Employment Law Alert: COBRA, FMLA, Ledbetter & BOLI
Here is a round-up of news and resources concerning some of the
more significant state and federal employment law developments
that recently made it into law:
Watch that Slippery Snake: Keeping up with COBRA
Changes
Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act (COBRA), most employers must provide group
health plan continuation coverage upon certain events.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 recently
changed how that coverage is offered to individuals who lose
group health plan coverage due to an involuntary termination or
reduction of hours from September 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009.
Watch the details: some employers will
have to cover 65 percent of the employee’s premium, but
are entitled to a refundable credit toward payroll taxes.
Call your employment lawyer for more information, or read the
Department of Labor's new questions and answers on
COBRA. You can also download the new model
notices.
Medical Leave Laws on the Move
Oregon’s Bureau of
Labor and Industries is still looking at regulatory changes to
the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA), in light of the
recently-revised federal Family and Medical Leave Act
(FMLA).
In the meantime, are you staying on top of the differences
between OFLA and the newly-enacted FMLA regulations?
Check out
BOLI’s OFLA/FMLA comparison chart , as well as its
brief on implementing OFLA in light of the new FMLA
rules.
You'd Better Remember Ledbetter
Earlier this year,
President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay
Act of 2009.
It significantly expands the potential scope of employee wage
discrimination claims. For more details on the change and
what to do next, check out this recent article from Karnopp
Petersen’s own Jon Napier.
BOLI Loosens Up on Lunch (a Little)
On January 12, 2009, the
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) issued a new rule,
clarifying some exceptions to the otherwise-required 30-minute
meal period. While the basic requirements for meal
periods remain unchanged, the new rule clarifies exceptions
including unforeseeable circumstances, such as equipment
failures; the situation where relieving an employee of all
duties would impose an “undue hardship” on the
operation of the business; and more. For more details,
check out
BOLI’s press release on the new regulations, or see
your employment lawyer.
If you have any questions about workplace issues, contact a
Karnopp Petersen employment attorney at 541-382-3011 or at the
following email addresses: Ron Roome (rlr@karnopp.com); Jon Napier (jjn@karnopp.com); or Kurt
Barker (keb@karnopp.com).
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This article is for informational purposes only, and does not
contain legal advice. Please consult with your lawyer for
advice, or for a legal opinion about specific facts or
circumstances.