| On
the regulatory front
Virginia Business
May 2005
New center: The Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission opened a national contact center
in March to help the agency better respond to more
than a million calls a year. Anyone with general inquiries
can call toll free at (800) 669-4000 from 8 a.m. to
8 p.m. Eastern Time. Representatives with access to
foreign language translators for 150 languages will
field questions from the public. They can guide callers
through an assessment that helps determine whether
a workplace situation is covered by EEOC laws. Also
available is 24-hour, seven-day-a-week access to an
automated system of answers to frequently asked questions.
Run by contractor Pearson Government Solutions of Arlington,
the center in Lawrence, Kan., will operate on a pilot
basis for 18 months. Major goals include improving
customer service and freeing up EEOC staff members
to investigate charges of job discrimination.
Attention, immigration lawyers: Employers
can now apply for foreign labor certification online
rather than through the mail. And applications will
go directly to the U.S. Department of Labor, bypassing
state agencies. Under a system that took effect in
March, the Labor Department hopes to streamline the
certification process while ensuring that the domestic
job pool is considered before U.S. employers turn to
foreign candidates. Under the law, companies can hire
foreign workers if they demonstrate that there are
no Americans who are qualified and available. Employers
also must agree to pay a salary that meets prevailing
U.S. standards. They are no longer required to submit
supporting documents unless the government requests
them. For more information on the change, visit the
Labor Department’s Web
site.
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