Human Resources

Employment Authorization Issues Related to DACA Rescission

OMA Connections Partner, Barnes & Thornburg, posts this about recent immigration legal activity: “On Sept. 5, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security began an “orderly wind down” of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA, and a related program, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), were created by executive order of President Barack Obama in 2012. As the result of a lawsuit brought by several states against the DAPA program, DAPA was rescinded after courts determined that legal and constitutional problems existed with the program.

“In June 2017, several states informed the U.S. Attorney General that if the DACA program also was not rescinded by Sept. 5, the lawsuit would be amended to include the DACA program. Attorney General Jeff Sessions conducted a review and determined that the DACA program was created in a similar manner, and had similar “legal and constitutional defects.” Sessions determined that courts would likely find problems similar to those found with the DAPA program, and lead to similar results. In complying with the Sept. 5 deadline, Sessions directed an “orderly wind down” of the program, rather than an immediate termination. …

“For employer purposes, this means that employment authorization documents (EADs) based on DACA status and used for I-9 verification purposes continues to be valid up to the expiration date on the EAD (but not beyond, absent additional documentation). Because DACA was a deferral of action against those considered unlawfully present, this deferral from enforcement actions will end upon the end date of each individual’s DACA authorization – absent further action by Congress.”

More from Barnes & Thornburg here. 9/6/2017

Employers Must Use New I-9 Form Starting September 18

OMA Connections Partner, Dinsmore, reminds employers that a new version of the Form I-9 is to be used starting September 18, 2017: “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.  Starting September 18, 2017, employers will no longer be allowed to use prior editions of the I-9 form and must use the version that bears a 7/17/2017 revision date.”

Read more from Dinsmore here. 9/7/2017

New EEO-1 Form Halted by OMB

Manufacturers have another victory in labor policy as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) officially halted the previous administration’s changes to the EEO-1 Form.

In a memorandum from the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Administrator, Naomi Rao, to Acting Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Victoria Lipnic, OMB initiated an “immediate stay of the effectiveness of those aspects of the EEO-1 form that were revised on September 29, 2016.”

The revised form would have required businesses with more than 100 employees to report employee pay data and would have significantly increased the complexity of the form employers already submit on an annual basis. Administrator Rao noted in the memorandum that “OMB is concerned that some aspects of the revised collection of information lack practical utility, are unnecessarily burdensome, and do not adequately address privacy and confidentiality issues.”

As a result of this action, the previously approved EEO-1 form will continue to be valid. 8/30/2017

OMA Helps Launch “MakerMinded” in Ohio

This week, the OMA helped launch in Ohio a new program, “MakerMinded,” designed to engage students in pathways to manufacturing careers.

“The MakerMinded campaign helps impassion students about advanced manufacturing and provides them with transformational STEM learning experiences that set them on track towards advanced manufacturing careers,” states the launch release.

“MakerMinded’s online platform will connect Ohio’s middle and high school students to over 150 leading-edge STEM and advanced manufacturing education experiences, while galvanizing participating students and schools around a student-driven, pro-manufacturing campaign and competition. The platform’s goal is to provide students access to the right programs that will encourage and prepare them for further education and careers in advanced manufacturing.”

MakerMinded will be a terrific way for manufacturers to engage with schools and kids in fun and rewarding hands-on learning opportunities. 8/23/2017

STEP Forward for #MFGwomen

The Manufacturing Institute and Arconic Foundation present STEP Forward: Cleveland, a leadership development program and networking reception targeted to advance women in manufacturing.

Manufacturing faces a serious skills gap. Meanwhile, women constitute manufacturing’s largest pool of untapped talent. To combat the gender gap in manufacturing, The Manufacturing Institute launched the STEP Forward initiative to give manufacturers an opportunity to raise awareness of these issues regionally by showcasing existing female talent and providing role models that can speak to the transformation of the industry.

The event is Thursday, September 7 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. The afternoon program is designed for women and the following reception is open to all. See the details here. 8/17/2017

Ohio Manufacturers’ Workforce Summit 2017 – Registration is Open!

Workforce challenges are among Ohio manufacturers’ most pressing issues.
But, there are specific actions manufacturers are taking to improve workforce recruitment, retention and training.
Come to OMA’s Ohio Manufacturers’ Workforce Summit 2017 on Wednesday, November 1 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center to learn what others are doing to make a difference.

This event is for Ohio manufacturers and their critical workforce suppliers. Learn more and register here! 8/10/2017

DOL’s Overtime Rule … in Limbo

As you may know, Department of Labor (DOL) overtime rules were going to change dramatically last year before a federal court stepped in to delay the changes. Now, the Trump administration is signaling that it may revise the current rules and is seeking feedback from the public.

Here’s a summary of the state of play from OMA Connections Partner, Clark Schaefer Hackett. 8/2/2017

New I-9 Form Effective September 2017

OMA Connections Partner, Barnes & Thornburg, posts: “The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a new version of the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form on July 17. Employers may use the new version or the prior version until Sept. 17, 2017. Beginning on Sept. 18, 2017, the new version of the I-9 must be used for any new verifications.”

Read more from Barnes & Thornburg here. 7/25/2017

OMA Adds Employee Performance Evaluation Form to HR Forms

We’ve just added a model Employee Performance Evaluation Form to our suite of forms that support human resources managers.

The form was created by OMA employment law counsel, Betsy Swift, of Bricker & Eckler.

Download a static PDF version or a PDF version into which you can directly type.

Find it and other legally-reviewed employment forms and guidance on this web page; scroll right sidebar to HR Tools. 7/18/2017

Health Care Reform Bills in Congress: State of Play

OMA Connections Partner, One Source Advisors, has supplied this comparison of the Affordable Care Act vs. the House and Senate versions of their health care reform bills. 7/12/2017