Human Resource Management Association of Rhode Island: Useful Links

Useful Links Last Updated 6/25/08

USCIS Releases Newly-Dated I-9 Form on June 16, 2008

On June 16, 2008, the USCIS released a newly-dated I-9 form which employers may begin using immediately. What’s behind the change?

Due to the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must have current expiration dates on all approved forms, including the I-9. While the content of the form has not changed from last year’s version, the date of the form and OMB expiration date have been adjusted.

While the use of new forms is generally not required before 30 days after appearing in the Federal Register and guidance on this requirement has yet to be issued, we want to make sure that SHRM members have the most updated form, and recommend that you begin using this new form as soon as possible.

You may download the new I-9 form as a PDF at: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-9.pdf

Social Security Updates

Use the link below to access the latest edition of Social Security Update, published online by the Social Security Administration. In it you will find current information on the second public hearing on compassionate allowances for disability claims, an important agreement with the National Institutes of Health, the SSA's 15 language Multilanguage Gateway web page, SSA's new online initiative -- Consent-Based Social Security Number Verification --the latest Trustees Report, and an update on SSA's Mother’s Day Medicare extra help outreach efforts.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/newsletter/

Social Security wants to make retirement planning as easy as possible and one way they are doing this is by introducing a new online financial and retirement planning tool, called the Retirement Estimator. You can find it at:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator/

This tool allows individuals to get an immediate and personalized estimate of their potential Social Security retirement benefits to help them in their retirement planning. It is convenient. Since it is tied to actual Social Security earnings records, there is no need to manually enter years of earnings information. The Retirement Estimator is also interactive, allowing users to compare different retirement options by changing "stop work" dates or expected earnings. This service is also secure -- only the benefit estimates are provided online, ensuring that no personal information is revealed.

SSA hopes that you will take a look at the Retirement Estimator and share it with your employees and colleagues by adding a link to the Retirement Estimator to your own company's website. By linking to the Retirement Estimator, your visitors will have access to a convenient and interactive tool specifically designed to facilitate their financial and retirement planning.

Also, remember that individuals can save a trip to their local Social Security office by applying for retirement benefits online -- it's convenient and secure, at:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applyforbenefits/

CareGiverHelper - New Free Online Service

CareGiverHelper is a free online service which provides families with ways to communicate, organize and find resources to support parents or care recipients. It is easy to use and secure. Individuals or organizations interested in learning more about this free service should visit:

www.CareGiverHelper.com

New FLSA Minimum Wage Poster Available FREE from DOL Site

By July 24th, 2007, every employer subject to the Fair Labor Standard Act's minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the Act in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments. The DOL has created a new poster for this use that meets the requirements of this law. It can be downloaded free from the DOL web site at:

http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/posters/flsa.htm

Medicare Part D Information

General Information: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/

Model Notice: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/CredCov-BeneDsclsreNtc.pdf

Guidance Document: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/CCGuidance.pdf

Best Places to Work In Rhode Island

The idea of identifying "best places to work" is not new. Many have seen Fortune's "Top 100 Companies to Work for" issue. Rhode Island, however, is one of the first states in the country to create a "Best Places to Work" program on a statewide basis. The RI State Council of SHRM and Providence Business News have partnered with the Best Companies Group and ModernThink to offer this program to businesses in the state. Learn more at: www.bestplacestoworkri.com.

Emergency/Disaster Readiness

CDC's Emergency Preparedness and Response Emails

Sign up for Emergency Preparedness and Response emails, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For information about how to subscribe to these updates, visit: CDC's website.

FEMA's Mitigation Best Practices Portfolio

Find out how communities and individual homeowners around the country prevent or reduce the impact from disasters with FEMA's Mitigation Best Practices Portfolio. With the Best Practices Portfolio, you can search for examples of activities, projects, and potential funding sources that communities and individuals have implemented to protect both people and property. You can also subscribe to Best Practices e-mail updates for news ofnew mitigation best practices as they are added to the portfolio.

