Regulatory Updates

April 17, 2017 – As many organizations know by now, Federal OSHA has issued a new respirable crystalline silica standard for general industry and construction. State OSHA programs, like Minnesota’s, have adopted the rule in its entirety. The rule lowers the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter…

On March 6, 2017, Republican leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives issued two bills to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The draft legislation is collectively called the American Health Care Act. If enacted, the new law would not repeal the ACA entirely, although it would make significant changes to key provisions.…

Dec. 27, 2016 – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) final rule for modernizing injury data collection will go into effect Jan. 1, 2017. The rule requires certain employers to electronically submit data from their work-related injury records to OSHA, and also solidifies employee anti-retaliation protections for reporting work-related injuries and illnesses. Employers affected…

Nov. 28, 2016 – A Texas federal court judge has issued a nationwide injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new overtime rule set to take effect on December 1, 2016. The new rule would have more than doubled the minimum salary from $455/week ($23,660/year) to $913/week ($47,476/year) in order to satisfy the federal…

Nov. 22, 2016 – Last Friday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2016-70, which extends: the due date for furnishing to individuals under Sections 6055 and 6056 from Jan. 31, 2017 to March 2, 2017 good-faith transition relief from penalties related to 2016 information reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056 Due Date for Filing…

Nov. 21, 2016 – The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has issued an updated version of Form I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9 Form). Under federal law, every employer that recruits, refers for a fee, or hires an individual for employment in the United States must complete…

Oct. 19, 2016 – In September, Minnesota’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) adopted the federal administration’s change to the silica standard. The change cuts the previous Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica in half for General Industry and lowers the limit for the Construction Industry by five times. The new rule also…

Oct. 5, 2016 – The IRS has released final 2016 forms for reporting under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 6055 and 6056. Forms 1094-B and 1095-B are used by entities reporting under Section 6055, including self-insured plan sponsors that are not applicable large employers (ALEs). Final 2016 versions of these forms and final instructions were…

Sept. 16, 2016 – Both cities will require employers to extend paid sick leave, effective July 2017. On Wednesday September 7, 2016, St. Paul became the second Minnesota city to enact an ordinance requiring that employers offer workers paid sick leave. Minneapolis passed a similar ordinance in May of this year. Both cities join a…

St. Paul, Minn. (Sept. 8, 2016) – A Dallas jury recently awarded a verdict of more than a million dollars to a vocational nurse based upon her claims of sexual harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. While it appears that verdict will not ultimately be enforced – following a post-verdict settlement reached between the…