--- title: "September 2015" description: "" url: "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/september-2015" date: "2026-06-29T22:17:54+00:00" language: "en-US" --- # September 2015 ## [NEW LABOR DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE AS TO DETERMINATION OF WORKER OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR CLASSIFICATION](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=251:new-labor-department-guidance-as-to-determination-of-worker-or-independent-contractor-classification&catid=68) May 13, 2016 | [September 2015](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=68) Without employment status, persons generally cannot organize a union, pursue employment litigation, or have employment taxes taken out of their paychecks. But unions, plaintiffs’ litigators, and of course the U.S. government, like employment status for tax, enforcement, and other reasons. On July 15 of this year, the U.S. Department of Labor (D… [Learn More](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=251:new-labor-department-guidance-as-to-determination-of-worker-or-independent-contractor-classification&catid=68) ## [SUPREME COURT ALLOWS EMPLOYER TO REDUCE RETIREE HEALTHCARE BENEFITS](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=250:supreme-court-allows-employer-to-reduce-retiree-healthcare-benefits&catid=68) May 13, 2016 | [September 2015](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=68) Many employers provide healthcare benefits not only for active employees, but also for retirees. While pension benefits are normally thought of as vested, by and large employers have a great degree of leeway to design health and welfare plans according to their own wishes. However, once the welfare plan is written, courts will enforce the terms… [Learn More](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=250:supreme-court-allows-employer-to-reduce-retiree-healthcare-benefits&catid=68) ## [FIRST TRANSGENDER, NEXT TRANSRACIAL?](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=249:first-transgender-next-transracial&catid=68) May 13, 2016 | [September 2015](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=68) In light of the government's effort to provide protected status to transgender persons, and to require employers to honor an individual's choice as to what sex they wish to identify with, one wonders about recent "transracial" issues that arose concerning former NAACP Spokane Chapter President Rachel Dolezal. Dolezal resigned on June 15 amid controver… [Learn More](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=249:first-transgender-next-transracial&catid=68) ## Top 10 Content (All-Time) - [![person outdoors standing with a sign that says, I'm sticking with my union](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/c9/manny-becerra-GTPK-Wt1qoY-unsplash-c95084a4.jpg) Union Fines Employee $22,000.00 for Crossing Picket Lines ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=310:union-fines-employee-crossing-picket-lines&catid=53) - [![chickens, roosters](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/2e/iq1f9gmtie0-2e8806a5.jpg) OSHA Regional Emphasis Program for Poultry Processing Facilities ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=362:osha-regional-emphasis-program-for-poultry-processing-facilities&catid=52) - [![lightbulb sticky note on board](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/5c/absolutvision-82TpEld0_e4-unsplash-5c5067af.jpg) GOVERNMENT Position: Worker Presents New Social Security Number and States Previous Documents Were Not Real ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=367:government-position-worker-presents-new-social-security-number-and-states-previous-documents-were-not-real&catid=52) - [![poultry farm](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/d3/thomas-iversen-4W8FgDVyUME-unsplash-d3ac22fc.jpg) OSHA ALERT: OSHA Regional Emphasis Program Targets Southeastern Poultry Processing Facilities ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=370:osha-alert-osha-regional-emphasis-program-targets-southeastern-poultry-processing-facilities&catid=52) - [![AI post it note](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/52/hitesh-choudhary-t1PaIbMTJIM-unsplash-523fd46e.jpg) AI Is Another Relevant Area of Employment Law Issues ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1310:ai-employment-law-issues&catid=53) - [![What Does It Take to Create a Hostile Work Environment? Apparently, a Single E-Mail Will Do.](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/25/030217_2112_whatdoesitt1-25ac7853.jpg) What Does It Take to Create a Hostile Work Environment? Apparently, a Single E-Mail Will Do ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1030:hostile-work-environment-email&catid=205) - [![restaurant webinar promo 1](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/8b/WimLaw-Promo-Slide-july-restaurant-tips-01-8bde36e9.jpg) Tips on Tipping for Georgia Restaurateurs — Part 1: Mastering Wage & Hour Regulations ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1325:restaurateurs-tipping-wages-hour-regulation&catid=221) - [![NLRB Explains What Employer Rules Are Unlawful and How to Make Them Lawful](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/23/rules-markus-spiske-pwpvgq-a5qi-unsplash-230cf9e2.jpg) NLRB Explains What Employer Rules Are Unlawful and How to Make Them Lawful ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=368:nlrb-explains-what-employer-rules-are-unlawful-and-how-to-make-them-lawful&catid=52) - [![man with a leather briefcase](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/e6/marten-bjork-6dW3xyQvcYE-unsplash-e61a536b.jpg) DOL Proposes to Increase Salary Threshold for Overtime Exemption: Will It Raise Wages or Cut Hours? ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=369:dol-proposes-to-increase-salary-threshold-for-overtime-exemption-will-it-raise-wages-or-cut-hours&catid=52) - [![supreme court bench](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/8c/richard-cohrs-DeRk8Mlnd78-unsplash-8c60b2e4.jpg) Supreme Court Addresses Wage-Hour Collective Actions and Statistical Proof in Tyson Case ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=363:supreme-court-addresses-wage-hour-collective-actions-and-statistical-proof-in-tyson-case&catid=52) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://wimlaw.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Publications", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Newsletters", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "September 2015", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/september-2015" } ] } ```