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Texas

Outsourcing training? You’ll still pay for injuries

10/01/2006

If you outsource employee training programs that include self-defense or other physically demanding work, be aware that the waivers signed by your employees may mean you will have to pay for any injuries …

On-the-job fatalities increase in Texas, bucking national trend

10/01/2006

Texas employers recorded 495 fatal occupational injuries last year, compared to 440 fatalities in 2004, a 12.5 percent increase, according to a newly released annual report from the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) …

Federal contractors: Make sure you’re paying prevailing wages

10/01/2006

A recent U.S. Labor Department action shows how aggressively the federal government is going after employers who don’t follow the letter and spirit of the Service Contract Act. The law requires employers that perform services on federal contracts to pay service employees no less than the wages and benefits prevailing in the locality …

TWC enhances online filing for unemployment claims

10/01/2006

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recently announced that it will allow people to file biweekly continuing claims for unemployment benefits online …

Labor Department settles bias claim against Irving firm

10/01/2006

McCormick & Co., Inc. recently agreed to pay $300,000 in back pay and interest to settle allegations that the company discriminated against female job applicants at its facility in Irving, Texas. As part of the settlement, the company also agreed to hire 27 female applicants for production worker positions …

Jiffy Lube managers win back pay in overtime case

10/01/2006

Heartland Automotive Services agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by 239 Jiffy Lube managers. They alleged the company denied them overtime, violating the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state overtime laws …

New workers’ comp rules on medical peer reviews

10/01/2006

The Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission recently adopted new rules to clarify the qualifications and functions of designated doctors and peer reviewers in the Texas workers’ comp system …

Go After ‘In-House Hackers’ Using State and Federal Law

10/01/2006

The so-called paperless society ushered in by the computer age may mean fewer file cabinets and storage rooms full of paper records, but storing company records on hard drives has its own set of problems …

Drafting new I-9s after merger isn’t required

10/01/2006

Q. Our company merged with another company. Are we required to complete a new I-9 form for each employee who worked for the other company, or are these employees "grandfathered" in? —J.M.

You can alter job description for worker on FMLA leave

10/01/2006

When employees return from FMLA leave, you’re required to restore them to the same position or a comparable one. That requirement might make you hesitant to make any changes to employees’ jobs or conditions of employment while they’re out on FMLA leave. However, a new court ruling shows that you can make minimal changes to a job description without worrying about FMLA violations …