Posts for August 17, 2010

UMA PRESIDENT RE-APPOINTED TO WORKERS COMP. ADVISORY COUNCIL

August 17, 2010 – UMA
In a letter dated August 10, 2010, Commissioner Sherrie Hayashi, Utah Labor Commission, reappointed Tom Bingham UMA President to another two year term on the Workers Compensation Advisory Council representing employers.

The Council consists of an equal number of employer and employee representatives who are charged with reviewing the policies of the Utah Labor Commission and making recommendations. While this council is advisory, the Utah Legislature gives great credence to the recommendations of the council. In fact, if a legislative proposal comes to the legislature from the Labor Commission or another source without a recommendation from the Council, it most likely will get sent back to the Council for consideration. Typically, if after review by the council there is a split decision about a recommendation, the Legislature declines to consider the proposal.

Bingham is joined by four other employer representatives from construction, food industry, mining and local government. Bingham’s new term expires June 30, 2012.

USANA HEALTH SCIENCES ACQUIRES BABYCARE LTD, A DIRECT SELLING COMPANY IN CHINA

August 17, 2010 - Business Wire
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--USANA Health Sciences, Inc. today announced that it has acquired BabyCare Ltd, a China-based direct selling company that develops, manufactures and sells nutritional products for the entire family, with an emphasis on infant nutrition.
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WHOLESALE PRICES RISE IN JULY

August 17, 2010 – Today in Manufacturing.net
Labor Department's Producer Price Index, which measures price changes before they reach consumers, rose by 0.2 percent in July, after three months of declines ... continue

PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

August 17, 2010 – NAM Labor Policy Update

· Before the Senate adjourned for the August recess, the Obama Administration again called for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which passed the House of Representatives early in 2009. This legislation significantly expands the ability of trial lawyers to sue manufacturers for legitimate pay practices while doing little to address actual illegal acts of pay discrimination.

· The White House Middle Class Task Force released a new report this month that recommended passage of the bill, and President Barack Obama issued a strong statement reiterating his support for the legislation.

· We expect efforts to move forward with this bill before the mid-term elections or to add the bill to existing legislation. At the end of July, Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) unsuccessfully introduced an amendment to the small business jobs bill that would have included the Paycheck Fairness Act in the larger package.

OSHA

August 17, 2010 – NAM Labor Policy Update
· We have made considerable progress in our efforts to oppose pending Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) legislation, the Robert C. Byrd Miner Safety and Health Act. The legislation was slated to be taken up by the full House before the August recess, but our joint efforts have been effective in raising concerns with key House members. While the legislation was not brought up for a vote before the August recess, there is potential that it may be considered when Congress returns in September.
· While the legislation may appear to apply only to mining operations, Title VII includes numerous provisions to drastically overhaul OSHA enforcement. Instead of encouraging employer efforts to make workplaces safer, the OSHA related provisions in the bill would place new costs on businesses and increase the threat of litigation.
Status
· The legislation is pending in the House of Representatives, and a companion version has been introduced by Sen. Rockefeller (D-WV). We continue to express our opposition to the misguided proposals in both the House and the Senate.
Action
· Click here to contact your senators and urge them to oppose this legislation that will do little to advance workplace safety but will increase costs and the threat of litigation.

MEXICO UPS U.S. TARIFFS OVER TRUCKING BAN

August 17, 2010 – LateWire from Manufacturing.net
To pressure Washington to lift ban on Mexican cargo trucks entering the U.S., Mexico said it will increase tariffs on a total of 99 U.S. products ... continue

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION UP 1 PERCENT IN JULY

August 17, 2010 – Today in Manufacturing.net
Fed Reserve says industrial output increased 1.0 percent last month, but June's results were revised to a loss of 0.1 percent, reflecting economy's sluggishness ... continue

I-9 REGS ENTER THE COMPUTER AGE

August 17, 2010 – Employers Council

On July 22, 2010, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), issued final regulations allowing employers to complete, sign, scan, and retain Forms I-9 in an electronic format. The final rule is effective August 23, 2010. The rule applies to both newly created and already existing Forms I-9. Although the final rule is similar to
the 2006 interim rule, it does include minor changes clarifying provisions such as:

• Employers must complete a Form I-9 within three business (not calendar) days;
• Employers may use paper, electronic systems, or a combination of paper and electronic systems;
• Employers may use and change electronic systems as long as the systems meet the performance requirements of the regulations;
• Employers need not retain audit trails of each time a Form I-9 is electronically viewed, but only when the Form I-9 is created, completed, updated, modified, altered, or corrected (records must include the date of access, the identity of the individual who accessed the electronic record, and the particular action taken); and
• Employers may provide or transmit a confirmation of a Form I-9 transaction to the employee, but are not required to do so unless the employee requests a copy.

DHS warned that nothing in the new final rule "in any way alter[s] the requirement that the employer physically examine any documentation provided by the employee in the presence of the employee prior to completing the Form I–9." Also, the requirement that you are able to print a paper copy of an I-9 upon request is still in place.

If you are currently using or considering converting to an electronic Form I-9 system, be sure that it meets all necessary performance standards in DHS rules regarding Form I-9 creation, storage, access, retrieval, reproduction, indexing, authenticity, integrity, reliability, quality, security, etc. You can access the new final regulation at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-17806.htm.

EU LOSES U.S. TECH GOODS TAX CASE

August 17, 2010 – LateWire from Manufacturing.net
World Trade Organization ruling condemned the bloc for illegally collecting tariffs on billions of dollars worth of high-tech exports from the U.S., Japan and Taiwan ... continue

EFCA / LABOR LAW

August 17, 2010 – NAM Labor Policy Update

· President Obama addressed the AFL-CIO's Executive Council this month and made it clear that if card check legislation cannot be passed in Congress, his Administration will use federal agencies to implement the changes labor bosses seek.

· In addition to reiterating support for the jobs-killing card check legislation, President Obama also discussed that he has nominated individuals to federal labor boards to implement sweeping changes to labor law and has signed numerous pro-union executive orders.

· The NAM’s Labor Policy Institute continues to monitor the newly constituted NLRB and Craig Becker. Earlier this week, a Wall Street Journal editorial echoed our concerns with the agency and Craig Becker’s potential conflict of interest regarding NLRB cases that involve his former employers – the AFL-CIO and the SEIU. To read this piece, click here.

CHINA'S SLOWDOWN WORRIES TRADE PARTNERS

August 17, 2010 – Today in Manufacturing.net
Growth is slowing more sharply than expected, cutting demand for American and European factory machinery and industrial components from Asia ... continue