Officium, LLC

Hey Employers – It Might Be Time to Update Your Handbook

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently issued an update to the standard for assessing whether work rules violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).  The previous standard designed by the NLRB categorized which work rules are lawful to maintain. The policy made no exception for statements that would be protected by the NLRA, which …

New Regulations for Federal Contractors

The federal government has recently issued two laws that specifically impact federal contractors. Here’s what you need to know: The Fair Chance Act for federal government contractors went into effect on October 2, 2023, which limits federal agencies from asking about a job applicant’s criminal history until a conditional offer has been made. While these …

E-Verify Updates to Enhance Hiring Efficiency

An updated version of E-Verify will fundamentally transform the way employment eligibility verification is conducted. The update will be most useful to businesses who are still using paper I-9s and manual processes.  Scheduled to release in 2024, E-Verify NextGen will integrate the Form I-9 process with the government’s electronic employment verification system, lifting much of …

Applying for Unemployment Insurance During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Both the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relieve, and Economic Security (CARES) Act have greatly expanded access to unemployment insurance benefits to workers impacted by COVID-19. The CARES Act provides enhanced Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) for individuals. The program provides $250 billion for an extended …