Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Department of Labor announced last week OSHA will oversee the processing of worker retaliation complaints filed under two new whistleblower statutes – the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: CDC yesterday released an update to its recommended guidance on Vaccines & Immunizations. The guidance provides updated quarantine recommendations for fully vaccinated persons who “meet criteria will no...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Last week, President Biden directed OSHA to release clear guidance for employers to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure. On January 29, 2021, OSHA issued “Protecting Workers: Guidance on...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Frederick will take over as the No. 2 official at OSHA, after having already spent 25 years as the top investigator at the United Steelworkers union’s health, safety, and environment department. In that job...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The DOL and U.S. EPA have published their 2021 increases to civil penalties....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: If confirmed as Labor Secretary, past union leader, Mayor Marty Walsh, would succeed former corporate employment attorney, Eugene Scalia. Secretary Scalia has been criticized by organized labor and other...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 28, 2020, the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, announced a final rule governing the “Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People.” This new rule could...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The National Retail Federation (NRF) and others brought an action against the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), and the Occupational...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: A beverage wholesaler has appealed an arbitration award to federal court where the Company discharged a CDL driver who tested positive for cocaine. The arbitrator had ruled that the Company did not have...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has just released revised guidance on quarantine time allowing for two quarantine options in addition to the standard 14 day quarantine....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Department of Industrial Relations’ Office of Administrative Law has approved a California OSHA emergency temporary standard regarding COVID-19, effective November 30, 2020. It brings with it...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: As the prospects of a likely Biden administration develop a key question becomes what should employers expect from OSHA under Biden? A COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard, aggressive enforcement, and a...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Oregon became the first state to decriminalize the personal possession of illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, and methamphetamine....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Oregon OSHA finalized its COVID-19 temporary rule, OAR 437-001-0744, Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks, on November 6, 2020, with most provisions effective as of November 16, 2020; the rule sunsets on May...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: A new report from the National Safety Council (NSC), State of the Response: Employer Actions to Address the Pandemic, provides an overview of how employers have been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: While the votes continue to be tallied in the Presidential election, one thing is certain – it was a BIG night for cannabis in America with five new states approving ballot measures to legalize recreational...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The CDC continues to expand its guidance on the potential routes of COVID-19 transmission, changing its definition of “close contact” of 15 minutes or more within 6 feet, to now mean 15 minutes aggregated...more
Hopefully most employers will never experience a serious workplace accident involving personal injury, property damage or both. This article will provide recommendations for an employer to respond in a forthright manner while...more
1. Introduction -
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, drugs and alcohol remain a significant occupational safety issue for employers across the country. The legal environment is rapidly changing for many drugs, and additional...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In two recent guidance documents, OSHA recommends that employers encourage workers to wear cloth face coverings to reduce the spread of COVID-19. OSHA further addresses the challenges posed by cloth face...more
9/21/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Social Distancing ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Cal/OSHA, in a press release, noted that it recently issued citations to a food manufacturer and its temporary employment agency, with over $200,000 in proposed penalties to each employer for “failing to...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Cal/OSHA announced that it has cited eleven employers for not protecting employees from COVID-19 exposure during inspections of industries where workers have an elevated risk of exposure. The industries...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: With Hurricane Laura drenching the Gulf Coast, employers are facing daunting emergencies, safety and health risks, property damage, employee disruption, and re-building....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The CDC published guidance aimed at assisting retail and service companies in limiting workplace violence against or involving their employees that may be associated with enforcing face mask mandates and...more
8/27/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
General Duty Clause ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Retail Workers ,
Retailers ,
Social Distancing ,
Workplace Violence
Seyfarth Synopsis: Commission’s approval of undocumented training provides blueprint for employee misconduct claims for employers going forward....more