Tag Archives: EEOC

Poster Fines Increased in 2017

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Fines for outdated workplace posters have increased recently in accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. (The law requires federal agencies to adjust penalties for inflation each January.)

Here are the current maximum civil penalties for not posting:

  • Employee Polygraph Protection Act poster – $20,111 (up from $19,787)
  • Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law (OSHA) poster – $12,675 (up from $12,471)
  • EEOC poster – $534 (up from $525)
  • Family and Medical Leave Act poster – $166 (up from $163)

UPDATES
Required updates were made to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) workplace posters in 2016:

FLSA: Effective August 1, 2016, a new FLSA poster is required. The update includes new information about the overtime rule, independent contractors and nursing mothers. Outdated fine information was also removed.

EPPA: Also effective August 1, the EPPA poster was updated. Outdated fine information was also removed from this poster and contact information was updated.

FMLA: The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) posting was updated in April 2016 to be more reader-friendly. This update is included in our latest sets.

You can purchase posters online now!

Or, are you tired of trying to keep up with poster changes? We’re happy to take the pressure off at no added cost. Just subscribe to our convenient, free subscription service online or by calling (800) 824-6885. You’ll get new posters whenever there’s a required update without even having to order! You’ll join hundreds of other Indiana businesses already benefiting from this service.

New Workplace State and Federal Posters: Order Yours Now

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Poster_Subscript_serviceWe’re printing new state and federal workplace posters due to some material changes that have been made this year — including a new mandatory supplement for federal contractors to the “Equal Opportunity is the Law” posting that was released this week. Here are the recent updates (below), and you can order new sets online — or join our free subscription service to take the burden off of yourself when it comes to tracking changes:

  • Indiana Teen Worker Hours: The differentiation between “your work permit allows you to work” and “with parental permission you may work”; maximum hours; break requirements; graduates/withdrawn from school information.
  • OSHA Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law (updated in early 2015): The federal OSHA poster was given a new look. The changes were mostly visual, although two new bullet points were added, stating employers must: (1) Report to OSHA all work-related fatalities within eight hours, and all inpatient hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye within 24 hours; and (2) Provide required training to all workers in a language and vocabulary they can understand.
  • Supplement to “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law” Poster for Federal Contractors: This supplement was released in September 2015 as part of the OFCCP’s final rule promoting pay transparency. It requires that federal contractors and subcontractors amend equal employment opportunity information to state that it is unlawful to discharge or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants. It also contains information on federal contractors’ obligations regarding affirmative action and employing individuals with disabilities and veterans.

Harassment Issues Prevalant in Many Workplaces

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You wouldn’t think the U.S. Library of Congress would be a hotbed of intolerance and harassment, but PR Daily reveals this unfortunate story about alleged harassment in the workplace regarding sexual orientation.

A former government employee claims he was fired for being gay after he “liked” a pro gay-and-lesbian Facebook page.

According to Roll Call, former Library of Congress employee Peter TerVeer told the organization’s Equal Employment Opportunity Complaints (EEOC) office that he had a good relationship with his ex-supervisor, John Mech. But when TerVeer “liked” the Two Dads page on Facebook, which promotes awareness of the gay and lesbian community, things allegedly got weird:

“Shortly after, TerVeer said, he started to receive emails from Mech that contained ‘religiously motivated harassment and discrimination.’ Mech then called him into a meeting for the purposes of ‘educating him on hell and that it awaited him for being a homosexual.’”

The harassment grew so bad that TerVeer’s doctor advised him to go on extended medical leave, Roll Call reports. He was later fired for missing 37 consecutive days of work.

The EEOC office has 180 days to review the case. If no action is taken, the next step, according to TerVeer’s lawyer, is legal action. A Library of Congress rep declined to comment to Roll Call.

To ensure your company has the most up-to-date harassment knowledge, consider our new edition of the Indiana Guide to Preventing Workplace Harassment. Authored by attorneys from Ogletree Deakins, this guide is set to ship in mid-May.

Credit Checks for Job Seekers: What Do You Think?

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Are credit checks on job applicants discriminatory? The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is considering the question.

Why? Proponents of a ban say that if women, minorities and the disabled are paid less, they are more likely to have lower credit scores. According to statistics from Kiplinger, 13% of companies use such checks for all job openings. That number rises to nearly 50% for jobs with financial responsibilities.

Seems like a bit of a jump that you automatically equate lower pay with a reduced credit score, but I’ll give that it’s a tricky one. Your thoughts?