A New I-9 in Your Christmas Stocking

With their characteristic sense of humor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) merrily announced a Christmas present for U.S. employers: based up the rule issued late last month in the Federal Register, employers will be required to use the new Employment Eligibility Verification Form I...

Jose E. Latour Dec 04, 2007

Listen up USG Contractors: Time to Comply

The pressure to comply with employment verification requirements may soon hit companies which contract with the U.S. governement.  This is from SHRM:"The House has already included language in four appropriations bills that would require all federal contractors to participate in the govern...

Jose E. Latour Dec 02, 2007

Why GCs are Embracing Workforce Compliance

InsideCounsel magazine recently reported the results of an innovative study undertaken by another publication, Corporate Board Member magazine and FTI Consulting.  In the survey/study, over 1000 General Counsels and board directors were asked about the steps they are taking to mitigate risk wit...

Jose E. Latour Nov 20, 2007

Workforce Compliance: Outside Counsel vs. Outside SOLUTION

Counsel to Counsel magazine ran an interesting article in its October 2007 issue entitled "Choosing the Right Outside Counsel"  The article is a helpful analysis of what GCs should look for when reaching outside of their own corporate resources for the solution of a legal matter.The a...

Jose E. Latour Nov 01, 2007

Unions in Check: NLRB Permits Faster Challenges by Members

As the National Labor Relations Board hustles to clear its docket, corporations are being pleasantly surprised...while unions cry "foul".Dozens of recent case decisions show a definitive intent by the Board to further limit organized labor. The Bush administration has long been the target ...

Jose E. Latour Oct 26, 2007

2007 in Enforcement: Business in the Bullseye

Back on August 9th, ICE -- U.S. Customs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- released a five page memo euphamistacally entitled "Protecting National Security and Upholding Public Safety".  The memo, signed off by Asst. Secretary of Homeland Security Julie L. Myers, attempts to s...

Jose E. Latour Oct 22, 2007

The Fear Factor Hits HR

Why, oh why, am I always right? Like some latter day Nosferatu infused with the wisdom of the immigration elders, I've been calling this whole "Attack on U.S. Employers" deal for about four years...and once again my voice calling in the regulatory wilderness proves prophetic.The call came ...

Jose E. Latour Oct 17, 2007

Simplifying Workforce Compliance for Inside Counsel

Political tides shift, and the historical benevolence extended to corporate America by Republican administrations has given way to an enforcement-driven policy designed to salvage conservative voter discontent.  The losers, of course, are not just the corporations suddenly facing a barrage of p...

Jose E. Latour Oct 16, 2007

SS Enforcement/I-9 Battle Win for Employers…as War Looms

A collective sigh of relief could be heard across the U.S. this morning as General Counsels, immigration attorneys, and labor organizations heard the good news:  the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a temporary injunction keeping the federal government from in...

Jose E. Latour Oct 11, 2007

Faulty Logic

Today a U.S. District Court in San Francisco begins examining the legality of a planned U.S. government crackdown which, if implemented, will, among other things:make the cost of your produce skyrocketparalyze the few remaining active sectors of the U.S. construction industryshut down restaurants an...

Jose E. Latour Oct 01, 2007