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Articles by Mike Underwood
ChatComm 911-IXP Corporation Earn their 5th Consecutive ACE Award for Emergency Dispatch Excellence
ChatComm 911-IXP Team: Angelo Jones | Tammy Parris | Brittany Avery | Nijia Robinson | Yolanda Chandler Chatcomm 911-IXP Corporation have been recognized by The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for EMD/EFD. Accreditation is truly a pinnacle achievement. We applaud the dedicated call takers, dispatchers, and the leadership team at Chatcomm 911 ...
MoversBayvilleNJ.com Launches to Streamline Local and Long Distance Relocations for Bayville NJ Community
MoversBayvilleNJ.com Launches to Streamline Local and Long Distance Relocations for Bayville NJ Community New Movers Bayville NJ website offers guidance, estimates, and professional tips for stress free local and long distance moving services. BAYVILLE, NJ, UNITED STATES, July 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Residents and businesses in Bayville NJ and surrounding towns like Toms River now have a powerful new online resource to simplify their moving experiences.
IXP Corporation Recognizes 16-Year Veteran Dispatcher for Poised and Professional Emergency Response
IXP Corporation Recognizes 16-Year Veteran Dispatcher for Poised and Professional Emergency Response Sandy Springs Fire Division Chief Bernard, Sr. Managing Dir. Kelli Beaman, Dir.
actual play — 6 min read Let’s be honest: we kind of suck at describing actual play shows — we being people that like and create actual play — and it’s hurting our efforts to popularize the form. If someone new to actual play asks me to recommend a D&D show, that on its own is not enough information for me to make a good pitch and feel confident that it will land for them.
IXP Corporation Donates Specialized First Responders Kit to East Windsor Police Department
East Windsor Police Chief Jason Hart Receives Unique Kits from IXP Corporation. EAST WINDSOR, NJ, USA, October 9, 2023 / EINPresswire.com/ -- IXP Corporation, a leading provider of innovative public safety and emergency response solutions, has generously donated a specialized First Responders Kit to the East Windsor Police Department.
IXP Donates Innovative Kits to the Lawrence Police Dept. Enhancing First Responders' Abilities for Autistic Children
Lawrence Police and IXP Corporation Make a Difference. Select Response Units will be Equipped with a Carter Kit™. PRINCETON, NJ, UNITED STATES, September 5, 2023/ EINPresswire.com/ -- IXP Corporation, a leading public safety company, is proud to announce its donation of a specialized kit designed to support first responders in assisting autistic children during distressing situations.
OSHA withdraws COVID-19 ETS; But do not count OSHA out entirely
Not unexpectedly, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officially has withdrawn the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) calling for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination or testing by employers of over 100 employees. The agency did so in response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision which effectively killed any chance for OSHA to enforce the ETS. OSHA says it will begin steps for formal rulemaking needed to enforce a permanent version of the ETS.
More courts issue injunctions against federal vaccine mandates
Federal vaccine mandate obligations continue to be challenged successfully in the courts. Here is a quick refresher on the federal measures taken recently to require employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccination. A season of federal vaccine mandates On Sept. 9, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14042, which required many federal contractors to mandate vaccination of employees at facilities which provide support for their federal work. On Nov.
OSHA issues emergency temporary standard: Mandates COVID-19 vaccination or testing for companies with over 100 employees company-wide
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) mandating certain COVID-19 safety protocols. The ETS answers some of the questions employers have had while waiting for the standard. KEY THINGS TO KNOW What companies are covered under the emergency temporary standard? The ETS applies to companies that employ 100 or more people.
Includes vaccine mandate
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) mandating certain COVID-19 safety protocols. The ETS answers some of the questions employers have had while waiting for the standard. KEY THINGS TO KNOW What companies are covered under the emergency temporary standard? The ETS applies to companies that employ 100 or more people.
Guide to VAT and VAT Bridging loans
By Mike Underwood Why does VAT have to be paid? Value Added Tax (VAT) is known as an indirect tax because it is paid on a discretionary basis, i.e. if you decide not to purchase an item on which VAT is payable, then you do not pay the tax.
EEOC guidance on vaccine incentives
On May 28, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccination and discrimination law. Specifically, EEOC stated that employers can offer employees incentives, economic or otherwise, to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination. As we reported previously, the EEOC has already issued some guidance relevant to COVID-19 vaccinations.
