Spring 2009

• INSIDE
  Overview / Summary Page
  Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)- Employers Survival Kit
  ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA)
  Guns In The Workplace Update
  No Match Rule: E-Verify Update
   

Winter 2007

• INSIDE
  Overview / Summary Page
  Health Care Crisis - Latest Update
  Reemploying Returning Veterans
  DHS Immigration No-Match Rule on Hold
  Aging Workforce - Employer Issues
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Another Ruling Against FedEx Ground
     - Fighting Questionable Disability Claims with DNA
     - Facebook and Job Boards
     - Unions Global Concern

Summer 2007

• INSIDE
  Overview / Summary Page
  Employers & the Health Care Crisis
  Independent Contractor Conundrum
  DOL Survey on FMLA - Comments Duly Noted
  Domestic Violence and Workplace Bullying
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Employee Free Choice Act Blocked
     - Enforcement of No-Match Rule
     - H1-B Immigration Visas Gone on First Day
     - Personality Testing Controversial
     - Facebook and MySpace Caution

Spring 2006

• INSIDE
  Overview / Summary Page
  State Of The Unions: Changes & Tactics
  Recruitment Concerns: Crucial Changes Evolving
  Retention: The Flip Side of Recruiting
  Terminating Employees: Ten Tips On Firing
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - More Bathroom Break Battles
     - Add Blogging To Time Wasting Internet Activities
     - Onshoring: An Alternative To Offshoring
     - Employee Crime And Identity Theft Update
     - Ten Year Anniversary Of Braun Consulting News Letters
   

Summer 2005

• INSIDE
  Overview / Summary Page
  Employer Cell Phone Liability: Update
  Workplace Violence and Domestic Violence
  Obesity In The Workplace: Update
  HR Outsourcing Trends
  Looking At Employee Turnover
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Camera Phones and Employer Concerns
     - Recruiting and Researching Candidates on the Web
     - New Looks at Employee Orientations
     - Companies Blocking Websites
     - FACTA Update

Winter 2004/2005

• INSIDE
  Overview / Summary Page
  FedEx Ground Versus UPS: Two Worldviews
  Workplace Diversity: Does It Work?
  Health Care and Employers: Key Current Issues
  The Shrinking American Vacation
  Top HR Issues For 2005
  USERRA Update
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Background Checks: Necessary but potentially flawed
     - Office Romance On The Rise Again
     - Are HR Departments Socialist?
     - Company Portals Coming Of Age
     - The Bush Administration And OSHA
   

Summer 2004

• INSIDE
  Offshore Outsourcing: Impact on the American Workplace
  Labor Law and Non-union Employees
  Obesity In The Workplace
  Productivity or Push?
  English Only Policy Issues
  Update On FLSA Overtime Act
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Internet Usage By Disgruntled Employees
     - Update On Romance In The Workplace
     - Suspicious Medical-leave Requests
     - New DVD on Workplace Violence Available
     - Alternative Health-care For Workers

Winter 2003

• INSIDE
  Impact of Military Reserves Activation on Employers
  Absenteeism & The Bottom Line
  Feingold FMLA Amendment, Update
  50 Tips On Workplace Violence
  FLSA Update
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Identity Theft: Facts, Prevention, and Response
     - Office Napping On The Decline
     - Be Careful Not To Hit The Send Button By Mistake
     - Proposed Bill Would Legitimize Foreign Workers
   

Summer 2003

• INSIDE
  Overtime Is About to Change - "Family Time Flexibility Act" (H.R. 1119)
  New Frontiers of Harassment - Trends in Same Sex Harassment
  Reminiscing About Workplace Romance
  Web Surfing At Work - New Workplace Reality
  NLRB Using The Web - Documents Can Be Filed Via The Web
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Break Your Non-Competes
     - Fire Your Boss
     - Another Survey Proves Employee Dissatisfaction
     - Instant Messaging: Wading Into Uncharted Territory

Winter 2002-2003

• INSIDE
  Paid Family Leave
  NLRB Watch
  Violence in the Workplace Update
  Defined Contribution Health Care Plans
  Your HR Records - A Ticking Time Bomb
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Bathroom Break Battle at Distiller Jim Beam
     - Shorter Naps Are Better
     - Health Insurance News at eBay
     - Employee Satisfaction: Is This A Good Thing?
     - Lowering Absenteeism with Paid Time Off Plans

