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Business News Displaying items by tag: new law
Business News Displaying items by tag: new law
Displaying items by tag: new law
Employers Required to Collect Documents or Use E-Verify Database
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Karla Davis today announced new requirements of all employers in Tennessee to demonstrate that they are hiring and maintaining a legal workforce.
“This online verification process is designed to be convenient for employers and only takes a few minutes to complete. The department can provide assistance to employers who don’t have Internet access,” said Commissioner Davis.
Signed into law by Governor Bill Haslam on June 7, 2011, the Tennessee Lawful Employment Act requires verifying the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees through the online E-Verify program (www.uscis.gov/everify), or requesting all newly hired employees to provide one of the following identity and employment authorization documents as required:
A valid Tennessee driver's license or photo identification
A valid driver's license or photo identification from another state where the license requirements are at least as strict as those in Tennessee
A birth certificate issued by a U.S. state, jurisdiction or territory
A U.S. government issued certified birth certificate
A valid, unexpired U.S. passport
A U.S. certificate of birth abroad
A report of birth abroad or a citizen of the U.S.
A certificate of citizenship
A certificate of naturalization
A U.S. citizen identification card
A lawful permanent resident card
The law also requires employers to obtain and maintain a copy of one of the above listed identity/employment authorization documents for all non-employees as well. A “non-employee” is defined as any individual, other than an employee, paid directly by the employer in exchange for the individual’s labor or services.
The employment verification provisions referenced above will be phased in as follows:
All state and local government agencies must enroll and participate in E-Verify or request and maintain an identity/employment authorization document from a newly hired employee or non-employee no later than January 1, 2012
All private employers with 500 or more employees must enroll and participate in E-Verify or request and maintain an identity/employment authorization document from a newly hired employee or non-employee no later than January 1, 2012
All private employers with 200 to 499 employees must enroll and participate in E-Verify or request and maintain an identity/employment authorization document from a newly hired employee or non-employee no later than July 1, 2012
All private employers with six to 199 employees must register and utilize E-Verify or request and maintain an identity/employment authorization document from a newly hired employee or non-employee no later than July 1, 2013
The Tennessee Department of Labor does have the authority to impose penalties for non compliance. For a first violation, $500 for each employee or non-employee not verified, for a second violation, $1,000 for each employee or non-employee not verified, and $2,500 for a third violation.
The private employer must submit evidence of compliance within 60 days of the final order. If the employer fails to submit such documentation, then the commissioner has the authority to suspend the private employer's license until the employer remedies the violation.
Any lawful resident of Tennessee or any employee of a federal agency may file a complaint alleging a violation of the employment verification provisions of the Act. If there is satisfactory evidence of a violation, the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development will conduct an investigation.
For more information on the Tennessee Lawful Employment Act visit http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/eVerify/ or contact the Labor Standards Division toll-free at 1-855-TNEBILL (1-855-863-2455).
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam Monday signed into law a multi-faceted bill to help combat the increasing problem of methamphetamine manufacturing and use in Tennessee. Law enforcement officials seized 2,082 meth labs in Tennessee in 2010, a record number.
Law enforcement officials, legislators, representatives from the pharmaceutical industry, local officials and other key stakeholders from across the state joined Haslam on the steps of the Greene County Courthouse as he signed the bill into law.
“This bill helps us to confront Tennessee’s meth problem head on and is a comprehensive approach to addressing a serious problem in our state,” Haslam said. “I want to thank Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons for his leadership on this issue along with the sponsors of the legislation and all of the parties that came to the table and worked to make this legislation meaningful.”
Many of the key provisions of the law take effect July 1, 2011. The legislation aims to tackle Tennessee’s meth problem in a variety of ways:
It increases the penalty for making meth in the presence of children; tracks the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine, which is a key ingredient in making meth; makes that sales information available promptly to law enforcement; makes it easier to prosecute those who purchase pseudoephedrine products at different times and places for the purpose of exceeding the allowable amount, or through use of false identification; and imposes minimum mandatory fines on those offenders. During the event, Haslam also announced the availability of more than $1 million to assist in meth lab cleanup:
$750,000 in state appropriations to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI); and $280,000 in federal Byrne JAG grant funds from the state of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP) available to TBI.
Working with the TBI, the Tennessee Meth Task Force will purchase special storage containers and additional supplies for the disposal of meth waste. The containers will be placed at secure locations across the state. The OCJP has also committed a $200,000 grant to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security to fund a targeted communication campaign to educate and warn citizens of the consequences of violating the new law, specifically making meth in front of children and purchasing pseudoephedrine for non-medical or illegal purposes. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association will make a $25,000 donation to the Tennessee District Attorneys Association for the communication campaign.
The communication campaign will be a collaborative effort that includes the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security; Tennessee Meth Task Force; Tennessee Department of Children’s Services; Tennessee District Attorneys General Association; Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police; Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association; Consumer Healthcare Products Association; Tennessee Pharmacists Association; and Tennessee Alliance for Drug Endangered Children.
“This bill helps us to confront Tennessee’s meth problem head on and is a comprehensive approach to addressing a serious problem in our state,” Haslam said. “I want to thank Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons for his leadership on this issue along with the sponsors of the legislation and all of the parties that came to the table and worked to make this legislation meaningful.”
Many of the key provisions of the law take effect July 1, 2011. The legislation aims to tackle Tennessee’s meth problem in a variety of ways:
It increases the penalty for making meth in the presence of children; tracks the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine, which is a key ingredient in making meth; makes that sales information available promptly to law enforcement; makes it easier to prosecute those who purchase pseudoephedrine products at different times and places for the purpose of exceeding the allowable amount, or through use of false identification; and imposes minimum mandatory fines on those offenders. During the event, Haslam also announced the availability of more than $1 million to assist in meth lab cleanup:
$750,000 in state appropriations to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI); and $280,000 in federal Byrne JAG grant funds from the state of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP) available to TBI.
Working with the TBI, the Tennessee Meth Task Force will purchase special storage containers and additional supplies for the disposal of meth waste. The containers will be placed at secure locations across the state. The OCJP has also committed a $200,000 grant to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security to fund a targeted communication campaign to educate and warn citizens of the consequences of violating the new law, specifically making meth in front of children and purchasing pseudoephedrine for non-medical or illegal purposes. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association will make a $25,000 donation to the Tennessee District Attorneys Association for the communication campaign.
The communication campaign will be a collaborative effort that includes the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security; Tennessee Meth Task Force; Tennessee Department of Children’s Services; Tennessee District Attorneys General Association; Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police; Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association; Consumer Healthcare Products Association; Tennessee Pharmacists Association; and Tennessee Alliance for Drug Endangered Children.
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