Drop the Hoses—The Fire Is Under Control

The past several years have brought a rapidly changing landscape related to employment law. Part of my work at MRA is as a Hotline advisor and the actions of the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board (and their General Counsel), and the Federal Trade Commission, not to mention the multitude of state legislation that has been enacted, leaves me feeling on certain days, as the old saying goes, like I’m drinking from a fire hose.

Hotline advisors must be current on these changes and ready to discuss, guide, recommend, inform, educate, and provide options to our members (this is not legal guidance, of course, as we are not attorneys). As employers hire more remote employees, the need to have access to knowledge across multiple states has also grown immensely.

So, how does an Advisor stay current and keep from drowning?

One of our resources is also available to our members. The "CCH Compliance Library" is a tool that can be accessed through MRA’s website. The Compliance Library is a tool that allows researchers to access both state and federal employment laws, payroll treatises, create job descriptions and other tools, as well as create charts on state employment laws. The tools also allow members to sign up for daily alerts sent directly to their email. Members can find the resource on their Member Dashboard or by clicking on the "Resources" tab on our website.

Advisors also subscribe to federal and state newsletters and feeds. For example, the federal Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Wage and Hour Division has a newsletter that can be subscribed to here. Most of the DOL’s agencies offer the opportunity to sign up for newsletters. Need information on the Americans with Disabilities Act or other equal opportunity interpretation? The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) also provides email updates. To receive those, go to the EEOC’s website and sign up for their newsletter.

It also is helpful to familiarize yourself with state agencies. Although they do not all provide the opportunity to sign up for email alerts, regular checks for updated FAQs and new laws are recommended. Most employment laws can be found in the various states' Departments of Labor and/or Human Rights. 

Legal information aggregators are also very helpful. These tools gather publications, articles, guides, etc. published by legal firms and readily available to businesses. Most allow you to subscribe to one or more topics, including employment. Depending on the particular aggregator, updates are sent daily, semi-weekly, etc. There are a number of them available that can be found by using the search term “legal aggregators.” Legal firms generally also allow you to subscribe to their notifications and publications. Firms, both local and national in scope, often provide the opportunity to register for emails and/or RSS feeds.

Finally, you can call MRA’s HR Hotline. We are happy to assist with your questions. You can reach us via email at [email protected], or at 866-HR-Hotline 866.474.6854.