In today's new episode, Mike Schmidt breaks down the primary obligations under OSHA's new ETS on mandatory vaccination and testing, provides an update on current legal challenges, and suggests what employers should be doing...more
In today's episode, Michael Schmidt addresses one of the biggest challenges employers have faced with mandatory vaccine policies: religious-based accommodation requests. First, Mike summarizes the EEOC's latest update from...more
In today's episode, Michael Schmidt is joined by Dr. Christina Carson-Sacco, the co-founder of The Center for Neuropsychology and Counseling, to talk about the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of...more
In today's new episode, Michael Schmidt provides an update on the anticipated vaccine ETS from OSHA, the EEOC's latest guidance on vaccine incentives, the current obligations under the NY HERO Act, and whether sex addiction...more
On today's episode (the 100th!), Michael Schmidt talks about the latest developments with COVID-19 vaccines and mandatory vaccine policies, and is joined by his Cozen O'Connor colleague John Carrigan to discuss what...more
In today's new episode, Michael Schmidt discusses big new developments: updates on mandatory vaccine and mask policies, new action to ban non-competes, a big free speech decision, New York regulatory updates, and a proposed...more
Right at the start of the Memorial Day weekend, the EEOC issued new guidance on Covid-19 vaccine policies and incentive programs. Today's episode breaks down the Commission's answers to key questions and what it all means for...more
In today's new episode, Michael Schmidt talks about social media and schools (and what that means for employers generally), spousal claims against employers for getting COVID-19 at home, the withdrawal of the independent...more
5/17/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
First Amendment ,
Free Speech ,
Health and Safety ,
Independent Contractors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Masks ,
Misclassification ,
New Guidance ,
Preemption ,
Public Schools ,
School Policies ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Media Policy ,
Spouses ,
Students ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The past several weeks have seen significant action from the major federal agencies involved with employment law: EEOC, NLRB, DOL, and OSHA. In today's new episode, Mike Schmidt will highlight the direction these agencies...more
4/20/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employee Incentive Plans ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Protected Concerted Activity ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
This episode addresses significant changes from OSHA and the DOL, the new and expanded FFCRA, and the first state to require paid leave to get vaccinated....more
3/22/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Paid Leave ,
State Labor Laws ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In today's episode, Mike Schmidt is joined by Donna Hughes, the Chief People Officer at EmblemHealth to talk about her experiences, successes, and concerns about promoting diversity and inclusion within the organization, and...more
Evan Armstrong from the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) joins Mike Schmidt to talk about the significant PRO Act that was introduced in Congress and that will dramatically alter labor issues such as the use of...more
2/25/2021
/ Arbitration Agreements ,
Boycotts ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Independent Contractors ,
Joint Employers ,
Labor Reform ,
Mandatory Arbitration ,
Misclassification ,
Quickie Election Rules ,
Secondary Boycott ,
Union Organizers ,
Unions
Today’s episode is the second of Mike Schmidt's two-part conversation with EEOC Commissioner Keith Sonderling (Part 1 released yesterday), who discusses the EEOC’s enforcement priorities, the increase in use of guidance and...more
Today's episode is the first of a two-part conversation with EEOC Commissioner Keith Sonderling, who discusses the EEOC's enforcement priorities, the increase in use of guidance and opinion letters, hot 2021 topics (including...more
In today's episode, Mike Schmidt is joined by his colleague and the Chair of Cozen O'Connor's OSHA Practice Group, John Ho, to talk about the new guidance (finally?) issued by OSHA on the Covid-19 pandemic. What did the...more
Like every February 1st since the inaugural episode on February 1, 2017, Mike Schmidt is joined by his colleague and the CEO of Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies, Howard Schweitzer, to reflect on the state of politics in DC...more
In this first new episode of the year, Mike Schmidt address the 21 employment law issues that employers should watch in 2021....more
In today’s new episode, Mike Schmidt addresses three quick hits for the holiday week: (1) the implications of Congress’ failure to extend the expiring FFCRA requirements; (2) a federal court preliminarily striking down...more
In today’s new episode, Michael Schmidt is joined by Andrew Howe, CPA (BerganKDV) and Steven Dickinson (Cozen O’Connor) to talk about the latest updates on the PPP loan process and requirements for businesses to apply for...more
In today’s episode, Michael Schmidt is joined by his Cozen O’Connor colleagues, David Barron and Howard Schweitzer, to discuss the latest political and employment law implications of employers requiring employees to get the...more
In today’s new episode, Michael Schmidt is joined by a panel of five partners in Cozen O’Connor’s Labor and Employment Department to discuss the likely impact of a President Biden administration on key labor and employment...more
11/16/2020
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Diversity ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Gig Economy ,
Health and Safety ,
Independent Contractors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Misclassification ,
Relief Measures ,
Reverse Discrimination ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In this episode, Mike Schmidt discusses why employers should create complaint policies and procedures for wage and hour issues, and not just for harassment, discrimination, and retaliation concerns.
...more
Just weeks before the Presidential election, the United States Department of Labor has issued a proposed new rule to define "independent contractors" for purposes of federal law. In today's new episode, Mike Schmidt is joined...more
In today’s new episode, Mike Schmidt analyzes the new regulations issued by the United States Department of Labor on Friday, September 11, 2020 in response to the federal court’s August 2020 decision invalidating portions of...more
9/14/2020
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Child Care ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
EFMLA ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Intermittent Leave ,
New Regulations ,
Paid Leave ,
Remote Working ,
Required Documentation ,
Sick Employees ,
Sick Leave ,
Trump Administration ,
Work Availability Requirement
Today’s new episode analyzes this morning’s federal court decision that invalidates four separate (significant) portions of the U.S. Department of Labor’s regulations implementing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act...more
8/4/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Intermittent Leave ,
Labor Regulations ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Required Documentation ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour