Current trends
in workplace law
 

State Legislative Affairs

Welcome to the home page of the RI State Council Society for Human Resource Management Legislative Affairs.

On behalf of the RI State Council and SHRM affiliates the Human Resource Management Association of RI and the Southern RI Human Resource Council. If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact a member of the Legislative Affairs Committee.

Rhode Island - Hot Topics

Updated May 5, 2008

Please act on this legislative alert to ask your Congressman to co sponsor H. R. 5515, "New Employee Verification Act" and support federal legislation which would preempt statewide legislation, H 7107 which was passed in the RI House and S 2091, the companion bill which will be heard in the RI Senate on Wednesday, May 7th, and Wednesday, May 14th . Click here for more details.

May 2, 2008

Legislative Agenda

The Rhode Island State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and SHRM’s two affiliate chapters in RI - the Human Resource Management Association of RI and the Southern RI Human Resource Council (collectively referred to below as RI SHRM are interested in proactively influencing and contributing an employer’s perspective in the shaping and consideration of Rhode Island legislative and regulatory proposals that affect the HR profession and the workplace.

In 2008, RI SHRM will be focusing on the following issues:  Health Care and Electronic Employment Verification.

For complete agenda and details, click here.

HR Voice Contest

As an HR professional, your voice provides a unique perspective that your member of Congress or state legislator may not have considered. By joining forces with other HR professionals, you directly affect the outcome of pending legislation and regulations. To encourage you to participate in these Advocacy efforts we are offering a little incentive---If you send a letter (or participate in an advocacy effort) to a state legislator on bills currently proposed for RI or to your Federal legislator from May 1, 2008-May 31 2008 your name will be entered into a raffle drawing for several prizes that will be awarded by RI SHRM. Click here for all the details.

Updated April 8, 2008

Legislative Affairs Bullentin Highlights - for complete bullentin, click here.

FMLA Update
Please respond to the recent Federal Regulatory Alert and provide comment on the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) proposed rule clarifying many aspects of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 that have proven burdensome for both employers and employees. It is imperative that the DOL hear from HR professionals in order to strengthen the FMLA by preserving the integrity of the Act's leave protections.

E-Verify, Immigration Reform
Citing similar frustrations expressed by governors in other states over the failure of the U.S. Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform legislation, Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri (R) issued an Executive Order on March 27, 2008 to address political pressure over illegal immigration.  The move mirrors a similar action taken in January by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R), and represents a growing trend by state governments to require employers to use the E-Verify employment verification system. Immigration issues are being debated in 50 states. SHRM believes E-Verify is inadequate and unreliable, thereby putting employers at risk.

Lt. Gov. Roberts Hosting Community Meetings on the Healthy Rhode Island Reform Act of 2008
During April and May, Lt. Governor Roberts will be hosting community meetings across the state to review the details of her legislative package – the Healthy Rhode Island Reform Act of 2008. All of these meetings are open to the public and begin at 6:30 p.m.  For further information about a meeting in your community, please visit the http://www.ltgov.ri.gov/healthyri/

Health Insurance Co-payment Bills Pass in House and Senate H. 7507 Sub A which would require small employer health insurance carriers to reimburse hospitals for certain uncollected member co-payments and deductibles and would also place conditions upon the variation of adjusted community rates applied to small employer carriers – was passed by the House on 3/27/08.  A similar Senate bill - S. 2414 , was passed in the Senate on 3/19/08 and has been referred to House Corporations. 

Many other Health Care Reform Proposals are currently Under Review- RI General Assembly.

RI SHRM opposes the following bills:
The component of S. 2686 that would require employers (with more than 10 employees) to pay a “health security assessment” per employee (excludes employees with less than 90 days of employment or who normally work less than 30 hours per week and temporary employees hired for less than 5 months, seasonal employees, or employees with alternative group or non-group health insurance coverage not provided by the employer or who are enrolled in Medicare or participate in a government-sponsored medical assistance program).

Fair Share Health Care Fund (H. 7181 )

For complete bullentin details, click here.

On February 11, 2008, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) covering a variety of issues regarding implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The NPRM encompasses various issues raised in court cases interpreting the FMLA, as well as extensive stakeholder comments, including information provided by SHRM, that the DOL has gathered in the past several years. In addition, the NPRM addresses implementation of the recently enacted military leave laws, read More.

After a series of meetings of Mission: Healthy RI, an advisory work group that was convened by Lt. Governor Roberts to work with her as she sought to develop a comprehensive health care reform plan to ensure that all Rhode Islanders have access to the highest quality health care at a cost they can afford, the Healthy Rhode Island Reform Act of 2008, an eight-part package of health care reform bills, was released by the Lt. Governor on February 12th, read more.

For Summary of Health Reform Act, click here.