If the bear is poked, best to be prepared: OSHA and the pandemic
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been criticized by some for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some labor unions and other interest groups have been vocal about what they perceive as insufficient action by OSHA to address COVID-19-related workplace hazards. The most recent criticism has come from within the federal government.
If the bear is poked, best to be prepared: OSHA and the pandemic
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been criticized by some for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some labor unions and other interest groups have been vocal about what they perceive as insufficient action by OSHA to address COVID-19-related workplace hazards. The most recent criticism has come from within the federal government.
A view from the UK: ‘First in the queue for a jab!’
Mike Underwood is a former Herald reporter now back home in England. As the world watched amid a chirping symphony of camera shutters and a strobing barrage of flash guns, 90-year-old Maggie Keenan’s smiling eyes watched back. She barely noticed the syringe enter her skin as senior nurse May Parsons almost gracefully delivered the injection and she became the first person on the planet to have the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The much-lauded miracle of science.
Wage withholding in a remote working environment
Employers generally must withhold income taxes on behalf of employees based on where the employee works. Typically this determination is simplified by the location of the employer’s offices. The COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding stay-at-home orders have altered the working situations for most Americans. Only time will tell what things will look like moving forward.
Time to review COBRA compliance
COBRA compliance is an area that, for many employers, is on auto-pilot. Many employers rely on outside consultants to administer COBRA and need not put much focus on COBRA time limits for electing and paying for coverage. One of the many ripples from the COVID-19 pandemic is a need to check on your method for COBRA compliance. The economic crunch from the pandemic has resulted in layoffs, furloughs, and terminations, many of which were COBRA-triggering events.
Reopening requires revisiting website accessibility
Have you ever made online purchases as frequently as you have in recent months? Have you ever had so many employees working remotely? The pandemic-related surge in consumer reliance on online purchases, with a workforce serving those customers remotely, makes website accessibility for disabled persons an increasingly high-profile issue. Disabled consumers who experience barriers when attempting to access goods and services online may have Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claims.
New OSHA Guidance: Employers must decide if an employee’s COVID-19 is work-related
If an employee tests positive for or is diagnosed with COVID-19, must that be recorded as a work-related illness on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA )records? OSHA says COVID-19 is a work-related illness if the virus is contracted at work. That can be very difficult to determine. Employers should not presume a COVID-19 event is work-related unless there are clear facts to support that conclusion.
COVID-19 return to work considerations: Navigating the reopening process
Many states are releasing their plans to reopen businesses and lift stay-at-home orders. There are many important considerations for employers to take into account while planning their return to work. Porter Wright’s Labor & Employment Department developed a checklist of issues to consider for a safe and productive return to work. You can find that checklist here.
Think twice before hitting “record”
It is simple enough: press record and you can easily share your internal video conference call, re-watch it later, or forget it and move on. You move on until you receive a discovery request or a subpoena for information if the company is sued. Now, your internal video call is discoverable and may be seen by those outside your intended viewership. My colleagues Abby Chin and Molly Crabtree delve into this issue on the Technology Law Source blog.
COVID-19 and OSHA: Commonly asked questions
“The OSHA General Duty Clause requires all employers to provide a workplace free from known hazards. That includes known exposure to infectious diseases. So, OSHA does expect employers to take reasonable measures to protect workers from workplace exposure to COVID-19,” our colleague Mike Underwood explained expectations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) during the COVID-19 outbreak. Read the full post on our Employer Law Report Blog.
COVID-19 and OSHA: Commonly asked questions
Below are answers to three common questions about COVID-19 and employer obligations under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): No. OSHA standard applies specifically to workplace exposure to COVID-19. However, the OSHA General Duty Clause requires all employers to provide a workplace free from known hazards. That includes known exposure to infectious diseases.
NLRB shift on two important issues for union companies
Continuing a trend towards reversal of case precedent, the NLRB has issued two decisions important to companies with union contracts. In Valley Hospital Medical Center, the Board considered whether an employer has the right to stop making dues deductions from employee paychecks after a collective bargaining agreement with the union expires. Dues deductions in collective bargaining agreements are common.
Active NLRB is reversing many trends; union and non-union companies need to be aware
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) governs certain rights of workers in union and non-union workplaces. NLRB cases impact such things as employee rights to complain about working conditions on behalf of oneself and others and the right to communicate to co-workers about interest in unionization. As a result, trends in NLRB decisions are important to all companies, union and non-union.
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