions of the timely topics listed below as well as updates on recent legislation and court decisions
On August 29, 2019, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) held that misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor, on its own, does not violate the National Labor Relations Act (the “Act”).
In Velox Express, Inc. and Jeannie Edge, Velox misclassified its employees as independent contractors. When Ms. Edge coordinated group complainants about the
On August 27, 2019, USCIS announced that, until further notice, employers should continue using the current version of the Form I-9 for Employment Eligibility Verification, even after the form’s expiration date of August 31, 2019 has passed.
USCIS has further clarified that it will provide updated information about the new version of the Form I-9
Can an employer provide health care coverage for its employees by simply setting aside cash for them on a tax-favored basis (in an HRA – a health reimbursement arrangement), and otherwise get out of the complexities of sponsoring an ERISA health care coverage program? Until now, the answer to that question was “NO” because that
As of 2019, employers are receiving letters from the Social Security Administration entitled “Employer Correction Requests.” These letters, also known as “mismatch” letters, are sent when the names or social security numbers listed on an employer’s W-2 forms do not match the names and social security numbers that the Administration has on file. While these
On June 25, 2019, Governor Lamont signed into law “An Act Concerning Paid Family and Medical Leave,” (“PFMLA”) enacting what is reported to be the most generous family leave law in the country. The law provides employees with up to 12 weeks of paid leave (14 weeks for those incapacitated by pregnancy) in a 12-month