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The Justice Department reached an agreement today with SD Staffing LLC (“SD Staffing”), a/k/a Atwork Personnel Services Inc., a company based in Methuen, Massachusetts, resolving claims that the staffing company engaged in citizenship status discrimination in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”). The department’s investigation, which was initiated based on a referral from…

Best Lawyers has recognized Celia Collins as Mobile’s Lawyer of the Year in Employment Litigation Defense. Ms. Collins is also recognized in the 2014 editions of Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers in the areas of Labor and Employment Law and Worker’s Compensation. Ms. Collins was also honored by Martindale-Hubbell, which selected her for inclusion in the 2014 Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women…

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to open significantly more investigations and impose heavier fines over immigration-related offenses by employers compared to previous years. All employers are strongly encouraged to engage experienced outside immigration counsel to perform an audit of their I-9 Forms to confirm and gauge compliance levels on an annual basis. I-9 penalties…

On December 3, 2013, The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) issued an en banc decision in The Matter of Island Holdings LLC (2013-PWD-00002). That decision vacated the supplemental prevailing wage determinations issued in light of the Department’s Interim Final H-2B Wage Rule (78 Fed. Reg. 24047, April 24, 2013). A class action complaint has been filed in…

USCIS has announced a powerful new security enhancement to E-Verify, but will it create endless problems for employers? On November 18, 2013, USCIS announced a new safeguard to E-Verify that was designed to detect and prevent fraudulent use of social security numbers (SSN). There is a huge black market comprised of individuals selling stolen social…

As a service to our friends and clients, Johnstone Adams will be hosting its annual Employment Law Seminar on December 12, 2013. The seminar will be held at the Battle House Hotel and will feature presentations, panels, and discussions from the firm’s lawyers on many hot topics in the employment law field, including ADA accommodation,…