Federal Legislative Issues
Health Care Reform
- ARSHRM continues to advocate for legislation that lowers costs; strengthens the employer-based system; improves the quality of care and offers access and affordable coverage to all Americans.
- ARSHRM believes that medical liability lawsuits contribute to rising health care costs with “defensive” medical practices and increased liability insurance costs. SHRM supports meaningful reform of the medical liability system as an important component of cost containment.
- ARSHRM supports the provisions in PPACA that improve quality, promote transparency and access to health information and reform the current payment system. ARSHRM recommends that these provisions should be strengthened significantly to reward efficient care.
Workplace Flexibility
- ARSHRM supports efforts to assist employees in meeting the dual demands of work and personal needs, and it believes that employers should be encouraged to voluntarily offer paid leave to their employees. Mandated leave requirements limit an employer’s flexibility in designing generous and innovative leave programs for employees.
- ARSHRM is calling for new dialogue and debate on a workplace flexibility policy for the 21st century. HR professionals have decades of experience in designing and implementing leave benefits and programs that work for both employers and employees. We are eager to share this expertise with policymakers.
Employment Verification
- ARSHRM and its members share the goal of a legal workforce, which is a key element of any effective immigration policy.
- To achieve this goal, ARSHRM believes the federal government must develop a more efficient, foolproof approach to employment verification that strengthens E-Verify.
- ARSHRM calls for an electronic verification system that will eliminate virtually all unauthorized employment; provide security for employers; eliminate the current I-9 paper-based system; protect the identity and personal information of legal workers and prevent employment discrimination based on national origin or related issues.
- Such a system will help employers hire the workers they need with confidence. It also will ensure that legal workers are treated fairly and considered eligible for employment quickly.
Employee Representation
- ARSHRM believes in the fundamental right—guaranteed by the NLRA—of every employee to make a private choice in whether to join a union. A secret ballot is the best means of protecting employees from coercion or other pressures in making that choice.
- ARSHRM opposes legislation that would eliminate the use of a secret-ballot election.
- ARSHRM believes the NLRB does not have the statutory authority to enact rules requiring nearly all employers to disseminate NLRA provisions to their employees.
For additional resources related to the advocacy efforts of SHRM’s Government Affairs team, please visit: http://www.shrm.org/Advocacy/Issues/Pages/default.aspx
Arkansans for the Secret Ballot
What could be worse than finding out that a union has started a card signing campaign?
How about the union had a card signing campaign and you are finding out about it because the NLRB is notifying you that the union had enough cards signed (50% +1) and you now must negotiate with the union because they represent your employees.
Does that sound far-fetched? It is exactly the scenario that many employers will face if the so-called “Employee Free-Choice Act” is passed and signed into law.
Does this sound like a bad idea to you? It does to us. The State Council of ARSHRM recently voted to become a part of a coalition which was started by the State Chamber of Commerce called the Arkansans for the Secret Ballot. We want to encourage each and every chapter in Arkansas and each and every business that is represented by the members to join the coalition as well. We need to have a strong voice and a solid front as we oppose this terrible piece of legislation.
For more information please check out their website at www.yoursecretballot.com.
Let your voice be heard!