Summer 2002

• INSIDE
  Employers Guide to Cell Phone Liability
  Internet E-mail Usage Update
  National Guard and Reserve Leave
  Useful Internet Terms
  The Changing Face of the Health Insurance Crisis
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Lessons from September 11
     - On-line Employee Turnover COST Calculator
     - Depression in the Workplace
     - Death of an Employee

Summer 2001

• INSIDE
  OSHA Revises Workplace Injury and Illness Reporting Rule
  Clinton DOL Narrows Exemption for Labor Relations Consultants
  Interim Rules Issued for Bush Executive Orders of February 17th, 2001.
  FMLA: "Serious Health Condition" Being Redefined
  ADA: Medical Examinations / Inquiries Addressed by 3rd Circuit Court
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Lawsuit Agains Contracter That Did Not Provide EO Survey Response Filed By DOL
     - Employers Cite Burdens Related To Leave Law (FMLA)
     - Worker's Comp For Depression? A NH Court Says Yes
     - Domestic-Partner Benefits Offered By Firms Have Doubled Since 1997
     - Internet Access Increases Need For Investment Education
  Violence Short Updates (Briefs)
     - Employers Fight To Remain Gun Free
     - Agency in MA. Urges Precautions Against Violence After Latest Slayings
     - Worker With Depresssion Threatened Violence - Employer Was Justified In Firing

Spring 2001

• INSIDE
  Bush Issues New Directives
  Sex: "Major Life Activity"?
  Internal Investigation Records Ruling
  Unfair Labor Act Judgement
  Romance In The Workplace Revisited
  Collective Bargaining Impasse Issue
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - EEOC Issues Decision on Insurance Denial for Contraceptives
     - NLRB Board Decides Dismissed "Union Salt" Case
     - Michigan Court Defines Test for "Stray Remarks"
     - Undocumented workers entitled to backpay under NLRA (5-4)
     - Another Case of Employers vs. Unions
   

Winter 2000

• INSIDE
  America's Work Ethic: How Hard Do We Really Work?
  Terminating Employees: Ease the Pain
  NLRB Allows Temps to Join Unions
  Woman Not Hired Because She Valued Family Life Too Much
  Notes on Recent NLRB Decisions
  Leave for Domestic Violence-Related Services - New Law
  The Trusted Advisor - Book Review
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - "Labor on the Line" - New Cable Show In Portland, Oregon Focuses on Labor Issues
     - Stress and Rapid Change Can Lead to Workplace Mental Health Problems
     - Watching Sunday Morning Religious Shows A Religious Right?
     - Child's Claim for Prenatal Injuries Upheld
     - Avoid the Temptation to Cut Corners in Hiring Decisions
     - Don't Dial and Drive
   

Fall 2000

• INSIDE
  Executive Council's New Plan To Add 1 Million New Union Members a Year
  NLRB Broadens Regulation of Nonunion Employer Conduct
  E-mail policies can lead to legal quagmire
  NLRB - New approach in "salting" cases
  Violence is Top Security Concern in 2000
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Stock Option Offers Rising, Survey Says
     - Spotting Signs of Violence NOT for Managers Only
     - At-home Sales Rep Gets Workers' Comp for Driveway Injury
     - Home PC Benefit a New Trend
   

Spring 2000

• INSIDE
  More on Workplace Romance - Dating, Harassment, Court Rulings and More!
  Allergies and Asthma in the Workplace - Deserve Attention
  Drug Testing of Workers Is Not Cost Effective Says ACLU
  New Concerns About Union Organizing and E-mail
  Some Employers Crack Down on Personal Online Time
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Help for Veterans in DOL Website
     - Religious Practices, or Harassment?
     - Non-job Related Demands: a Potential Mine Field of Legal Problems
   

