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EEOC to focus on hiring barriers, pregnancy bias, ADA and wellness in 2015

Hiring barriers, pregnancy discrimination, ADA accommodations, and voluntary participation in wellness programs will be major issues for the EEOC in 2015 noted the San Francisco-based law firm, Littler Mendelson P.C, in its "Annual Report on EEOC Developments - Fiscal Year 2014."



Wisconsin joins 18 other states signing DOL agreement regarding misclassification of contractors

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the DOL to prevent the misclassification as independent contractors or other nonemployee statuses. Under the agreement both agencies will share information and coordinate law enforcement. Wisconsin joins Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Utah and Washington State agencies that have signed similar agreements.



Studies: Workplace bullying leads to depression, other illnesses

Workplace bullying can lead to depression and other illnesses, two separate studies recently concluded. Workplace harassment victims suffer stress, loss of sleep, depression and anxiety, and are more likely to be obese or smoke according to a study published Nov. 16 in the Journal of Community Health.

In another study published in the December issue of the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, researchers from Bispebjerg University Hospital in Copenhagen found the risk of new-onset depression was twice as likely for workers who reported being occasionally bullied, and the risk was nearly 10 times higher for workers who reported being frequently bullied,



Non-drug interventions for arthritis can help workers stay on the job: study

Adaptations to the work environment, as well as consultations and counseling, could help prevent job loss among arthritis sufferers, according to a study from the Cochrane Occupational Safety and Health Review Group in Finland.



Shift workers more prone to attention deficit, impulsivity: study

Shift workers exhibit more attention deficit and impulsivity than daytime workers, according to a new study from researchers from a variety of Turkish hospitals and universities. The study was published in the January/February issue of Biological Rhythm Research.



Oregon OSHA offers landscaping safety tips, best practices

A 28-page publication from Oregon OSHA covers best practices for the landscaping industry regarding lawn care equipment, ladders, noise exposure, pesticides, personal protective equipment, trenching and more.



FMCSA keeps truckers' random drug testing rate at 50 percent

The yearly minimum rate for random drug testing of commercial drivers will stay at 50 percent in 2015, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) The testing applies to workers in "safety-sensitive positions," such as tractor trailer and bus drivers.



Rotating night shift work raises risk of heart disease, lung cancer: study

Nurses working rotating night shifts have an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and lung cancer, a new study from Harvard Medical School suggests.



Roofing contractor safety website offers webinars, toolbox talks

The National Roofing Contractors Association and roofing manufacturer GAF have teamed up to create a website intended to help roofing contractors keep their employees safe. The website includes a series of free webinars about the industry's most common OSHA citations.



Tinnitus, high-frequency hearing loss increase injury risk: study

Workers with a history of tinnitus (ringing in the ear) in conjunction with high-frequency hearing loss are more likely to be injured, according to a study from Yale University. The study was published Dec. 30 in the International Journal of Audiology.



Not exercising more deadly than obesity

People who are overweight but exercise regularly will likely live longer and healthier lives than those who are at or under their "ideal" weight but never make it to the gym or lace up a pair of running shoes, according to s British research study reported by WebMD News. The researcher team, led by a University of Cambridge scientist, examined data from some 334,000 individual health records. The 12-year study tracked height, weight, waist circumference and level of physical activity. The report was published Jan. 14 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.