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Business and Government Working Together 
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Next State ECI Board Meeting Date:
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Location To Be Determined

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently released an updated version of its Health Benefits Advisor for Employers. This online resource outlines the federal laws that can affect health benefit coverage provided by group health plans. The Advisor explains the legislation, statutes and regulations in Parts 6 and 7 of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). These laws include:

 

• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) and Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)
• Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act (Newborns' Act)
• Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA)
• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)
• Michelle's Law
You may access the updated Health Benefits Advisor for Employers from the DOL web site at: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/ebsa/health/employer/

The Health Benefits Advisor for Employers is one of a series of elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors developed by DOL to help employers and employees understand federal employment laws and resources. To access all of the elaws advisors, visit the elaws Web site at www.dol.gov/elaws. To learn more about DOL’s efforts to assure the security of the retirement, health and other workplace related benefits of America’s workers and their families, visit www.dol.gov/ebsa.
 

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Department of Labor Online Interactive Advisor Offers Updated Information on
Family and Medical Leave Act

 

The U.S. Department of Labor recently released an updated version of its Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Advisor. This online resource helps clarify which employers are required to provide FMLA leave as well as which employees are eligible to take such leave. In addition, it outlines valid reasons for leave and employer and employee notice requirements and other responsibilities under the law.

 

You may access the updated Family and Medical Leave Act Advisor from the DOL web site at: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/fmla.htm.

 

The Family and Medical Leave Act is a Federal law that entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if they had not taken leave. Examples of specified reasons include caring for a newborn or recently adopted child or a family member with a serious health condition, or an employee’s own serious health condition.

 

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Advisor was developed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. It is one of a series of elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors developed by DOL to help employers and employees understand federal employment laws and resources.  To access it, visit the elaws Web site at www.dol.gov/elaws. 

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A recent webinar on the “Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – An Overview” was sponsored by Employers’ Council of Iowa (ECI) in collaboration with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Iowa Works, and Kaplan University. The webinar presenter was Jo Ellen Whitney with the Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts, P.C. Law Firm, Des Moines. The Power Point presentation from the webinar can be found here. Visit their web site here.

A 2010 Legislative change requires payors of income to submit child support payments through electronic transmission. The use of electronic funds transmission is a faster and safer way for payors of income to make payments. Since the payments are not sent through the U.S. mail, payments are received timely and provide a stable payment frequency for families receiving the support. To learn more about electronic transmission of payments, click on the link for the Employers Partnering in Child Support (EPICS) Unit.
www.iowachildsupport.gov
 

Small Business Jobs Act Of 2010

This new law is designed to help the Small Business Association (SBA) meet its mission of growing businesses and creating jobs by enabling small business owners to get the financing they need to grow.

Concerned about the passage of the ADA Amendments Act, the enactment of the new Executive Order 13548, and the implementation of Schedule A? Find practical solutions with JAN's 2011 Federal Employer Winter Webcast Series. JAN will be providing three free 1.5 hour Webcast sessions to begin January 2011. The three part series will cover the hiring and employment of people with disabilities in the Federal government and the reasonable accommodation process. JAN welcomes guest speakers from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Personnel Management, Department of Defense's Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Audience members will include federal disability program managers, hiring managers, supervisors, EEO representatives, selective placement coordinators, and others who may be involved in hiring and managing workers in the Federal government. Register early to reserve your seat, as this series will close due to high demand.
 
Learn more at: http://AskJAN.org/webcast/indexfed.htm

The Jobs Accommodation Network (JAN) offers a number of webinars on making changes in the workplace for those needing accommodations, plus what products are available to assist employers.

Webinar presentation materials can be found at http://askjan.org/webcast/index.htm plus other training materials that JAN offers is available for viewing at this web site.

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The Great Plain ADA Center serves the State of Iowa by providing information and assistance regarding the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) at not cost to any interested party, including employers.

www.adata.org - 1-800-949-4232

From the Great Plains ADA Center in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the landmark civil rights legislation, the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Think Beyond the Label is committed to making the business case for employing people with disabilities. We are a partnership of health and human service and employment agencies with federal grants, coming together to build a uniform national infrastructure and approach that connects businesses to qualified candidates with disabilities. Our goal is simple: to raise awareness that hiring people with disabilities makes good business sense. Employees with disabilities have unique, competitively relevant knowledge and perspectives about work processes, bringing different perspectives to meeting work requirements and goals successfully. Hiring someone who “thinks outside the box” might be thinking too small when there’s an opportunity to hire someone who lives outside the box.

Health & Disability Advocates (HDA), is a national nonprofit organization that promotes income security and improved health care access for children, people with disabilities, and low-income older adults. HDA is spearheading the Think Beyond the Label campaign on behalf of more than 40 states and various national and regional organizations by serving as its fiscal agent.

