Washington Labor & Employment Wire

Recent Posts from Washington Labor & Employment Wire

• Senate HELP Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing on EEOC Nominations

  On November 19, 2009, the Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) held a confirmation hearing on the nominations for three Commissioners and for General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).…

• National Right-to-Work Act (H.R. 4107)

  Core Provisions: This legislation would amend the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to provide greater protections for individuals choosing to form, join or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from doing…

• Pandemic Protection for Workers, Families, and Businesses Act (H.R. 4092)

  Core Provisions: This legislation would guarantee up to seven days of paid sick leave for full-time workers infected by a contagious illness, such as the H1N1 virus. Part-time workers would be eligible for paid leave…

• Senate HELP Committee Approves Dr. David Michaels as Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

  On November 18, 2009, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved President Barack Obama’s nomination of Dr. David Michaels as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. During…

• Government Accountability Office Finds That OSHA Could Improve Accuracy of Worker Injury and Illness Data

  On November 16, 2009, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an October 2009 report finding that OSHA’s efforts to verify employers’ workplace injury and illness data may not be adequate. OSHA monitors workplace…

• Obama Nominates Cynthia Attwood as a Member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

  On November 10, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Cynthia Attwood as a Member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). OSHRC is a quasi-judicial agency responsible for adjudicating occupational safety and health cases.…

• Senate Passes the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act (S. 1422)

  On November 10, 2009, the Senate passed the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act (S. 1422) by unanimous consent. This legislation will amend the Family and Medical Leave Act (”FMLA”) to expand protection for airline…

• House Passes Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962)

  Core Provisions: The House passed its version of a comprehensive health care reform bill on November 7, 2009 by a party-line vote of 220-215, with all but one Republican member of the House, Anh “Joseph”…

• Congress Passes Extension of Unemployment Insurance Benefits

  On November 5, 2009 the House approved the Senate’s amended version of H.R. 3548 by a 403-12 vote. The Senate approved the legislation one day earlier by a vote of 98-0. The bill amends the…

• Obama Nominates Victoria A. Lipnic as an EEOC Commissioner

  On November 3, 2009, President Obama nominated the Honorable Victoria A. Lipnic as a Commissioner on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Lipnic’s nomination has been sent to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor,…