RILA Report: Human Resources 

Last month, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2587, the Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act, by a vote of 238-186. This legislation would prohibit the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from ordering any employer to close, relocate or transfer employment under any circumstance.

In late August, the NLRB made public its 3-1 decision in Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Mobile case.

The NLRB also issued a Final Rule that will require employers to notify employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by posting a "Employee Rights Posting Notice". The NLRB postponed the effective date of this ruling from November 14, 2011 to January 31, 2012.

Earlier this summer, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) asked the business community to submit amicus briefs asking whether the ability to file a class action suit is protected concerted activity. This decision could have a particularly significant impact on any employer that uses arbitration agreements in which an arbitrator solves a legal dispute rather than going to court.

On Thursday, September 22, the House Judiciary Committee marked up H.R. 2885, the Legal Workforce Act, also known as the E-Verify bill. The bill was introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX). This bill would require employers to use the system E-Verify to deem that a worker is of legal working status in the United States.

On June 21, the Department of Labor (DOL) released the anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Persuader Activity. It is clear that this rule would be a significant reinterpretation of the law and will affect all communications between employers and their legal counsel and consultants.

October 2011 - After a busy summer and the end of congressional recess, members of the House and Senate returned to Washington, DC, ready to hit the ground running.

June 2011 - The retail industry is one fourth of the nation's economy and employs 14.5 million Americans. As such, retailers are greatly impacted by workforce-related legislation and regulation.