Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper pll
Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper pll

Daragh Porter named as Extraordinary Woman 2017

May 4, 2017

Daragh Porter-Wobbe, Firm Administrator of Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, P.L.L., was honored on May 2, 2017, at the 5th Annual Extraordinary Women of Clark County Celebration.  The event was put on by the Women’s Partnership Funds, an affiliate of the Springfield Foundation created to address problems facing women in Clark County. 

We at Martin Browne are so proud of Daragh and all she has accomplished. We are thankful that she brought her talents here to Martin Browne.

For more information see: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/local/clark-county-women-celebrated-extraordinary/8C6e26xQznepX5mNSU5B6N/

Randall Comer speaker at Springfield/Clark County Law Day 2017

May 4, 2017

The Springfield/Clark County legal community and elected officials celebrated Law Day on Monday, May 1, 2017, at the Courtyard Marriott in Springfield, Ohio. Law Day is an annual event, established by President Eisenhower in 1958, to honor the legal system and the principles of government under law.  This year, Martin Browne’s Randall Comer had the distinguished honor to be the keynote speaker for the program.  Randall addressed the crowd with an inspirational message about finding integrity in the legal system, overcoming misperceptions about the legal profession, and the importance of education to inspire the next generation of leaders to uphold the rule of law.

Randall eloquently spoke of his journey to becoming an attorney. He honored his fifth grade teacher, Ms. Diane Condia f/k/a Ms. Brown, for encouraging him to attend college and strive for excellence throughout his life.  And, he encouraged his fellow practitioners, and everyone involved in the legal system, to always be accessible, authentic, and dedicated to bridging the gap between the legal system and the individuals that need our services.

Last spring Randall was elected President Elect of the Ohio State Bar Association and he will begin his term as President on July 1, 2017.

USCIS releases corrected I-9 form

May 4, 2017

USCIS RELEASES CORRECTED I-9 FORM, PLUS COMING CHANGES TO WORK AUTHORIZATION CARDS

In January of this year we notified our clients that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a new I-9 form in an electronic fillable format.

Unfortunately, there was a glitch in the fillable form that caused social security numbers to display improperly when the form was printed.  For example, the number 123-45-6789 entered into the Social Security number field would appear as 123-34-6789 in the printed form.  USCIS has repaired the glitch and reposted the form on its website.  You may download the corrected version of the form here.

Employers who used the I-9 form released earlier this year should audit the printed I-9 forms to ensure that all employee information is displayed accurately.  Any errors should be corrected by doing the following:

  1. Have the employee strike out the incorrect information and enter the correct data (e.g. Social Security number);
  2. Both the employee as well as employer representative should initial and date the changes;
  3. The employer should prepare a brief written statement as to why the correction was made and attach this to the Form I-9.

Corrected forms do not need to be sent to USCIS, but should be kept on hand in case of a future audit.

In addition to news about the I-9 forms, USCIS also announced changes to its Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”) and the Employment Authorization Document (“EAD”).  Beginning May 1, 2017 these cards will display the individual’s photo on both sides; have embedded holographic images and color palettes to help prevent forgery and tampering; and will no longer display the individual’s signature. 

Employers may accept both versions of the Green Cards and EAD documents for employment verification purposes.  All cards will continue to be valid through the expiration date shown on the card.  In addition, USCIS announced that it will continue to issue the old style documents until the new version is completely phased in.

This post is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice, nor does it constitute an attorney-client relationship.  If you have any questions about this information, please contact an attorney at Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, P.L.L. at 937-324-5541.

“SMART” I-9 FORMS GO INTO EFFECT MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017

Jan 19, 2017

EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE:  “SMART” I-9 FORMS GO INTO EFFECT MONDAY 

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) released the newest version of the I-9 Form during the last quarter of 2016.  This email serves as a reminder that the previous form expires on January 21, 2017.  If you haven’t already implemented the new form into your hiring process, you must do so by Monday, January 22, 2017.

The new form is available here: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9.

Employers and employees alike have historically struggled to complete the I-9 form correctly.  The two-page form is very detailed, creating many opportunities for technical errors that could result in fines and penalties for employers.  The new “smart” I-9 has a number of features designed to improve the process and reduce errors.  Some of the most notable changes include:

  • Validated fields ensure information is entered properly;
  • Drop-down lists and calendars replace blank entry spaces in some fields;
  • Embedded instructions specific to each field that can be accessed by clicking or hovering over a corresponding “question mark” icon; and
  • A dedicated area to enter additional information related to work-authorization scenarios (e.g., Temporary Protected Status, Optional Practical Training extensions, H-1B Portability, etc.).

A particularly nice feature of the “smart” I-9 is the ability to complete the form electronically in fillable pdf format.  You should note that the “smart” I-9 stops short of being an “electronic form.” As such, employers will still need to print the document, obtain handwritten signatures and follow their established filing and retention procedures for storing completed documents.  However, the electronic data entry features should help ensure that information is entered in the correct formats and mandatory fields are not left blank.

Although the new form is designed to reduce the frequency of data-entry and technical errors employers must still carefully review completed forms for accuracy in order to avoid costly financial penalties. 

This post is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice and does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.  If you have any questions about this information, please contact an attorney at Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, P.L.L. at 937-324-5541.

Employment Law Reminder: New OSHA Reporting Requirements Now in Effect – Are You in Compliance?

Dec 2, 2016

Employment Law Reminder: New OSHA Reporting Requirements Now in Effect – Are You in Compliance?

It has been a busy year-end for the Department of Labor with new rules and guidance.   Although employers were recently granted a temporary reprieve with respect to the Department of Labor’s new overtime regulations, this week a federal court refused to grant an injunction with respect to OSHA’s new electronic reporting requirements and guidance.

Accordingly, the new electronic reporting requirements became effective December 1, 2016.  Employers should take a moment to make sure they understand what is required of them under these new rules and ensure they are in compliance.  For more information on how these new reporting requirements affect employers now and at the beginning of 2017, see our article on that issue here: https://martinbrowne.com/oshas-new-reporting-rules-part-1-electronic-reporting-requirements/. These new reporting rules also include new guidance which restricts an employer’s ability to conduct automatic post-accident drug testing.  For more information on post-accident drug testing under the new rules see our update of August 5, 2016 here: https://martinbrowne.com/oshas-new-reporting-rules-part-2-employee-rights-post-accident-drug-testing/.

For more information, or should you require analysis of how these issues might affect your company, contact the attorneys at Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, PLL.

This publication is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice and its receipt does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.  If you have any questions about this information, please contact your attorney at Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, P.L.L. at 937-324-5541.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        One S. Limestone Street, Suite 800  •  P.O. Box 1488  •  Springfield, Ohio 45501-1488  •  Tel 937.324.5541  •   Fax 937.325.5432