OSHA Continues Focus on Protecting Workers From Struck-By Vehicle Hazards at Job Sites in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri U.S. Department of Labor (02/29/16) The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has renewed its regional emphasis program in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri, to increase industry outreach and inspections to reduce worker injury rates involving vehicles, powered… Read more »

Missouri Employers to See Workers’ Compensation Rates Drop Again in 2016 The Missouri Times (09/10/2015) Travis Zimpfer Missouri employers can expect a decline in workers’ compensation insurance rates for 2016, the second consecutive year of declines. The National Council on Compensation Insurance is expected to propose an overall decrease of 2.4% from its 2015 loss… Read more »

Kansas City Council Votes for Minimum Wage Increase to $13 per Hour by 2020 Kansas City Star (07/17/15) Lydia DePillis The Kansas City Council has voted to raise the city’s minimum wage to $13 an hour by 2020 in a 12-1 decision on Thursday. The increases will be implemented gradually, with the first bump expected… Read more »

Proper Document for the Form I-9 Lexology (07/06/15) Montserrat C. Miller Many permanent resident cards (“green cards”) are being issued with the words “signature waived,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Companies should not necessarily reject unsigned cards if they are offered as a List A document. The company representative completing the Form… Read more »

An Employment Law Tightrope: Criminal Background Checks Corporate Counsel (06/18/15) Alan D. Berkowitz; Kate W. Ericsson Employers often find it difficult to determine when they are allowed to consider an individual’s criminal history in making employment decisions, wanting to minimize their liability by having enough information about prospective employees but also having to navigate “ban… Read more »

Missouri Federal Court Reminds Employers That Noncompete Agreements Are Not Automatically Assignable Lexology (03/20/15) Brian J. Christensen In Symphony Diagnostic Services No. 1 Inc. d/b/a MobileXUSA v. Greenbaum, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri ruled that two employment agreements containing noncompetition covenants were unenforceable because the employees had not contemporaneously assented… Read more »

Missouri Federal Court Refuses to Enforce Restrictive Covenant Against Staffing Firm Account Manager American Staffing Association (01/22/15) La Tanya James-Rouse A Missouri federal district court this month refused to grant a preliminary injunction to enforce a noncompete agreement between a staffing firm and its former employee. The court’s decision noted that the staffing industry is… Read more »