10. Expanded Paid Family Leave (PFL) Insurance (AB908) - Starting 1/1/2018 CA PFL insurance payments will increase to 60% of wages, capped at $1,100 a week (previously the amount was 55% capped at $1,011 a week). A new provision has been added that will allow for 70% of wages for earning $20,000 or less annually. FEDERAL 1. The Department of Labor (DOL) Change to Exempt Salary Threshold on HOLD. As of 11/22/2016, the US District Court in Texas issued a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Labor from implementing the revised FEDERAL salary threshold increase that was to increase to $913 per week ($47,476 annually) beginning 12/1/2016. Still unknown is if the DOL will appeal the decision to the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and also unknown is the position of the incoming administration of President Trump. 2. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Revised EEO-1 Report. The EEOC has approved a revised EEO-1 report that will require large private employers including federal contractors and subcontractors with 100 or more employees to report summary pay data. The first deadline for the new 2017 EEO-1 report will be March 31, 2018. The EEO-1 report will be due every March 31 after that — a change from the long-standing previous September 30 deadline. HR Items of Interest 1.
CA November Ballot, Recreational Marijuana Use. Recreational marijuana is now legal for individuals over the age of 21. From an employment standpoint, it will not: • restrict the rights and obligations of public and private employers to maintain a drug and alcohol-free workplace; • require an employer to permit or accommodate the use, consumption, possession, transfer, display, transportation, sale, or growth of marijuana in the workplace; • affect the ability of employers to have policies prohibiting the use of marijuana by employees and prospective employees; or • prevent employers from complying with state or federal law.
2.
2017 Exemption (from overtime, breaks and meal period) Increases: •
Computer Software Exemption: Minimum $42.39/hour, $7359.88/month or $88,318.55 annually.
•
Licensed Physician or Surgeon Exemption: Minimum $77.23/ hour.
TPO is an HR Consulting Firm providing general HR consulting, employee handbook development, neutral thirdpart investigations into employment matters including harassment, managerial training on HR regulatory and leadership skill-building, and helping employers maintain current best HR practices.
How we work with SCCMA and MCMS Members: Over the past 22 years, TPO has provided HR support to
SCCMA as well as the members of SCCMA and MCMS. TPO has facilitated numerous HR training programs for members to attend and has provided many articles throughout the years.
SCCMA/MCMS Members receive a FREE initial telephone consulting call (up to 15 minutes)! Examples of Common Consulting Calls: • “An employee is pregnant and says she gets 7 months off…is that right?” • “I have an employee with poor performance…how do we get him “on-board”? • “I want to terminate an employee, but am not sure if we can…help!” • “An employee is demanding back overtime pay…but we paid him a salary!” Contact Melissa Irwin, Sr. Consultant: (831)647-7292 or melissai@tpohr.com ©TPO - The HR Experts
All Rights Reserved.
www.tpohr.com
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 | THE BULLETIN | 47