Employers brace for new round of labor challenges

Upcoming US Department of Labor employment standards, to many employers, are a cause of significant cause of concern. New standards related to overtime pay, to how salaried workers are compensated and even lawsuits and potential confrontations with customers are making employers extremely concerned and apprehensive. Due to the fact that there remains so many unknowns at this point, employers are pareparing the best they can to respond to the situation when it is presented to them.

Key Takeaways:

• Eighty-two percent of employers expect to be affected by U.S. Department of Labor enforcement efforts over the next year, largely because of new overtime rules, and 74% anticipate more accusations of discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation, according to a new survey.
• The canvass of 844 high-level corporate executives involved in personnel matters also revealed that the possibility of workplace violence has become a key concern for employers.
• The law firm noted in analyzing the data that 31% of the respondents, drawn from an array of industries, expect DOL enforcement to have a profound impact on their businesses. A year ago, those fears were voiced by 18% of respondents.

“Littler Mendelson’s fifth annual Executive Employer Survey shows a sharp upswing in concern about running afoul of new labor-related regulations, sensibilities and indications from the federal government of more aggressive enforcement.”

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