2010

So a blue moon and a new decade. May 2010 find each of you with the people you love and love to work with, with a job that challenges and stretches you and the health and wealth that comes from being your best at being you!

Yes, it does happen to Tampa companies!

And the EEOC announces it with a press release and photo of the EEOC trial lawyers...

Outback Steakhouse To Pay $19 Million For Sex Bias Against Women In 'Glass Ceiling' Suit By EEOC

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today
announced that Outback Steakhouse has agreed to pay $19 million and
furnish significant remedial relief to settle a major class lawsuit
alleging sex discrimination against thousands of women at hundreds of
its corporately-owned restaurants nationwide.

According to the EEOC, Outback discriminated against its female
employees with respect to the terms and conditions of employment, and
denied women equal opportunities for advancement. The EEOC alleged in
the lawsuit that female employees hit a glass ceiling at Outback and
could not get promoted to the higher-level profit-sharing management
positions in the restaurants. Moreover, the EEOC also alleged that
women were denied favorable job assignments, particularly kitchen
management experience, which was required for employees to be
considered for the top management job in the restaurants.

Outback Steakhouse To Pay $19 Million For Sex Bias Against Women In ‘Glass Ceiling’ Suit By EEOC

Update for this week on COBRA

On Monday, President Obama signed legislation extending the eligibility period for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) premium reduction through Feb. 28, 2010 — an additional two months — and the maximum period for receiving the subsidy for an additional six months.

Implications? Sometimes the reduced rate with the government (tax funded) subsidy is less than the amount if employed-so why take the position when unemployment checks have been extended too?

Don't let the stress get to you!

YIKES!

Did you know: possiblly 5 new leave bills for employers to manage next year? YIKES! Who will be available to work and what will the administration of these plans cost? Guess I think that good companies respect their talent and don't need this type of system. The companies I know do what is right.

COMING THIS SPRING:

U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on the Privacy of Text Messages by employees using employer provided pagers.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that it would hear arguments in a case involving sexually explicit text messages sent by employees using their employer-provided pagers. The issue for the court is whether the employer violated its employees' privacy rights by reading the messages. The Court is expected to hear arguments in the case next spring.

Are they really 1099ers?

Are your independent contractors truly independent? or are they employees? Wondering? let's chat! call now: 813-920-9030

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/contractors-cry-foul-over-benefit-excluding-system/1058288

IRS Mileage Rate Lowered for 2010

The Internal Revenue Service has issued the standard-mileage-reimbursement rate for 2010. The standard-mile rate for business miles driven will be 50 cents per mile in 2010, down from 55 cents per mile in 2009 and from 58.5 cents in the second half of 2008.

Starting January 1, 2010, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 50 cents per mile for business miles driven; 16.5 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations .

Time is running out!

The Department of Homeland Security and Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) released new data regarding the current FY2010 H-1B quota. There were 58,900 filings against the fiscal year cap of 65,000. In order to qualify for the H-1B quota, an employer must file its H-1B petition before the numbers run out. CIS counts an H-1B petition against the quota when the case enters the mailroom, and not when the petition is approved. When CIS determines that the H-1Bquota may have been reached, then all petitions received on that day and the following day, will be placed in a lottery for the remaining slots. Hurry to the Post Office!