By Edwin S. Hoposon
Late last month, the Acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, Lafe Solomon issued a second report describing social media cases reviewed by his office. The Memorandum covered 14 cases, 7 of which involved questions about employer social media policies. Five of those social media policies were found to be ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On February 16, 2012, the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN), joined by Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) and Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN), introduced H.J. Resolution 103 under the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. §§801-808) that would block the National Labor Relations Board's December 21, 2011, new ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On February 13, 2012, President Obama formally sent to the U.S. Senate the nominations of Sharon Block, Richard Griffin, and Terence Flynn to be members of the National Labor Relations Board. He had recess-appointed them on January 4, 2012. Assuming Senate confirmation, which is not likely to occur this year, Block’s term ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On February 1, 2012, the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee was to hold a hearing entitled “Uncharted Territory: What are the Consequences of President Obama’s Unprecedented ‘Recess’ Appointments.” The purpose of the hearing was to explore the possible consequences of the President’s three ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On January 27, 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor issued its report on union membership for 2011. It concluded that the percentages and numbers for 2011 was largely unchanged from those for 2010. The overall “union membership rate” – that is the percent of wage and salary workers who were ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
As we reported in a blog article on December 6, 2011, NLRB Republican Member Brian Hayes was being investigated by the NLRB’s Inspector General over an allegation that he had been enticed to resign his position as a Member of the Board, which at the time would have reduced the number of board members to two, leaving the Board unable ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On January 26, 2012, Sam Hananel of the Associated Press reported that Mark Pearce, Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, plans to push for the issuance of more rules making it easier for unions to organize employers under the National Labor Relations Act. The Board in December, 2011, had already issued final ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On January 24, 2012, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that in Fiscal Year 2011, it received a record 99,947 charges of employment discrimination. During that year it also obtained $455.6 million in relief through its administrative program as well as litigation. EEOC also announced that, as in ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
It is that time of year again!
Most employers, with some exceptions (such as those with 10 or fewer employees during all of the previous year), must post their OSHA 300 log from February 1, 2012 to April 30, 2012 "in each establishment in a conspicuous place or places where notices to employees are customarily posted. You must ensure ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On January 20, 2012, the NLRB’s Acting General Counsel, Lafe Solomon, in a press release announced a revision to the Board’s existing policy regarding deferral of unfair labor practice charges to arbitration under collective bargaining agreements. Citing concerns about delays in processing grievances to arbitration ...