Human Resources

NLRB General Counsel Identifies Agency Priorities

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo recently issued a memo outlining her priority issues for the agency. According to this insight from OMA Connections Partner Frantz Ward, the memo suggests that “employers can expect significant NLRB policy changes in the coming years.”

Meanwhile, the NLRB has launched new features on its website to make tracking cases easier. 8/17/2021

ODJFS Looks to Implement Council’s Recommendations

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Director Matt Damschroder issued a statement last week in reaction to improvement recommendations made by the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Modernization and Improvement Council:

“… We have made significant improvements since the council began meeting, and we anticipate working with the General Assembly to promptly implement the council’s suggestions in order to improve accuracy in claims processing, increase transparency for claimants, and reduce fraud and abuse.” 8/9/2021

What’s Ahead in Biden’s NLRB Agenda?

In this post, OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips analyzes the makeup and potential agenda of the Biden administration’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), writing, “On July 28, the Senate confirmed two veteran union lawyers – Gwynne Wilcox and David Prouty – to fill one currently vacant seat and another that soon will be upon the expiration of Republican Member Emanuel’s term later this month. Once future Member Prouty takes the latter seat, the Biden Board will have its Democratic majority for the first time, and you can expect to see seismic changes take place when it comes to national workplace relations policy.” 8/12/2021

New Drug-free Workplace Resources Offered

OMA Connections Partner Working Partners^(R) has just published two new resources related to drug-free workplace programs.

This fact sheet covers Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8), also known as “marijuana-lite” or “legal weed,” which has experienced triple-digit growth in popularity since April 2020. It explains what Delta-8 is and what it might mean for your drug-free workplace program.

And this 3-minute video provides second-chance drug testing considerations. 8/12/2021

More Employers Taking Steps to Boost Employee COVID-19 Vaccinations

More U.S. employers are requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for employees. Earlier this week, OMA-member Tyson Foods announced it will require vaccinations for its approximately 120,000 employees in the U.S. It is aiming for total compliance by Nov. 1 and is offering a $200 bonus to frontline workers as an incentive.

At the same time, employers are also getting more creative with their vaccination incentives. OMA-member Cleveland-Cliffs, for example, is using a tiered approach. Fully vaccinated employees will receive $200, which will grow to $1,500 if 75% of workers at a site show proof of vaccination, and to $3,000 if the facility hits 85%.

OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has published a list of five options for employers that want to improve vaccination rates. It includes “lessons learned” from employers that have successfully rolled out a mandatory program at their workplaces. 8/5/2021

Report: Manufacturing Labor Costs Up 2.6% Since June 2020

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that compensation costs for workers increased 0.7%, seasonally adjusted, for the three-month period ending June 2021. For the 12-month period ending June 2021, compensation costs for the private sector increased 3.5% on average. For manufacturing, the increase was 2.6% — compared to 5.5% for leisure and hospitality. 8/2/2021

A Look at the New ‘Joint Employer’ Rule

As we reported last week, the U.S. Department of Labor has announced a final rule rescinding the Trump administration’s “joint employer” rule, which provided guidance for determining when multiple employers are jointly liable for labor law violations. OMA Connections Partner Roetzel has published this insight on what the new rule means for joint employers. 8/2/2021

EEOC to Host Diversity Workshop Series

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is launching a diversity, equity, and inclusion workshop series, starting with “Understanding Unconscious Bias in the Workplace” on Aug. 24. The registration fee for the workshop is $115 and it will take place virtually. Click here for details. 8/4/2021

Judge Denies Effort to Restart Federal Unemployment Payments in Ohio

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Holbrook this week rejected a legal effort that tried to force the DeWine administration to reinstate the federal government’s $300-a-week supplemental payment to unemployed individuals.

Ohio ended its participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program last month — a move supported by the OMA. Gov. Mike DeWine said the additional payments were discouraging some Ohioans from returning to work, thereby hurting the state’s labor force participation and economy.

Judge Holbrook’s decision is expected to be appealed to the 10th District Court of Appeals. 7/29/2021

Ohio’s New Jobless Claims Drop After Recent Spike

Initial unemployment claims dropped in Ohio last week following a 27% spike the previous week. Meanwhile, continued claims totaled 155,935 last week, down 4,796.

Ohio has paid $12.3 billion in traditional unemployment compensation to more than a million Ohioans since the pandemic’s start, while the federal government has distributed nearly $11 billion in supplemental jobless benefits to 1.2 million Ohioans. 7/29/2021