HR Year in Review
The world of HR is an ever-changing complex environment, and 2016 was certainly proof of just that. Here’s a look back at HR happenings this past year.
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The New Overtime Rules
On May 18, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a new rule that would overhaul overtime wage payment in the United States. The new rule would more than double the salary threshold that employees must meet to qualify for overtime wage payment exemption—a change that could affect more than 4 million workers across the United States. Alas, just 10 days before the rule was set to become effective on December 1st, it was blocked by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, who granted a nationwide preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new federal overtime rule, which was set to become effective on December 1, 2016. The judge’s ruling means that employers across the country do not have to raise salaries for exempt employees to the new threshold or pay them overtime. Click here for more info on the background of the Overtime Rule Changes.
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New Form I-9 Released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Background Federal law requires employers to hire only individuals who may legally work in the United States—either U.S. citizens or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. To comply with the law, employers must verify the identity and employment authorization of each person they hire by completing and retaining Form I-9. The new Form I-9 is dated November 14, 2016 and has an expiration date of August 31, 2019. Employers may continue using a Form I-9 with a revision date of March 8, 2013 (or may use the new version) through January 21, 2017. By January 22, 2017, employers must use only the new version. Employers should also continue to follow existing storage and retention rules for all of their previously completed Forms I-9. Click here for more info on the new Form I-9.
