On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced its plan to end the COVID-19 public health and national emergency declarations on May 11, 2023, more than three years after the declarations initially took effect. ...more
Over the past two years, employers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic were forced to hold their holiday celebrations virtually via Zoom, or maybe even scrapped such events altogether given the circumstances. This year,...more
12/6/2022
/ Bonuses ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Gifts ,
Holiday Parties ,
Independent Contractors ,
IRS ,
Marijuana ,
Wine & Alcohol ,
Workplace Safety
At the same time that it is lifting statewide mask mandates (although local mandates may remain in place), California has reinstituted paid COVID leave requirements that had expired on September 30, 2021....more
2/10/2022
/ California ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Governor Newsom ,
Labor Code ,
Masks ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Written Notice
On Friday, November 5, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) will issue an emergency temporary standard (“ETS”) detailing President Joe Biden’s directive that all...more
11/5/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Rules ,
OSHA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On June 17, 2021, Cal OSHA’s board voted to adopt revised COVID-19 workplace standards that more closely align with what is being done across the country. The Governor issued an executive order that allowed the revised...more
The Illinois legislature passed Senate Bill 672 (“SB 672”) significantly changing non-compete and non-solicitation law in Illinois. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker and go into effect on...more
In the first lawsuit against a private employer on its mandatory vaccine policy, Houston Methodist Hospital won dismissal of the case brought by a group of unvaccinated employees. The Honorable Lynn N. Hughes issued a...more
The EEOC issued updated guidance stating that federal equal employment opportunity laws do not prevent an employer from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, subject to some...more
6/8/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Litigation ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Guidance Update ,
Popular ,
Rehabilitation Act ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations
On May 18, 2021, the Health Office of the County of Santa Clara, California, issued a new COVID safety measure order. The Order became effective May 19, 2021, and will remain in effect until rescinded, superseded or amended....more
On May 5, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (“HERO Act”) providing new workplace safety requirements on all employers in New York. The HERO Act goes into effect...more
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Agency (“OSHA”) has issued a statement indicating that it is reviewing and revising its Workplace Guidance in light of the CDC announcement last week regarding mask requirements for...more
5/18/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
With the enactment of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), employers with fewer than 500 employees may continue to collect tax credits for voluntarily providing expanded leave originally provided under the Families...more
On March 19, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 95 requiring California employers with more than 25 employees to provide COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave to covered employees. Employers have until March 29,...more
The Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 (the “Notice”), which provides guidance on expiration of the COVID-19 extended participant deadlines.
The COVID-19 extended participant...more