BW INSIGHTS

DOL Independent Contractor Final Rule

On January 9, 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) released its Final Rule which changes the criteria for classifying independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Final Rule is set to take effect on March 11, 2024, and rescinds the 2021 independent contractor rule, replacing it with an analysis that the DOL explains, is... Read More

The NLRB Issues a Final Rule Regarding The Joint-Employer Standard

On October 26, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board issued a final rule addressing how to determine whether two employers have joint-employer status. The final rule introduced a broadened standard as to who may classify as a joint-employer. The new standard will go into effect on December 26, 2023. A “New” Standard The final rule establishes... Read More

Proposed Overtime Rule: What Employers Need to Know

The U.S. Department of Labor is shaking up the employment landscape with a proposed rule that’s set to benefit approximately 3.6 million salaried workers. This rule, proposed on August 30, 2023, seeks to expand overtime protections, ensuring overtime compensation for those who’ve been working long hours without extra pay. In this blog post, we’ll... Read More

Minnesota Passes Paid Family and Medical Leave: Effective in 2026

Paid Family and Medical Leave On May 25, 2023, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a Paid Family and Medical Leave bill (HF 2). The law provides employees with up to 20 weeks of paid family or medical leave per year. The leave program will be administered by a new division of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development: The... Read More

Updates to Form I-9 Effective August 1, 2023

The U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services is set to publish a revised Form I-9 on August 1, 2023. The old Form I-9 may be used through October 31, 2023, after which employers will be subject to penalties. The revised Form I-9 follows from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognizing the end of temporary Covid policies that allowed for... Read More

Dept. of Labor Offering $15M in Grants to Address Workforce Challenges in Critical Sectors: What Iowa Employers Need to Know Before Applying

On May 17, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $15 million in grants to help address challenges the workforce system faces in training people for good jobs in critical sectors including care, climate resiliency, and hospitality. The program was designed to improve job quality and the availability of good jobs,... Read More

Understanding Multi-Employer Workplace Liability

In several industries, there are situations where multiple employers perform work or are otherwise affiliated with a single worksite. One common example of a multi-employer worksite would be a construction project where a general contractor and numerous subcontractors all work at the same worksite. For example, Iowa Occupational Safety and Health... Read More

Now is the Time for Plan Sponsors to Correct Plan Errors: IRS Issues Guidance on the Expansion of EPCRS and Self-Corrections

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued interim guidance, provided in Notice 2023-43, that explains the expansion of plan sponsors’ ability to self-correct errors in qualified retirement plans. The Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) sets forth the IRS’s guidance to plan sponsors on how to correct errors relating to qualified... Read More

Iowa Workforce Development Expands Registered Apprenticeship Programs

Governor Reynolds continues to work towards creating new and expanding current opportunities for apprenticeships throughout the state. At the beginning of the 2023 Legislative Session, Governor Reynolds gave her Condition of the State address where she announced new funding that would be focused on growing Iowa’s Registered Apprenticeship (RA)... Read More