As schools prepare for the upcoming academic year, you should consider the impact of Florida’s new law addressing locker room and bathroom use. The Safety in Private Spaces Act was recently signed into law by Governor...more
While the great majority of schools will not be requiring their students or staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this coming school year, that’s not necessarily true for schools in the Northeast and on the West Coast....more
9/7/2022
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Distance Learning ,
Educational Institutions ,
Masks ,
Private Schools ,
Professors ,
Public Schools ,
Religious Schools ,
Remote Learning ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations
As the COVID-19 pandemic persists and a new academic year is upon us, private and independent schools are understandably exhausted by the additional obligations imposed upon them over the last two years. Many are resistant to...more
7/26/2022
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
School Policies ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
We recently provided our predictions for what education employers could expect to see in the area of workplace law over the next year as part of our FP Forecast series – but we had too many insights to fit into that edition....more
4/29/2022
/ Child Abuse ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Pay ,
Gender Identity ,
Name and Likeness ,
Private Schools ,
Public Schools ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Schools ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Student Athletes ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Transgender ,
Wage and Hour
Welcome to FP Forecast, a monthly outlook featuring Fisher Phillips thought leaders providing their insights into what employers can expect in 2022 and beyond. By following along each month, you’ll be in the best position to...more
4/27/2022
/ 401k ,
Car Dealerships ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retention ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employment Policies ,
Excessive Fees ,
Gender Identity ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Descriptions ,
Leave of Absence ,
Mental Health ,
Paid Leave ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Institutions ,
Remote Working ,
Students ,
Wage and Hour
Educational institutions across the country are facing an upcoming compliance deadline as the mandate-or-test workplace vaccine emergency rule will soon take effect (pending the outcome of ongoing litigation). The rule will...more
11/10/2021
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Employer ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
OSHA ,
Professors ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just substantially relaxed its pandemic guidance for K-12 schools. While certain restrictions remain and the guidance may continue to evolve in the coming months,...more
7/13/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed into law the Parents’ Bill of Rights on June 29, enumerating the rights of parents and legal guardians to “direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health” of their...more
7/2/2021
/ Emergency Response ,
Governor DeSantis ,
Guardians ,
Health Care Providers ,
Minor Children ,
New Legislation ,
Parental Consent ,
Parental Rights ,
Physicians ,
Private Schools ,
Students ,
Written Consent
After unanimous approval by both Florida’s Senate and House, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Educator Conduct Act on June 21, amending several sections of the state’s K-20 Education Code and imposing new statutory...more
6/24/2021
/ Background Checks ,
Charter Schools ,
Confidentiality Agreements ,
Department of Education ,
Disqualification ,
Employee Training ,
Ethical Standards ,
Hiring & Firing ,
New Legislation ,
Posting Requirements ,
Private Schools ,
Public Schools ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Scholarships ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Students ,
Teachers
With less than a month left in the school year, yesterday’s guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance, was met...more
5/14/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
School Districts ,
Students ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Our firm just published a “Silver Linings Playbook” gleaned from our various practice groups and industry teams highlighting the various ways that businesses can emerge for the better after the pandemic. While educational...more
5/3/2021
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Information Technology ,
Interviews ,
Job Applicants ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Professors ,
Remote Learning ,
Remote Working ,
School Districts ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Universities ,
Videoconference
There is no doubt that 2020 brought huge challenges for schools. As we near the end of the first semester and plan for the rest of the 2020-2021 school year and beyond, there are some lessons we can learn, some processes to...more
11/30/2020
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employment Contract ,
Gender Identity ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Social Justice Issues ,
Student Enrollment ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Universities ,
Wage and Hour
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released updated guidance on COVID-19 testing protocols for K-12 schools, making clear that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) permits schools to...more
As the country begins to re-emerge amid the COVID-19 pandemic, whether and when any particular school will be ready to return for the upcoming school year and at what level will depend on the individual school, its location,...more
5/22/2020
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Professors ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Social Distancing ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Tuition ,
Universities ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Many schools have closed temporarily and moved to remote learning processes consistent with local or state orders, health department, or CDC guidance. We are receiving many questions regarding how schools should manage...more
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently addressed the possible spread of COVID-2019 coronavirus across the United States and outlined contingency recommendations for schools and businesses. To help schools think...more
3/3/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
Students ,
Universities ,
Workplace Safety
Recent events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida have caused many in the education community to think about their own campuses and the safety and security measures they have employed over the years....more
3/15/2018
/ Colleges ,
Emergency Response ,
Private Schools ,
Public Schools ,
Risk Assessment ,
Safety Precautions ,
Safety Training ,
School Safety ,
School Shootings ,
Security Breach ,
Security Systems ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Universities
A student tells the dean of your high school that there is a girl in the library who seems very ill. The dean finds the ill student with her head down, moaning. He asks her what’s wrong, and the student says she vaped and...more
3/5/2018
/ Discipline ,
Drug Possession ,
E-Cigarettes ,
Educational Institutions ,
Marijuana ,
Minors ,
School Policies ,
School Safety ,
Students ,
Tobacco ,
Vaporizers
Sexting among today’s teens is a problem that is under-the-radar in many schools. For those who have not yet encountered the issue, “sexting” is when young people take nude pictures or video images of themselves or others,...more
Now that school has started, it’s time to ensure that your house is in order for the school year. Each year we outline those items in which we see trends developing or find issues with which schools consistently have...more
Running a school has become more regulated and difficult. As we look at the creative ways that schools structure enrollment contracts and encourage early payment or accommodate payments over time, many schools may be...more