Compliance Stuff

  When an employee stops showing up to the office, talks about wanting to give up, or appears impaired during work hours, managers and HR staff might feel unsure how to respond . But you can be supportive while also addressing legal obligations, safety, and business needs through a bit of planning, training, and resources. While employers are generally not mental health professionals, you can play a critical role in identifying warning signs and connecting employees with the support they need . Here are eight practical steps to help your managers and HR department respond in real time to serious and sensitive situations, as well as the key legal points to keep in mind. Call for Help Immediately in Emergencies First and foremost, you should call 911 in critical situations, such as when an employee expresses intent to self-harm imminently. You should also consider directing employees to 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. When you have a specific concern about an employee’...

Cybersecurity Awareness Month was established to provide resources to organizations and their employees to help them stay safer and more secure online. It is an opportunity to focus on four key behaviors: creating strong passwords and using a password manager, enabling multi-factor authentication, updating software, and recognizing and reporting scams . Each of these key behaviors are necessary to help keep organizations, their clients, and their employees secure. Safeguarding Digital Assets by Identifying, Avoiding, and Reporting Phishing Attempts Cyber criminals deploy scams to try to convince people to give their passwords, information, or money. Malicious emails are one of the primary methods for these cyber scams, and remain one of the top risks facing organizations, especially as advances in artificial intelligence give cyber criminals the ability to craft highly sophisticated and hard-to-identify phishing emails. No email filter can detect and catch all malicious emails, so some...

  The government has announced a renewed and expanded focus on False Claims Act ( FCA ) enforcement, doubling down on traditional health care priorities like kickbacks and drug pricing while signaling increased scrutiny of Electronic Health Records ( EHR ) manipulation, a shift that could expose data vendors and other non-traditional health care entities to the  US  Department of Justice ( DOJ ) and the  US  Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) scrutiny. Read the announcement  here . Leveraging enhanced cross-agency collaboration and sophisticated data mining, federal agencies are poised to generate new investigative leads, building on recent DOJ enforcement successes. Key Points of Emphasis and Related Compliance Takeaways The revived DOJ-HHS FCA Working Group signals that aggressive, coordinated health care enforcement is not only continuing but expanding into data-driven and technology-enabled frontiers. Reinvigorated False Claims Act Wor...

  Immigration enforcement across the country has raised tensions at workplaces across all industries, with federal officials ratcheting up the pressure – what if your business is next? This Insight will provide you with a detailed playbook: proactive steps to take to minimize the chances that you’ll face an immigration audit or raid, and practical steps to consider should immigration officials arrive at your workplace . We’ve also created two checklists for you to use as a recap for the key pieces of guidance. ⚠️ Before We Begin: Know The Risks   Employers that commit immigration violations face significant penalties: Civil Fines : Up to $2,861 per I-9 violation, up to $5,724 for knowingly hiring undocumented workers, and up to $28,619 per worker for repeat offenders. Criminal Penalties : Business leaders can face up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for knowingly employing undocumented workers. Asset Seizure : Conviction may trigger forfeiture of assets and profits ...

New York employers will see three significant workplace laws come into effect in June, and retail, warehouse, and fashion industry employers throughout the state need to take notice. You’ll face new requirements for workplace safety, employee protections, and more. If you’re not yet aware of your new obligations, you should review this summary and act promptly to ensure compliance – and avoid potential penalties. 🛍️ Retail Worker Safety Act (Amendments Effective June 2) Applies to:  Employers in New York with 10 or more retail employees. Immediate Requirements: Workplace Violence Prevention Policy:  Develop a written policy identifying risk factors (such as late-night shifts, cash handling, working alone) and outlining prevention methods. Employee Training:  Provide training on de-escalation tactics, emergency procedures, and use of security devices. Employers with 50+ employees: Upon hire and annually thereafter. Employers with fewer than 50 employees: Upon hire and ev...