News Room
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 25, 2009
CONTACT: Wendy Block
(517) 371-7678
MICHIGAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE APPLAUDS WORKPLACE SAFETY EFFORTS, URGES MIOSHA TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST
JOB-KILLING ERGONOMICS RULE
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Chamber of Commerce today commended the Michigan
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for its "Take a Stand
Day" to provide one-on-one consultations with employers to identify ways to
effectively address health and safety issues in the workplace, without fear of
citations or fines.
"We are pleased that MIOSHA is willing to partner with Michigan job providers to
help them improve the safety and health in work environments," said Wendy Block,
Director of Health Policy and Human Resources for the Michigan Chamber. "We
agree with MIOSHA that having an effective system to reduce workplace injuries
and illnesses is an important part of being successful in today's global
economy.
That said, Block stated that job providers would be better served if MIOSHA and
the Granholm administration redirected their energy on creating a healthy
regulatory environment and halted promulgation of the proposed California-style
ergonomics standard.
"It is unfortunate that MIOSHA and the Granholm administration feel these
cooperative efforts are not enough and continue to pursue harmful
over-regulations of job providers that will severely injure Michigan's economic
competitiveness," remarked Block.
"If the Granholm administration truly wants to provide assistance to job
providers, they will take a stand against the proposed state ergonomics
standard,” said Jim Holcomb, Vice President of Business Advocacy and Associate
General Counsel for the Michigan Chamber, who added that the proposed regulatory
mandate is “unclear, burdensome and likely to cost Michigan businesses – large
and small – hundreds of millions of dollars and increase job losses across the
state.”
“We should not follow California as the only other state to impose a mandatory
ergonomics rule,” said Block.
"We all agree that employers have a responsibility to provide its employees with
a safe workplace,” Holcomb commented. “We encourage MIOSHA to continue utilizing
programs, such as 'Take a Stand Day,' to ensure that employers and employees are
working together to improve job safety without damaging our economic climate.”
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 50th year as a statewide
business organization, now representing more than 7,000 employers, trade
associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan Chamber was
established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan’s job providers in the
legislative, political and legal process. It is only one of four state chambers
of commerce in the nation accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 18, 2009
CONTACT: Wendy Block
(517) 371-7678
MICHIGAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OPPOSES MAKING JOB PROVIDERS ‘IMMIGRATION POLICE,’
URGES HOUSE COMMITTEE TO REJECT E-VERIFY MANDATE
LANSING, MI – The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is urging the House Judiciary
Committee to reject a series of bills on its agenda tomorrow to mandate that
certain job providers use the federal e-verify system to check the employment
eligibility of new hires online. The bills – House Bills 4355 and 4969 – were
introduced by State Representative David Agema (R-Grandville).
"This legislation seeks to make Michigan employers the 'immigration police,'"
said Wendy Block, Director of Health Policy and Human Resources for the Michigan
Chamber. "Rather than place this mandate on employers, many of whom are
ill-equipped to handle this requirement, we believe law enforcement agencies
should continue to take primary responsibility of federal immigration laws."
"Congress intended for e-verify to be voluntary," said Jim Holcomb, Vice
President of Business Advocacy and Associate General Counsel for the Michigan
Chamber. "E-verify, or some other form of mandatory electronic verification,
should only be mandated on the federal level in the context of federal
immigration reform in order to avoid a piecemeal approach to the immigration
issue and headaches for firms operating in multiple states."
"E-verify cannot detect many forms of document fraud or identity theft and is,
by no means, foolproof," noted Block. "As a result, many employers and
employees, who may have to wait days if not weeks to resolve a discrepancy or
error, will be left in limbo if the system is mandatory."
Block concluded, “Although House Bills 4355 and 4969 mandate that all employment
agencies and state contractors and subcontractors use e-verify, we are concerned
that this legislation is one small step away from mandating that all Michigan
job providers use the system."
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 50th year as a statewide
business organization, now representing more than 7,000 employers, trade
associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan Chamber was
established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan’s job providers in the
legislative, political and legal process. It is only one of four state chambers
of commerce in the nation accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 12, 2009 CONTACT:
Bob LaBrant or Jim Holcomb at (517) 371-2100 MICHIGAN
CHAMBER CREATES LITIGATION CENTER TO PROTECT LEGAL INTERESTS OF JOB PROVIDERS
LANSING, MI — The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is pleased to
announce the formation of the Michigan Chamber Litigation Center, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to championing important precedent-setting legal issues
before state and federal courts.
“A sound legal climate will not singularly lift our economy
out of recession, but it is clear that there is a direct correlation between a
state’s legal environment and its economic competitiveness,” said Michigan
Chamber President & CEO Rich Studley.
"We are building on our track record as a leader in legal
reform and will dedicate even more resources to ensuring that our legal system
is truly focused on sound decisions that bring stability and improve Michigan’s
business climate,” said Bob LaBrant, Senior Vice President of Political Affairs
and General Counsel for the Michigan Chamber.
“The litigation center will be a valuable complement to the
Chamber’s legislative advocacy,” noted Jim Holcomb, Vice President of Business
Advocacy and Associate General Counsel for the Michigan Chamber. “It doesn’t
matter how many good laws get enacted if state or local government agencies
ignore legislative intent; the litigation center will ensure that the viewpoint
of the business community is communicated in important cases.”
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 50th year
as a statewide business organization, now representing more than 7,000
employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan
Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan’s job providers
in the legislative, political and legal process. It is only one of four state
chambers of commerce in the nation accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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