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New Guide Clarifies EPA/OSHA Compliance Issues for Automotive Workplaces

"Operating a business and staying compliant with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration isn't an easy task. When your business also needs to stay compliant with the Environmental Protection Agency, that makes your workload even heavier. That's a situation that most automotive workplaces must handle on a daily basis. The Automotive Workplace Guide to EPA & OSHA exists expressly to help those businesses."

That statement comes from Theresa Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Gavel Press, a national information resource for America's business community. Blue Gavel Press has just released the newly updated Automotive Workplace Guide to EPA & OSHA, 18th Edition. Updated annually, the book addresses the hazardous waste and safety concerns of car dealerships with repair facilities, car rental agencies, paint and body shops, gasoline service stations, lube/oil change shops, and other automotive workplaces.

"This information is important to know," Jones said, "since businesses that generate hazardous waste remain subject to government fines which can be as much as $25,000 a day."

"Legalese" Not Spoken Here
According to Jones, the Automotive Workplace Guide to EPA & OSHA is free of "legalese." "Nothing is more off-putting than reams of legal jargon," Jones said. "You won't find it in this guide because we want people to feel enlightened when they read it, not mired down and confused."

According to Jones, the guide offers an overview of major federal laws addressing hazardous waste, but concentrates mainly on the two most important laws – the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Conservation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA).

The guide also discusses waste identification, waste minimization, emergency planning and response, and recordkeeping and audits. Sample safety plans required or suggested by EPA and/or OSHA are included, as are EPA and OSHA regulatory compliance checklists. Highlights of the new edition include:

·        Vital new EPA information on underground storage tanks (UST) and new or expanded checklists on UST recordkeeping.

·        EPA information on international shipments of hazardous waste, and how to submit Toxics Release Inventory forms.

·        New sample Emergency Action Plan (OSHA) and Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan (EPA).

·        New information on determining whether to record an injury on OSHA logs if the injury occurs during a break.

·        Money-saving information on minimizing waste.

·        New facts on electronic certification of OSHA Form 300A.

·        Coverage of changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act, proposed changes to the universal waste regulations, and changes to EPA’s lists of regulated chemicals.

·        OSHA Digest information on confined space attendant duties, emergency evacuation, flammable and combustible liquids, and more.

·        New or expanded checklists on hazardous waste transportation and disposal, abrasive grinding, asbestos and brake and clutch work, lead, silica, and more.

·        Updated sample forms, as well as updated contact information for EPA and state hazardous waste agencies, OSHA and state/federal health and safety agencies, and consultation programs.

·        Updated Top 20 OSHA Violations list for automotive SICs.

"An automotive workplace is a busy place with many compliance challenges," Jones said. "This guide provides management with time-saving solutions and ultimately, peace of mind." The Automotive Workplace Guide to EPA & OSHA, she added, ships with a CD that features customizable versions of sample safety plans.

Developed and updated by imminent legal authorities and compliance specialists, Blue Gavel Press employment guides provide up-to-date facts on top safety, human resources, compliance and legal topics. Products offered by Blue Gavel Press have been helping the business community for more than 23 years.

To find out more about Automotive Workplace Guide to EPA & OSHA, 18th Edition, visit www.BlueGavel.com/products/107-automotive-workplace-guide-epa-osha.aspx.

Rising Job Figures Require Increase in Employment Law Knowledge
 
Unemployment figures are improving in many small business niches, and according to the top executive of a national business publishing firm, that increase in employment will require an equivalent increase in America's knowledge of employment law.

"Small businesses are the cornerstone of America's economy," said Theresa Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Gavel Press, "and as the economy improves and hiring increases, America's small business owners will need to update their knowledge of employment law and compliance issues."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, theunemployment rate ­– 9.1 percent in July 2011 ­– has shown little definitive movement since April 2011. But in several employment categories with strong small-business participation, employment figures are climbing up.

Employment in private service-providing industries rose by 112,000 jobs from June to July 2011. In that same time period, retail trade added 25,900 jobs, while employment in health and personal care stores increased by 8,600 jobs. In professional and business services, employment increased by 34,000 jobs. The leisure and hospitality industry welcomed 17,000 more employees.

