Gibbons Law Alert

Gibbons Law Alert

Category: Policies and Handbooks

New Form I-9 To Go Into Effect On May 7, 2013

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On April 24, 2013

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released an updated Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. Beginning May 7, 2013, the new Form I-9 must be used for all new hires, including reverification or rehires. The new Form I-9 denotes a revision date of March 8, 2013 in the lower left hand corner of the form and is available on the USCIS’s website. Employers are not required to complete the new Form I-9 for current employees if they have maintained properly-completed unexpired forms on file for those employees.

NLRA Impact on Non-Union Workplace Policies to Continue into 2013

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On February 14, 2013

At the Gibbons Second Annual Employment & Labor Law Conference last week, one panel discussion addressed the National Labor Relation Board’s (“NLRB”) recent activity, and offered a list of topics to watch in 2013. This blog post contains the highlights from that discussion as related to employer policies. Of prime interest in our predictions for 2013 is the “recess appointment” issue. Just three weeks ago, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in Canning v. NLRB, No. 12-1115 (D.C. Cir. Jan. 25, 2013) held that three 2012 recess appointments of officers to the NLRB by President Obama were unconstitutional because they lacked the “Advice and Consent” of the Senate and were not authorized by the Constitution’s Recess Appointments Clause.

Employers are Required to Use New Form to Comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On January 25, 2013

Employers must use an updated form in order to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), which covers background checks for job applicants and existing employees. The new form is for use effective January 1, 2013. No other provisions of the FCRA have changed. The FCRA Regulates the Use of Consumer Information – The FCRA regulates the use of consumer information. Consumer Reporting Agencies (“CRAs”) compile consumer information into detailed “consumer reports,” which may be used by employers for hiring and retention decisions. Employers also may conduct their own investigative consumer reports, which are covered by the Act as well. The FCRA provides notice and authorization requirements for the use of consumer reports and investigative consumer reports.

Agreement to Arbitrate Trumped “Not a Contract” Language in Employee Handbook and Acknowledgement Form

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On January 16, 2013

The District of New Jersey recently held that a binding arbitration procedure contained in an employee handbook and the corresponding waiver in a signed acknowledgement form were enforceable despite a disclaimer in the handbook declaring the document to be unenforceable as a contract. In Brooks v. Brookdale Senior Living Communities, Inc., No. 12-CV-2821 (RBK/AMD) (D.N.J. Dec. 20, 2012), the defendant employer moved to dismiss the employee’s complaint and compel arbitration on the grounds that the employer had a binding arbitration procedure in its handbook and the employee executed a waiver of her right to sue the employer in court under two New Jersey statutes.

Time to Review Your Employee Policies and Training Programs

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On November 19, 2012

As we near the end of the year, now may be a good time to dust off your employee manual and training programs! An annual review of policies is a good best practice that can save your company both time and money in the long run. For instance, have you considered revising your policies or offering trainings in areas that have been the focus of recent legal activity such as: social media, confidentiality, reasonable accommodations, or bullying.

NLRB Weighs in on Permissible “At-Will” Employment Language

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On November 12, 2012

In light of recent guidance by the National Labor Relations Board (the “Board”), non-union employers should review the “at-will” language found in their handbooks (and many standalone policies) to make sure it does not constitute an unlawful waiver of an employee’s right to engage in union activity. By now, it should come as no surprise that the Board has an interest in non-union workplaces. From promoting a mandatory workplace posting requirement to challenging seemingly innocuous social media policies, the Board should be on the radar screen for all employers. Most recently, the Board has weighed in on at-will disclaimers found in most handbooks or manuals. Such disclaimers typically explain that the employment relationship is not a contractual one, and the employer or employee can end employment at any time for any reason so long as that reason is not unlawful.

How Employers Can Combat the Flu

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On November 7, 2012

Flu season is here. Even when pandemic levels of the influenza virus are not expected, the flu nevertheless impacts businesses whose employees become ill and/or need to take time off for flu-related reasons. With limited restrictions, employers are permitted to adopt policies and practices to encourage flu prevention, to control workplace flu outbreaks and to maintain optimal efficiency during flu season, provided that their practices are applied consistently, non-discriminatorily and in keeping with published employment policies and handbooks.

NLRB’s Third Social Media Report Includes Model Social Media Policy

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Posted in E-Discovery: Legal Decisions and Court Rules / Policies and Handbooks

On May 31, 2012

On May 30, 2012, the National Labor Relations Board’s Acting General Counsel issued a third report on social media cases. This report follows the Board’s August 2011 and January 2012 reports on the subject, which we previously discussed. The guidance contained in the three social media reports is applicable to most private sector employers, unionized or not.

New Jersey Legislative Update: New Laws Could Limit Employer’s Use of Credit Reports and Social Networking Information

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On May 22, 2012

If passed into law, two bills currently pending before the New Jersey General Assembly will place significant limitations on the categories of information that New Jersey employers may use and rely upon in connection with the hiring, promotion, and termination of employees. Credit Reports & Related Information – Bill A2840, introduced in the Assembly on May 10, 2012, proposes legislation that would prohibit an employer from obtaining, requiring or otherwise basing employment decisions, such as hiring, promotion, and discipline on reports containing information about an applicant’s or current employee’s credit history, credit score, credit account balances, payment history, and savings or checking account balances or numbers.

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act Continues to be “Employer Friendly”

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Posted in Policies and Handbooks

On December 29, 2011

The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) is a federal law that, in part, makes it a crime to access a computer in an unauthorized manner. In the employment context, the statute has proven valuable in protecting confidential and proprietary information that employees can access on their employers’ electronic systems. Recent decisions by the United States Courts of Appeals for the Ninth and Third Circuits emphasize the breadth of the CFAA’s application to the workplace.

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