Beginning on August 12, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is temporarily extending the validity period for Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, from two years to now four years due to COVID-19-related delays in processing. USCIS may consider a completed Form I-693 as valid if: The civil surgeon’s signature is dated…
Continue reading ›On August 9, 2021, USCIS announced that applicants filing for lawful permanent resident status are now able to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) or replacement card as part of the adjustment of status application process. Previously, these individuals had to apply for a Social Security number at a Social Security office. USCIS is…
Continue reading ›U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on July 20, 2021, a new policy guidance that eliminates the need for individuals who have applied for a change of status (COS) to F-1 student to apply to change or extend their nonimmigrant status while their initial F-1 COS application is pending. Under the previous policy, applicants needed…
Continue reading ›Last week, the California Supreme Court ruled in Ferra v. Loews Hollywood Hotel, LLC that California employers must pay meal period and rest break premiums at the same “regular rate” that applies to the payment of overtime. Under California law, when a non-exempt employee is not provided with a fully compliant 30-minute meal period or…
Continue reading ›Employees who are victims of wage theft are unpaid for their work, damages, and penalties. Those employees can bring a claim to the court or the Labor Commissioner to receive the wages they are owed. Successful claims can lead to a judgment being filed against the employer. Previously, there were all too many times where…
Continue reading ›Foreign nationals who are skilled or educated—and who have job offers—have the possibility of immigrating to the United States. The process involves three steps: (1) PERM: the employer must first obtain a “labor certification” from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This process is done online through the internet. Employers must sign-up for a PERM…
Continue reading ›Effective July 1, 2021, minimum wage has increased for many local cities. In addition to the above, the following minimum wage increases for hotel workers are of note: Los Angeles and Santa Monica: Effective July 1, 2021, the minimum wage for hotel workers is increasing from $17.13 to $17.64 in both cities. (Note that the…
Continue reading ›Severance agreements are designed to protect an employer from future lawsuits filed by former employees or other terminated workers. In California, employment law lawsuits have been skyrocketing in recent years and even more so during the pandemic. The typical employment lawsuits or administrative complaint include claims for: Unpaid overtime and minimum wages Unpaid split shift…
Continue reading ›On June 29, 2021, Cal/OSHA published a revised COVID-19 Model Prevention Program that reflect the changes made to the Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) on June 17, 2021. Most employers in California are required to establish and implement an effective written COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP) pursuant to the Emergency Temporary Standards in place for COVID-19 (California…
Continue reading ›This article is written to provide tips and tricks for your USCIS adjustment of status interview. Please remember that the interview is an official government proceeding. You must show your respect for the process and to the adjudicating officer. Respect is shown by your: (1) appearance; (2) organization of documents; and (3) attitude. Appearance First…
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