To help small business owners, managers, supervisors, and human resource administrators to stay current with changing employment laws and regulations, Blue Gavel Press has released the U.S.Employer’s Guide, 18th Edition.

"The guide provides vital information on developing employment policies and managing employees," said Jones. "It can also help professionals in the small business community to avoid liability for common employment law violations, such as the misclassification of independent contractors."

Ten Major Areas of Concern

According to Jones, the following ten employment concerns are among the most critical facing today's business community. That is why Blue Gavel Press Employer's Guides are divided into chapters that cover these concerns.

The following list reveals how the current edition of the U.S. Employer’s Guideaddresses these concerns. Each concern is followed by a listing of related issues, selected from recent legislation and court cases, of which employers need to be aware.

1. Hiring:

·        New state laws addressing medical marijuana use.

·        Federal immigration laws, including verification of Social Security numbers, verifying employment eligibility, sanctions for hiring undocumented workers, types of visas, and the labor certification process for hiring foreign workers.

·        Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding arbitration agreements.

2. Managing employees and personnel costs:

·        Investigation of employee misconduct.

·        Liability for employee actions.

3. Termination of employment:

·        Changes in federal unemployment taxes.

·        Recent court cases involving wrongful discharge, defamation, and notice of layoffs under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

4. Health and safety:

·        New state laws addressing workplace bullying.

·        The new Severe Violator Enforcement Program from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which penalizes employers for willful, repeated, or failure-to-abate violations.

5. Employment discrimination:

·        New regulations clarifying the meaning of the term “disability” under the ADA Amendments Act.

·        New state laws addressing religious discrimination.

·        Recent court cases addressing employment discrimination.

6. Wages, hours, and child labor:

·        New state laws addressing unclaimed wages and wage theft.

·        New federal law requiring employers to provide break time and a quiet place for nursing mothers to breastfeed.

·        Changes in federal income taxes (FICA), including computation and reporting requirements.

·        Recent court cases involving exemptions from overtime pay and tip pools.

7. Employee benefits and leave:

·        New regulations implementing the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

·        New laws affecting employee retirement plans, including the Pension Relief Act of 2010, which provides funding relief for certain plans.

·        New rollover provisions for 401(k) plans under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.

·        Regulations providing guidance on hybrid defined benefit plans.

·        Proposed regulations concerning fiduciaries and exemptions from prohibited transaction rules under the Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
    

8. Personnel records:

·        Recent court cases involving access to personnel records.

9. Workplace privacy:

·        Recent court cases involving workplace privacy.

·        Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding employee privacy and electronic communications.

10. Unions and government contractors:

·        New federal immigration laws, including special requirements for government contractors.

·        Proposed amendments to the National Labor Relations Act, which could change the way unions are recognized and impose additional notice and posting requirements.

"Doing business in today's world becomes more complex with each passing year," said Jones. "Not only is it necessary to keep up with employment laws as they are enacted, but it is also important to anticipate changes in these legal areas that might be forthcoming. Helping small businesses to keep up with these changes is what Blue Gavel Press is all about."

Developed and updated by imminent legal authorities and compliance specialists, Blue Gavel Press employment guides provide up-to-date facts on top safety, human resources, compliance, and legal topics. Products offered by Blue Gavel Press have been helping the business community for more than 23 years.

For more information on the U.S.Employer’s Guide, 18th Edition, visit www.BlueGavel.com/products/97-us-employers-guide.aspx.

New Employer's Guide Clarifies Pennsylvania's Complex Employment Issues

"For most people in positions where they must hire, manage or supervise employees, keeping up with all the latest changes in employment law can seem like a full-time job in itself. They already have enough duties on their plate and would welcome expert assistance. That is when the Pennsylvania Employer's Guide can help."

Those words come from Theresa Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Gavel Press, a national information resource for America's business community. Blue Gavel Press has released the newly updated Pennsylvania Employer's Guide, 21st Edition. Updated annually, the guide is a key employment law resource for business owners, supervisors, managers, and human resources professionals statewide.

"The Pennsylvania Employer's Guideintegrates federal and state regulations and laws affecting the employer-employee relationship," Jones said. "Plus, it includes vital information on managing employees, developing employment policies, and avoiding liability for employment law violations."

