In the quest for business growth in this current era, companies should stay focused on their people, processes and customers, said Denise O’Neill (CEO, The Alternative Board/Baltimore Washington) at impactHR’s “impact Your Business: Strategies for Growth” event held last month at the impactHR Conference Center. 
Co-presenting at this event, Kelly Mitchell (Principal with impactHR) said to sustain business growth, companies must work diligently to develop and build a self-sustaining “employee talent pipeline” and a robust “employment brand” to help continuously attract talented employees.
O’Neill and Mitchell together addressed what business leaders can do now to strengthen their organizations to ride periods of economic growth and market turbulence.
impactAction: If you’re interested in talking about strategies to drive your business growth, contact us at info@impacthrllc.com or 443-741-3900.
Government Contractors: Implement OFCCP’s New Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form into Systems
For Federal Government Contractors and Subcontractors: the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has revised the Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form (CC-305) to update the preferred language for disabilities and to include additional examples of disabilities. The revised form is available in various translated versions.
Federal contractors and subcontractors must have implemented the new form into their applicant and employee systems and processes by this past Tuesday, July 25.
OFCCP’s new form aims to help contractors solicit disability status information from applicants and employees and meet their equal employment opportunity obligations. For more guidance on implementing the form, please read OFCCP’s Frequently Asked Questions on the topic.
impactAction: If you need assistance in complying with this and other regulations covering Federal Government Contractors, contact us at info@impacthrllc.com or 443-741-3900.
Howard County (MD) Chamber Names impactHR’s Kelly Mitchell “Businessperson of the Year”
Kelly Mitchell, Founder and Principal of impactHR, has been named “Businessperson of the Year” for 2023 by the Howard County (MD) Chamber of Commerce. 
Mitchell’s award is part of the Howard County Chamber’s annual Signature Event (to be held September 9 at the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park), featuring its Awards for Chamber Excellence (ACE).
The ACE awards are presented to deserving Chamber members (businesses and individuals) who have made an outstanding contribution to their fields; achieved extraordinary success; or have improved the business community in general.
“I’m truly grateful to be named Businessperson of the Year by the Howard County Chamber” said Mitchell. “Above all, this honor is rooted in the wonderful people I’m fortunate to have in my life. I’m thankful first to my family, and to our impactHR clients, partners, friends and my incredible, dynamic impactHR team.” Read more.
DHS Releases New Rule on Remote I-9 Verification
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a new rule authorizing employers enrolled in E-Verify the option to remotely examine their employees’ identity and employment authorization documents under a DHS-authorized alternative procedure.
The new rule provides an alternative for certain employers to remotely examine Form I-9 documents, instead of the current requirement to examine documents in-person.
To participate in the remote examination of Form I-9 documents under the DHS-authorized alternative procedure, employers must be enrolled in E-Verify, examine and retain copies of all documents, conduct a live video interaction with the employee and create an E-Verify case if the employee is a new hire.
Employers who were participating in E-Verify and created a case for employees whose documents were examined during COVID-19 flexibilities (March 20, 2020 to July 31, 2023) may choose to use the new alternative procedure starting on August 1, 2023 to satisfy the physical document examination requirement by August 30, 2023.
Employers who were not enrolled in E-Verify during the COVID-19 flexibilities must complete an in-person physical examination by Aug. 30, 2023. Read more.
impactAction: If you need assistance with I-9 verification processes, contact us at info@impacthrllc.com or 443-741-3900.
Recently Enacted Federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act In Effect
Employers with 15 or more employees, as of June 27, 2023, must provide pregnancy-related accommodations to employees and applicants under the recently enacted federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA).
Under the PWFA, employees are entitled to accommodations for a condition related to or affected by pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition.
The condition can be physical or mental. Pregnancy-related conditions include, among others, morning sickness, gestational diabetes, post-partum depression and lactation.
This law expands employer obligations beyond what is already required by the Americans with Disabilities Act in that being entitled to a pregnancy-related accommodation does not require that the employee’s condition rise to the level of disability. Read more.
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