Monkeypox (MPV) is the latest virus to catch wide attention. But it is important for employers to keep in mind that MPV is not COVID-19. Nevertheless, there are steps employers can take....more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has withdrawn its enforcement of the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring most employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or tests for employees...more
Manufacturing employers continue to feel the brunt of emerging and evolving trends related to the COVID-19 pandemic: workplace safety, labor shortages, absence management, remote technology, and employee retention — just to...more
Federal contractors are being contacted by their contracting agencies about implementing requirements relating to President Joe Biden’s mandate that all federal employees and on-site contractor employees either be vaccinated...more
After releasing an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for COVID-19 for healthcare employers on June 10, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced that it is publishing the ETS in the Federal...more
The pandemic has created an inflection point unlike any we have experienced in our lifetime — one that will redefine the workplace. Our Spring 2021 remote and return-to-the-workplace survey shares insights from more than 400...more
6/2/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Child Care ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Mandates ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Guidance Update ,
Incentives ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Traveling Employee ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In a surprise move today, CDC followed the lead of the various states that have lifted their masking and physical distancing recommendations. However, CDC’s new recommendations come with a twist. The CDC’s recommendations...more
One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. courts are wrestling with a growing number of new legal theories related to COVID-19. Not surprisingly, California – the most populous state with some of the most employee friendly...more
3/5/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Dismissals ,
Diversity Jurisdiction ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Immunity ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Negligence ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Workers' Compensation Claim ,
Workplace Safety
On January 29, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace.” The Guidance incorporates much of...more
2/4/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Risk Assessment ,
Sanitation ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Distancing ,
Workplace Safety
As employers continue to grapple with a safe return to the workplace, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance for businesses and employers on SARS-CoV-2 testing of employees, as part of a...more
1/28/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Informed Consent ,
New Guidance ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
By now, employers likely have heard the news that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reduced the length of time that individuals should quarantine after an exposure to COVID-19. The old adage “Don’t...more
12/8/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Public Health ,
Quarantine ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Distancing ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
As we enter flu season (in the midst of a national spike in COVID-19 cases), and it now appears that a COVID-19 vaccine is on the horizon, employers are struggling with whether they should require employees to be vaccinated...more
11/13/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Litigation ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Flu Shot Rule ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The election won’t cure COVID-19. But it may impact how employers handle and respond to the realities of the new workplace. As businesses around the world reopen and reset, employers face a complicated and unprecedented...more
11/3/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Masks ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Remote Working ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Sick Employees ,
Sick Leave ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine released a new “Stay Safe Ohio” Order that outlines the first phase in the state’s “Responsible Restart Ohio” plan to fully reopen the state.
The Order allows more businesses to lawfully operate....more
In the past few weeks, the EEOC has updated its What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws on multiple occasions. The EEOC’s most recent update to this informal guidance...more
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is urging a gradual, phased re-opening of the economy — not just on a statewide basis, but on an individual business basis, too. Kentucky has adopted a phased reopening plan called Healthy at...more
When can employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19 return to work? Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that “critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to continue work...more
News of an outbreak of a new coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China raises issues for employers and employees about the appropriate workplace responses.
Reported cases are expanding quickly to other...more