Winter 1999

• INSIDE
  Workplace Romance - How About a "Love Contract"?
  'Right to Organize' - THE Hot Labor Issue To Test Candidates in the Year 2000
  Disgruntled Workers Air Corporate 'Dirty Laundry' on Internet WWW Sites
  Supreme Court Rulings and ADA, 1999 Review
  Answers about Employee Break Periods
  BCG Has a New Address!
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - Nursing Moms Get Rooms from DOD
     - "Federal Supervisors and Poor Performance" Report Released
     - Unusual Perk for Recruitment used by Chiropractic College
     - Time Spent in Mandatory Drug Testing Compensable
   

Summer 1999

• INSIDE
  E-mail - the 'Wild Wild West' of Today's Workplace
  NLRB ruling - a portent of things to come?
  How To Increase The Value Of Your Companies Reward Investment
  Updates on Union Activities
  Reminder: Worker Safety Rules Updated
  Work Transformation and Managing Change - book reviews by Robert Braun
  Employer Briefs - Human Resources Updates
     - DOL to Start 'One-Stop' Job Centers
     - New Publication from Department of Labor and Industries
     - Personnel Management Survey Results
   

Spring 1999

• INSIDE
  General Handbook Waivers - Tread Lightly!
  Work Place Tips- Short Reminders
  You Can Prevent Liability From Workplace Conflicts
  Audits May Help Prevent Law Suits
  UPS - Follow up Report, One Year After The Strike...??
  Some Tips on Benefits

Spring 1998

• INSIDE
  Does Your Application Comply With The FCRA? (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
  A $35,000 Mistake: Employees Right To Privacy Handled Carelessly
  Domestic Abuse & Workplace Violence A Liability Issue For Employers
  Job Hunting On The Web "It's A Numbers Game"!
  5 Myths About Overtime: Test Your Knowledge
  Braun Taps Into Internet Resources To Solve Your Problems
  If The IRS Comes Knocking On Your Door
  More Limitations On ADA
  Truth Never Dies by Abraham Lincoln

Winter 1997, 1998

• INSIDE
  5 Tips on Minimizing Workplace Violence
  Responding to EEOC Complaints "101"
  Complainers & Negative Attitude: Some Insight
  Latest Trends From NLRB Chairman William Gould Are They "Anti-Employer"?
  Can You Defend Yourself Against "Salting"?
  BraunConsulting.com
  Washington Employment Legislation - Some Notes of Interest
     (Reconciliation of State Family Leave Law with FMLA.)
  1997 Survey of Human Resource Trends

Summer 1997

• INSIDE
  New Health Rules and What to do by June 1st
  New Federal Legislation Requires Employee Benefit Communication
  Employment Verification Under Washington Immigration Law
  NLRB Protects Union Organizer "Salts" Being Used in Nonunion Operations
  Update on Union Organizing Plans
  Changes in FLSA?
  Violence in the Workplace
  Avoiding Charges Under ADA
  E-mail Policy A Fact Of Life!
  No Tort of Wrongful Transfer in Violation of Public Policy in Washington
  Repetitive Motion Injuries (RMI's)....CA takes the lead, can WA be far behind?
  High Hopes for ADR from the Seattle District Office of EEOC!
  Braun Consulting Group On-line Update
  Interviewing & Illegal Questions
  Reliability is Key
  Questions or Concerns

Spring 1997

• INSIDE
  New Test Program  for Medical Savings Accounts
  ADA and "Reasonable Accommodation"
  401 (k) Basics
  Texaco Revisited: Recordings in Employment Litigation
  "Time Off"  Alternative to Overtime Pay
  Did you know?:
  Sexual Harassment:  In The News
  "Internet Code of Conduct - Model Policy"
  EEO & Arbitration - "Gilmer revisited in DC"
  "In House" Arbitration? Your Program Must Be Good!
  In Arbitration: Sexual Harassment
  Family Medical Leave Act Reminder
  Quick Tips
  Repetitive Stress Injuries - A Common Sense Approach
  What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
  Questions or Concerns

Summer 1996

• INSIDE
  Save 10% on your L&I
  Revised Job-Injury Forms
  Violence Policy
  New Changes for Veterans
  New Organizing Efforts by the...AFL-CIO
  BCG's New Web Page
  More from the AFL-CIO
  Questions or Concerns