Have a recent disaster-prevention success story of your own? You can also submit your Best Practice idea to the portfolio and help spread the word of how important, effective,
and life-saving mitigation can be.

Best Practices e-mail updates

Other Useful Links for Emergency/Disaster Readiness Information

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency

Department of Homeland Security

The PAQS Project

The Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at The Miriam Hospital are offering and evaluating a program to help parents/caregivers of children under 18 to quit smoking. This program is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Contact: 1-866-401-PAQS (7277) or 401-793-8226

Click here to download a printer-friendly flyer/poster which can be used to promote this program to employees in your workplace. Here is a brief description of this program:

It takes place in the parent/caregiver's home.
Parents/caregivers receive child health education at no cost to them.
Parents/caregivers who are smokers and wish to quit smoking will receive counseling to help them to quit and up to 8-weeks of the nicotine patch at no cost to them. Caregivers can participate even if they do not want to quit smoking.
An air sampler will be placed in the home to measure environmental tobacco smoke exposure and the parent/caregiver will be provided with a report.
Parents/caregivers will be financially compensated for completing surveys that evaluate the program's effectiveness and can earn up to $130.

For a PDF containing full details and contact information for this program, click here.

Help from DOL

Employment Laws: Medical and Disability-Related Leave

www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/employ.htm

Employment Laws: Overview & Resources for Employers

www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/overview.htm

elaws Advisors

The elaws Advisors are Web-based tools that help businesses and workers understand and comply with federal employment laws. Available at www.dol.gov/elaws, this service is an interactive Web site that mimics the interaction a person may have with an employment law expert. One of the newest elaws Advisors, the FirstStep Employment Law Advisor, helps small businesses simply and quickly determine which of the major employment laws administered by DOL apply to them and provides easy-to-access information about how to comply with each law's requirements.

DOL Compliance Assistance Web Site

By accessing the DOL Compliance Assistance Web site at www.dol.gov/compliance, you can access a wide range of information and resources on DOL's rules and regulations any time, day or night. The site also offers the opportunity to ask questions about employment and regulatory issues via e-mail. Employment Law Guide

The Employment Law Guide, which describes DOL's major statutes and regulations, is a valuable resource for new business owners or individuals who aren't familiar with DOL's laws. The Guide presents business owners with introductory information to develop wage, benefit, safety and health and nondiscrimination policies for their businesses. Written in plain language, this free publication provides background information on DOL's major laws, outlining who is covered; the basic provisions of each law; the penalties for not complying; specific compliance assistance resources available for that law; and how the law relates to state and local laws. It is available in English and Spanish, both in print and online.

Employers can obtain a free copy by calling 1-866-4-USA-DOL or by accessing the online version at www.dol.gov/asp/programs/guide.htm.

Toll-Free Help Line

The U.S. Department of Labor established the first Federal Department-wide Toll-Free Help Line. By calling 1-866-4-USA-DOL, America's workers and employers can find answers to questions on a range of employment and regulatory issues. DOL can now assist you in more than 140 languages when you have questions about job loss, business closures, pay and leave, workplace injuries, safety and health, pension and health benefits, and reemployment rights for National Guard members, veterans and reservists. Calls to the Help Line are kept confidential.

Employers Can Take Advantage of Group Rates at Trinity Rep

Trinity Repertory Company offers group rates (click links for for flyers with more details):

A Christmas Carol -- Nov. 16 - Dec. 30, 2007

Memory Hourse -- Nov. 30, 2007 - Jan. 6, 2008

Richard III -- Jan. 25 - Mar. 2, 2008

Some Things Are Private -- Feb. 15 - Mar. 23, 2008

Blythe Spirit - Mar. 28 - Apr. 27, 2008

Paris by Night -- Apr. 25 - Jun. 1, 2008

Or visit the Trinity Rep website at www.trinityrep.com