If you are a business owner in a position that requires a lay off, have the employee log in to the following address and personally apply for unemployment benefits. This is the fastest way to get these needed benefits. This will save you time and energy as to reallocate other resources to save your business. Here is the address to have the employee log in to:  https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistance. Employees will need the following information to complete the application: Your Social Security Number If you are not a citizen of the United States, your alien registration number Your residential address Your mailing address Your telephone number Your e-mail address Your birth date Your employment history (most recent 15 months) which includes: The names of all your employers Employer addresses Employer phone numbers Reasons for separation from your employers Employment start and end dates Recall dates The social security numbers and dates of birth for your dependents Your union name and local number (if you are a member of a union) If you were in the Military you will need information from your DD-214 Member 4 (not mandatory to apply) If you were a Federal Employee , you will need information from your SF8 (not … Continue reading A Guide to Employee’s Access to Unemployment Benefits

Coronavirus Bill Requiring Paid Employee Leave Signed Into Law On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act) into law. The Act requires employers to provide paid leave for some employees related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, amongother measures. The leave provisions of the Act take effect no later than 15 days after it is signed by the president. Emergency Paid Sick Leave   The Act requires two weeks of paid sick leave for government workers and employees of companies with fewer than 500 employees. Leave must be made available to workers who are symptomatic or are under an order or advice to quarantine or self-isolate, who have to care for a family member under such an order or advice, or who have a child whose school or child care provider or facility has closed or is unavailable due to the coronavirus. Future regulations may exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees from the paid sick leave requirement. Health care providers and emergency responders may be excluded from both types of leave benefits. Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act The Act provides FMLA rights for some employees of companies with fewer than 500 … Continue reading Coronavirus Bill Requiring Paid Employee Leave Signed Into Law

OSHA Inspection: Use the guidelines below to help prepare for an OSHA inspection. What triggers an OSHA inspection? An OSHA inspection can be triggered by any of the following: Planned inspection Complaint National/local emphasis program (e.g., lead, amputations) Site-specific targeting program (high incident rate sites) Follow-up on a previous inspection Imminent danger Fatality What comprises an OSHA inspection? Recordkeeping OSHA 300 logs from the last five years (or records of work-related injuries and illnesses) OSHA 301 forms or incident reports Reports of fatalities and catastrophic events Annual summaries for the last five years Medical surveillance (e.g., hearing tests, respiratory) Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (and SDS books) Documentation review Written safety compliance programs (e.g., HazComm, lockout/tagout, emergency procedures) Development of the written program Execution of the programs Employee training (e.g., orientation, refresher, attendance records, subject matter) Site inspection Identify physical hazards Observe unsafe employee behavior Evaluate level of noncompliance with OSHA standards Employee interviews Labor representative Rank and file Management What should I do if OSHA wants to inspect my worksite? Examine the inspector’s credentials. Ask for the purpose of the inspection. Has there been a complaint? OSHA can inspect a workplace if it has probable administrative cause for the inspection. … Continue reading OSHA Inspection Guidlines