Employment Law Chronicle for Virginia & the District of Columbia

Effective today, July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage is $7.25. Here is a link to the Federal Minimum Wage Poster.

Employment discrimination based on age popped up on my radar screen because of a media inquiry I received yesterday resulting from my blog post on the Supreme Court's recent decision in Gross v. FBL, and a Legal Times report this morning about an age discrimination case filed in the District of Columbia against a well-known law firm.

While the best defense against employment discrimination cases is to ensure that employment-related decisions are based on business reasons free of discriminatory bias, I thought it would be useful to refer readers to a previous post about layoffs, reductions and employee terminations.

By way of background, E-Verify is an internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that allows employers to verify their employees' work eligibility. E-Verify aims to ensure that federal government contractors do not hire unauthorized immigrant workers. The E-Verify system cross checks information from the I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification Form) used by employers with immigration and social security databases.

After considerable delay, beginning on September 8, 2009, most federal government contract solicitations and federal government contract awards will include a clause requiring federal government contractors to use E-Verify. Government contractors will have 30 days from the contract date to enroll in E-Verify.

As a practical matter, federal government contractors and subcontractors in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and nationwide should begin taking steps now for a smooth transition to the E-Verify system. DHS'
frequently asked questions and answers about the E-Verify system is a good place to begin getting up to speed.