This Web site is Section 508-compliant, and is accessible to people with disabilities.
http://www.thinkbeyondthelabel.com/

HIRE (Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment) Act
Payroll Tax Exemption for Hiring Unemployed Workers

This can give companies a financial incentive to hire a previously unemployed or underemployed worker:
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=220746,00.html

The Employer’s Disability Resource Network (EDRN)

The Employer’s Disability Resource Network (EDRN) partners can provide technical assistance, information, resources, and training to help businesses effectively recruit, hire and retain qualified employees. EDRN can also provide consultation and resources to create a welcoming environment for applicants and employees with disabilities by assuring that facilities are accessible. In addition, EDRN can customize training to fit your needs.
These resources not only assist employers in building a diverse workforce, but they can also enhance a business’ services to customers with disabilities.

Learn more about EDRN by visiting: http://www.edrnetwork.org/ or calling (515) 281-0264.

ODEP Alliance Partner Provides Useful Tips on Making Recruiting Sites Accessible for All

ODEP’s Alliance Partner, The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), has published a comprehensive article about making a key element of the recruiting process accessible to all. http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/Diversity/Articles/Pages/RecruitingSitesAccessible.aspx

The Campaign for Disability Employment

The Campaign for Disability Employment is a collaborative effort to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace. http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/blog/index.php/what-can-employers-do/

New Federal GINA Law Takes Effect
On November 21, 2009
Includes Workplace Poster Change

On November 21, 2009, a new federal law titled the “Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act” (GINA) will go into effect. Title II of the new law signed on May 21, 2008, prohibits the intentional collection of genetic information about job applicants and employees, and use of genetic information in employment decisions. According to the EEOC, “genetic information” includes, for example, information about an individual’s genetic tests, genetic tests of a family member, and family medical history. Genetic information does not include information about the sex or age of an individual or an individual’s family member, or information that an individual currently has a disease or disorder. Title I of the law also includes strict confidentiality requirements for handling of genetic information.

Title I of GINA amends portions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code, and addresses the use of genetic information in health insurance. Additional information on this aspect of GINA is available at the following link: http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/qanda_geneticinfo.html.

Lastly, another portion of the GINA law amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to allow the federal Department of Labor to assess penalties of up to $50,000 for each child labor violation that causes the death or serious injury of a minor. Such penalties may be doubled up to $100,000 each if the violation is found to be repeated or willful.

The EEOC is providing an update to its mandatory “EEO is the Law” workplace poster to reflect the new GINA law. The EEOC provides a supplement to its federal “EEO is the Law” poster available at the link below. Employers may simply print off the supplement and place it near their current “EEO is the Law” poster which is part of the large, free workplace poster distributed by Iowa Workforce Development.

IWD updated its large, free workplace poster about a year ago after changes were made to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and Americans With Disabilities Act. The agency is awaiting any additional law changes before deciding whether to reprint the poster again. A decision is anticipated in the summer of 2010.

ECI Partnership Agreement

At the January 28, 2009, State Employers' Council of Iowa (ECI) meeting the Iowa Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented a certificate of appreciation for outstanding support of military personnel at the state and local level by ECI.

Matt Ricke, ECI State President, and Barry Spear, ESGR Iowa Chairman, have also signed a strategic partnership agreement between ECI and ESGR to continue and strengthen the relationship that has been forged between the two groups.

Unemployment Insurance Benefit Options

New FMLA Regulations Released by U.S. Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor published final Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) rules on Monday, November, 17, 2008. The new rules will become effective January 16, 2009.

Federal officials said highlights of the revised rules include, among others:

• Military Caregiver Leave: Implements two previously announced new benefit extensions for military family benefits;

• Serious Health Condition: Retains the current six individual definitions of “serious health condition,” but clarifies when “periodic visits to a health care provider” must be made;

• Notice Obligations: Clarifies and strengthens the employer notice requirements to employees to ensure employees are informed of their FMLA rights and obligations and similarly tightens requirements for employee’s obligation to provide FMLA notice to their employers.

Information on Iowa's statewide smoke-free air law can be found at www.IowaSmokefreeAir.gov

Iowa Registered Apprenticeship Site

The 21st century economy demands a workforce with postsecondary education credentials and the adaptability to respond immediately to changing economic and business needs. Registered Apprenticeship is a critical postsecondary education, training and employment option available in every state in the country. An Integration Program To Educate, Promote, Train, Target and Partner...

Iowa Workforce Development and its Board of Directors worked in partnership with the Employers’ Council of Iowa to contact a random sample of local employers across all industrial classifications and employment ranges to provide information on the benefit packages offered by businesses in the State of Iowa. The information gathered provides a detailed analysis of employer-provided benefits. Consequently, this information will assist businesses, community leaders, and workers to make better informed decisions on expansion initiatives, community development projects, and job offerings.

Who We Are

Iowa's Employers' councils are groups of employers who work in partnership with Iowa Workforce Development to meet the workforce needs of employers. They provide an employer perspective in advising IWD and other policy makers on the full range of workforce issues and topics of concern to employers. The special role of the state level Employers' Council is to help gather and disseminate information about the activities of local councils, and to represent the local councils at the state and federal levels.

Our Mission Statement

The mission of the Employers' Council of Iowa is to support the efforts of local employers committees to:

Advise Iowa Workforce Development, legislators, and other officials concerning its products, services, and policies that affect employers; and

Provide opportunities for employers to exchange information and develop education programs for employers.

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