No "Legal-Speak" Here

According to Jones, the Pennsylvania Employer's Guide is free of "legal-speak." "The guide's reader-friendly writing style eliminates legal jargon," Jones said. "A reference work that's hard to understand is only opened once. After that, it collects dust. This guide is meant for regular use."

Topics covered in the guide include Hiring; Managing Employees and Personnel Costs; Termination of Employment; Health and Safety; Employment Discrimination; Wages, Hours, and Child Labor; Employee Benefits and Leave; Personnel Records; Workplace Privacy; and Unions and Government Contractors. Highlights of the new edition include:
    

·  New regulations clarifying the term “disability” under the ADA Amendments Act.

·  New federal law requiring employers to provide specific benefits for nursing mothers.

·  Updated sections on the Pennsylvania Construction Workplace Misclassification Act, which imposes new penalties on construction industry employers who misclassify employees as independent contractors.

·  New cases involving employment discrimination under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

·  Updated sections on Pennsylvanialaw regarding trade secrets, wrongful discharge, overtime pay, and more.

·  New regulations implementing the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

"We take care of all this research so business professionals statewide have more time for everything else on their to-do lists," Jones said.
 

Developed and updated by imminent legal authorities and compliance specialists, Blue Gavel Press employment guides provide up-to-date facts on top safety, human resources, compliance, and legal topics. Products offered by Blue Gavel Press have been helping the business community for more than 23 years.

To find out more about the Pennsylvania Employer's Guide, 21st Edition, visit www.bluegavel.com/products/118-pennsylvania-employers-guide.aspx.

New Employer's Guide Clarifies Minnesota's Complex Employment Issues

Blue Gavel Press, an information resource for America's business community, has released the newly updated Minnesota Employer's Guide, 5th Edition, an authoritative book that provides the lay of the land on Minnesota employment law.

"The Minnesota Employer's Guide integrates federal and state laws affecting the employer-employee relationship," said Theresa Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Gavel Press. "Plus, it includes vital information on managing employees, developing employment policies, and avoiding liability for employment law violations."

Updated annually, the Minnesota Employer's Guide is a key resource for business owners, managers, human resource professionals and more. State and federal agencies are listed at the end of each chapter, along with citations for the information discussed.

Jones noted that the guide's writing style eliminates legal jargon. "A reference work that's hard to understand is only opened once," Jones said. "After that, it collects dust. This reader-friendly guide is meant for regular use. It helps to clarify today's complex labor issues."

Important updates and improvements have been made throughout the guide's 5th Edition. Highlights of the new edition include:

·         New section on employee leave under the Minnesota Domestic Abuse Act.

·         Updated sections on employment discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, including a new discussion of pregnancy discrimination.

·         Updated sections on Minnesota law regarding employee handbooks, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, time off for voting, and more.

·         New section discussing the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which dramatically increases the legal responsibilities of employers with respect to employee health care.

·         Federal immigration laws, including verification of Social Security numbers, verifying employment eligibility, sanctions for hiring undocumented workers, types of visas and the labor certification process for hiring foreign workers, special requirements for government contractors, and more.

·         Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations covering personal protective equipment standards and proposed changes to the Hazard Communication Standard.

·         OSHA’s new Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which penalizes employers for willful, repeated, or failure-to-abate violations.

·         Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding employee privacy and electronic communications, arbitration agreements, and more.

·         IRS regulations on Employment Retirement Income Security Act retirement plan amendments and notices and an IRS guidance on correcting certain tax reporting errors.

·         Department of Labor regulations establishing a safe harbor and clarifying when benefit plan contributions received or withheld by employers from wages are considered plan assets.

·         New federal regulations governing the employment of children ages 14 and 15.

Developed by imminent legal authorities and compliance specialists, Blue Gavel Press employment guides provide up-to-date facts on top safety, human resources, compliance and legal topics. Products offered by the Midwest-based publisher have been helping the business community for more than 20 years.

To find out more about the Minnesota Employer's Guide, visit www.BlueGavelPress.com/products/138-minnesota-employers-guide-5th-ed.aspx.

To find out more about Blue Gavel Press, visit BlueGavelPress.com.