From: Federal Employment Law Articles
The U.S. Department of Labor is observing the week of October
19-25, 2009, as its fourth annual Drug-Free Work Week and
encourages employers and employees across the country to
participate. The purpose of Drug-Free Work Week is to educate
employers, employees and the general public about the importance of
being drug-free as a component of improving workplace safety and
health and to encourage employees with alcohol and drug problems to
seek help. All employers should remind employees about company
policies addressing drug and alcohol use at least once a year, and
Drug-free Work Week is a good time to do so. The Department of
Labor encourages employers to do some or all of the following
things during Drug-Free Work Week:
Respond to this topic on your own blog
Click and press Ctrl+C to copy and paste this discussion on your blog or site
Related Articles
COBRA Subsidy Extension Information Now Available from U.S. Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor this morning updated its
website to include brand new information about the COBRA subsidy
extension that was passed at the end of 2009. Among the new
documents: Updated Fact Sheet (useful for employers) FAQs for
employees and employers A new job loss poster A new flyer for
employees A new flyer for employers A new flyer for employees on
the application for review Some of the forms have yet to be updated
so employers should either seek legal advice if they need to send
out such forms or stay tuned from the Department of Labor for their
further updates.

DOT Reinstates Rule for Direct Observation Collection of Certain Drug Tests, Effective August 31.
The United States Department of Transportation
(“DOT”) has reinstated a rule requiring
direct observation of employees providing urine specimens during
return-to-duty and follow-up drug tests. The rule was published in
the Federal Register on July 30, 2009, and will become effective on
August 31, 2009.



Reminder of Obligations Imposed on Employers by State Voting Rights Laws.
With Election Day this upcoming Tuesday, November 3, 2009, it is a
good time for employers to review their policies and practices
regarding granting employees time off to vote and related issues.
Thirty-one states and Puerto Rico obligate employers to provide
employees time off to vote if certain prerequisites are met and
impose civil and/or criminal penalties for non-compliance. Some of
these jurisdictions even require such time to be paid for
non-exempt employees, require employers to post notices advising
employees of their rights, or both.


The Basics: Drug Testing Laws in Connecticut for Applicants
Continuing our weekly summer series on the basics of various
employment laws, we'll turn this week to the state's drug testing
laws (which can be found starting at Conn. Gen. Stat.
31-51t).

I've discussed some of the quirks in this statute in a prior post,
including the fact that the testing rules for applicants differ
from employees, but that an "employee" may also include a former
employee too. But what are the rules that employers must
follow for job applicants? For job applicants (the statute uses
"prospective employee"), an employer cannot require a urinalysis
drug test as part of the application pro...
U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Final Rule Revising Drug Testing Procedures.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has published a final rule
revising certain drug testing procedures to conform its testing
rules to new rules being implemented by the Department of Health
and Human Services. The final rule is available at
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-20095.pdf. The changes
will become effective on October 1, 2010.


