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Monthly Archives: July, 2017

  • Work Weight Loss Competition Q &A


    Question:
    We are considering an employee weight loss competition and an in-office scale per the suggestion of our employees and to encourage workplace health awareness. The competition would not be an office-sponsored event and we do not have a wellness plan. Do you have any best practice suggestions?

    Answer: Weight loss is a sensitive topic and a weight loss challenge in the workplace may be problematic. If you establish the challenge, then notify your employees that it is a personal challenge and is not employer mandated. Although this program could be sponsored by you or the employees, an employer cannot mandate participation or penalize for nonparticipation.

    Here are some best practices for implementation:

    • Ensure that the program is fair and objective; consider whether an outside provider may be best suited to monitor and run the program.
    • Ensure participants understand the sensitive nature of such a competition and the need to keep it professional, supportive, and measurable in a way that does not disclose personal or private details (weight, medical condition, etc.).
    • Encourage healthy eating and an easy to follow exercise regime. Provide educational materials on weight loss with an emphasis on health.
    • Encourage participating employees to seek the advice of a health care advisor or medical professional before participating in the program.
    • Do not publicize any individual’s actual weight.
    • Discourage any unhealthy methods of weight loss (starvation, use of water pills, etc.).
    • Require the organizer to draft a statement detailing that the program is voluntary, and require all participants to read, sign, and date the statement. The statement should outline the following:
      • The program is employee sponsored and voluntary.
      • The amount each participant is contributing toward the biggest weight loss between X and Y date (if a monetary prize is involved).
      • How the weight loss will be confirmed, validated, and who will determine the winner. Best practice is to only use percentage of weight lost rather than actual weight.
      • How the prize money will be allocated/returned/distributed in case of termination, employees leaving the program, injury, etc.
      • How a tie (equal weight loss between participants) will be handled.

    See the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s 7 Simple, Fun Wellness Challenges to Start at Work for some helpful tips. Also, June is the Global Employee Health and Fitness Month, so your program may be timed perfectly.

    (The content contained herein is for informational purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be taken, as legal or tax advice or a substitute for legal counsel.)

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  • Nash HR Updates

    USCIS Releases New Form I-9 and Form I-9 Instructions

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a new version of and instructions for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. By September 18, 2017, employers must use only the new version.

    Compliance Dates for New Form I-9
    The new Form I-9 features a revision date of July 17, 2017 (07/17/17 N). While employers may continue using a Form I-9 with a revision date of November 14, 2016 (11/14/16 N) through September 17, 2017,as of September 18, 2017, employers must use only the new version.

    Changes to Form I-9
    The following revisions have been made to the List of Acceptable Documents section of the new Form I-9:

    • The Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) has been added to List C. Employers completing Form I-9 on a computer are now able to select Form FS-240 from the drop-down menus available in List C of Section 2 and Section 3.
    • All the certifications of report of birth issued by the U.S. Department of State (Form FS-545, Form DS-1350, and Form FS-240) are now combined into selection C#2 in List C.
    • All List C documents have been renumbered except the Social Security card. For example, the employment authorization document issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on List C has changed from List C #8 to List C #7.

    Changes to Form I-9 Instructions
    The following revisions have been made to the new Form I-9 instructions:

    • The phrase “the end of” has been removed from the phrase “the first day of employment.”
    • The name of the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices has been changed to its new name, Immigrant and Employee Rights Section.

    The new Form I-9 and instructions can be downloaded here.

    For more information on complying with the employment eligibility verification requirements, please visit our section on Form I-9.

     

    HR News Alerts provided by:

    Team Nash
    2005 E 2700 St, Suite 140, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109
    385-234-6754

    Please Note: The information and materials herein are provided for general information purposes only and are not intended to constitute legal or other advice or opinions on any specific matters and are not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, plan provider or other professional advisor. This information has been taken from sources which we believe to be reliable, but there is no guarantee as to its accuracy. In accordance with IRS Circular 230, this communication is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used as or considered a ‘covered opinion’ or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for any purpose other than its intended purpose.

    The information provided herein is intended solely for the use of our clients and members. You may not display, reproduce, copy, modify, license, sell or disseminate in any manner any information included herein, without the express permission of the Publisher. Kindly read our Terms of Use and respect our Copyright.

    © 2017 HR 360, Inc. – All rights reserved

     

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  • HR Updates by Team Nash

    Electronic Data Collection System to Launch by August 1, 2017

    The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a proposed rule seeking to extend the date by which certain employers are required to electronically submit the information from their completed 2016 Forms 300A. The proposed rule would change the submission date from July 1, 2017, to December 1, 2017.

    OSHA also intends to launch its electronic data collection system by August 1, 2017. Previously, the agency announced it would not begin accepting electronic submissions prior to July 1, 2017.

    Click here to read the proposed rule.

    Background
    In 2016, OSHA published a final rule, generally effective as of January 1, 2017, which requires certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness data to the agency as follows:

    • Establishments with 250 or more employees in industries covered by the recordkeeping regulation were to submit information from their 2016 Forms 300A by July 1, 2017. These same employers will be required to submit information from all 2017 forms (300A, 300, and 301) by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019, the information must be submitted by March 2.
    • Establishments with 20-249 employees in certain high-risk industries were to submit information from their 2016 Forms 300A by July 1, 2017, and their 2017 Forms 300A by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019, the information must be submitted by March 2.
    • Establishments with fewer than 20 employees at all times during the year do not have to routinely submit information electronically to OSHA (however, employers with more than 10 employees and whose establishments are not classified as a partially exempt industry must otherwise comply with applicable OSHA recordkeeping provisions).

    Note: Establishments located in OSHA “State Plan” states should check with their state plans for the implementation date of the new requirements.

    For more information on OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements, check out our Safety & Wellness section.


     

    HR News Alerts provided by:

    Team Nash
    2005 E 2700 St, Suite 140, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109
    385-234-6754

    Please Note: The information and materials herein are provided for general information purposes only and are not intended to constitute legal or other advice or opinions on any specific matters and are not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, plan provider or other professional advisor. This information has been taken from sources which we believe to be reliable, but there is no guarantee as to its accuracy. In accordance with IRS Circular 230, this communication is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used as or considered a ‘covered opinion’ or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for any purpose other than its intended purpose.

    The information provided herein is intended solely for the use of our clients and members. You may not display, reproduce, copy, modify, license, sell or disseminate in any manner any information included herein, without the express permission of the Publisher. Kindly read our Terms of Use and respect our Copyright.

    © 2017 HR 360, Inc. – All rights reserved

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