Pokémon Go is more than just a cultural phenomenon; it’s now the most popular mobile game in U.S. history. Take a look around any bustling intersection or local gathering place and you’re likely to see gamers of all ages glued to their phones in search of a high-scoring Pokémon character.

What’s Pokémon Go About?

The game allows players to cross over from the fantasy gaming world of Pokémon to explore the real world. Users will look for creatures with names such as Diglett, Doduo, and Ponyta as they pop up on screen. These characters can appear almost anywhere – on someone’s shoulder, along a sidewalk, in a trash can or behind a giant light pole.

The app, created by San Francisco-based software developer Niantic Labs, can either be downloaded from the Pokémon website or through Google Play. It should be noted that Google Play requires users to login via their Google credentials, giving the app access to all of a users’ Google-related information including Gmail, Google Docs and Google Photos, or through iTunes for the iOS platform.

Once Niantic Labs discovered this inherent flaw, they issued a statement that they were working on an update that will limit the information requested to only basic Google profile data. (It should be noted that users will not have to take any action to fix the flaw.)

OSHA Announces Two New Reporting Rules On Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

August 10, 2016 and January 1, 2017 are two important dates for employers to remember. That’s when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) new rules to improve tracking of workplace injuries and Illnesses go into effect.

TWENTY MILLION Americans suffer from Asthma. FIFTY PERCENT of those Americans have what is known as allergic asthma. It is estimated that as many as
1 out of 4 people with asthma will go untreated as they are unaware of their condition.

Fines Demonstrate That OSHA is Serious About Worker Safety.

Department of Labor Offers New Guidelines for Classifying Workers

As the issue of worker classification continues to garner more attention, The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has responded with new guidelines for classifying workers as either employees or independent contractors under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA).

Those classified as employees are entitled to the protections provided by FSLA including minimum wage, overtime compensation, unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation. Independent contractors are not covered by the FSLA. According to the DOL, Congress intended that the FSLA be interpreted broadly to classify workers as employees and courts have generally followed a liberal interpretation favoring the employee classification.
The DOL has devised a six-part “economic realities” test of the relationship between a worker and employee that should be used when classifying. This multi-factor test focuses on whether the worker is economically dependent on the employer (employee), or in business for him or herself and therefore an independent contractor.

Economic Realities Test
When determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor, all of the factors of the “economics realities” test must be considered in each case, and no one factor is determines if a worker is an employee. The six factors or questions in the “economic realities” test include:

1.    Is the work an integral part of the employer’s business?
2.    Does the worker’s managerial skill affect the worker’s opportunity for profit or loss?
3.    How does the worker’s relative investment compare to the employer’s investment
4.    Does the work performed require a special skill and initiative?
5.    Is the relationship between the worker and the employer permanent or indefinite?
6.    What is the nature and degree of the employer’s control?

"Over time, employees who are lacking energy can zip quickly down the road to burnout. This leads to increased absenteeism and turnover, and decreased productivity and innovation. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, U.S. businesses lose an estimated $300 billion when employees hit the breaking point."

- Limeade Blog

"As we bring more aspects of our lives online — social, shopping, banking, storage — the risks of cyber crime increase."

- Re/Code

________________________________________________________________

"The safety and health of employees is fundamentally important to having a successful and productive workplace.  Healthy employees equal happy employees and happy employees equals happy customers.  The logistical cycle of benefits from versatile policies implementing workplace health will provide plenty of reasons to enact incentives for a healthy lifestyle."

- FitRev

More and more research is being conducted on the dangers of “sitting” too much. A study of 6,300 people by Vanderbilt University published in the American Journal of Epidemiology estimated that the average American spends 55% of waking time (7.7 hours per day) in sedentary behaviors such as sitting. According to Martha Grogan, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, people who sit most of the day have the same risk of a heart attack as someone who smokes. What’s the solution? Get your employees to move more!

"Organizations are collecting and using data faster than they are able to keep it secure."

- TeachPrivacy

Remember, I am not a lawyer but for those of you that have a hard time reading regulations, here is a summary of the Identity Theft Protection Act, Act 452 of 2004. This act covers notification of state residents that they are the victims of an unauthorized access of a database with their personally identifiable information or personal health information.