Email: mholzschu@hjsa.com

With the addition of new legislation, record keeping requirements and the legal ramifications of poor management and personnel decisions, we offer a program tailored to our clients needs. The level of participation is determined by your needs and can include all or some of the following items. Our approach is one of a customized program that is designed exclusively for your company. The separate program for Health and Safety training and implementation as required under the OSHA and MIOSHA legislation is a necessity in today’s workplace environment. Following is a brief description and the areas covered that can be included in your program.

The Program Items That Can be Included are:

• Initial Orientation Program covering company policies, benefits, work schedules, facility dynamics, and basic work rules.
• Personnel file maintenance with all proper regulatory paperwork as well as pertinent performance information.
• Providing the service of reviewing all "Right of Appeal" paperwork as provided for in the Employee Handbook; allowing for a fair and impartial review of the disciplinary action that was taken by management.

Our new block of time approach to services provided can save you up to 35% over our normal hourly rate. Call for additional information on this program.

MIOSHA Revised Record keeping Rules–to Improve the System Employers Use to Track and Record Workplace Injuries and Illnesses–will go into Effect January 1, 2002.

MIOSHA record keeping rules have been in effect since the Michigan legislature created the modern MIOSHA program in 1975. The rules were designed to help employers recognize where workplace hazards were occurring, and thereby be in position to take corrective action to eliminate the hazards–by keeping track of work-related injuries and illnesses.

"Record keeping is an important part of a company's total safety and health plan," said MIOSHA Director Doug Earle. "Conscientious and detailed records are a valuable tool for the employer or employees to help recognize patterns of accidents or illnesses, and most importantly, to take preventative actions for a safer and healthier workplace."

MIOSHA has revised the record keeping standard, in accordance with federal OSHA record keeping revisions, to provide clearer regulatory requirements which will simplify the overall record keeping system for employers. The revised MIOSHA rule, Part 11. Recording and Reporting of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, will go into effect January 1, 2002.

The new rule increases employee involvement, creates simpler forms, and gives employers more flexibility to use technology to meet regulatory requirements. Written in plain language using a question and answer format, the regulation for the first time uses checklists and flowcharts to provide easier interpretations of record keeping requirements. New forms are available from MIOSHA.

JOB RIGHTS FOR VETERANS' 

AND RESERVE MEMBERS

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) clarifies and strengthens the Veterans' Reemployment Rights (VRR) Statute.

USERRA continues the protection of civilian job rights and benefits for veterans and members of Reserve components. However, USERRA makes major improvements in protecting service member rights and benefits by clarifying the law, improving enforcement mechanisms, and providing Federal Government employees with Department of Labor assistance in processing claims.

USERRA expands the cumulative length of time that an individual may be absent from work for military duty and retain reemployment rights for five years (the previous law provided four years of active duty, plus an additional year if it was for the convenience of the Government). There are important exceptions to the five-year limit, including initial enlistments lasting more than five years, periodic training duty, and involuntary active duty extensions and recalls, especially during a time of national emergency. USERRA clearly establishes that reemployment protection does not depend on the timing, frequency, duration, or nature of an individual's service.

USERRA provides enhanced protection for disabled veterans, requiring employers to make reasonable efforts to accommodate the disability. Service members convalescing from injuries received during service or training may have up to two years to return to their jobs (as opposed to the one year provided by the old law

Questions or assistance regarding rights and obligations under USERRA should be referred to the