Recently, the United States General Accounting Office (GAO), which is a nonpartisan agency in the legislative branch, took on oversight of the executive branch agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In...more
California workplace safety officials just approved a third round of changes to the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard, and while many of them conform to recent guidance that have already been incorporated into...more
The Florida Department of Legal Affairs has issued an emergency rule and other additional guidance regarding the recently enacted House Bill HB-1B, which, among other things, requires private employers who mandate COVID-19...more
On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced a sweeping six-pronged plan aimed at addressing the nation’s most recent surge of coronavirus cases fueled by the formidable delta variant. As part of that plan, Biden declared...more
On September 9, 2021, the Biden administration announced a new plan to combat the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the United States. A critical component of that plan calls on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health...more
Joe Says “No.” Over the last several weeks, the Buzz has discussed congressional efforts to pass both a bipartisan “hard” infrastructure bill (this passed the U.S. Senate and is waiting in the U.S. House of Representatives),...more
On June 22, 2021, The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration posted a new set of Emergency Rules on the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance website. These...more
On June 22, 2021, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) announced important changes to its emergency COVID-19 rules, “Emergency Rules Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” The updated...more
On June 17, 2021, at the end of yet another chaotic day in administrative rulemaking, California’s new COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) finally became effective. The ETS bring substantial changes to the COVID-19...more
Pursuant to a certification by Governor Whitmer, the Michigan Occupation Safety and Health Administration (“MIOSHA”) extended the COVID-19 Emergency Rules until October 14, 2021. These Emergency Rules were previously set to...more
Following the implementation of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) on November 30, 2020, several employers and trade associations filed a...more
In July 2020, the Safety and Health Codes Board of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry approved an emergency temporary standard for COVID-19. In so doing, Virginia became the first state to issue such a temporary...more
Employers throughout California are scrambling to understand and comply with Cal/OSHA’s sweeping new COVID-19 prevention rule, which was enacted on an emergency basis and went into effect on November 30. The regulation...more
On November 19, 2020, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted and approved an emergency COVID-19 regulation governing employers and workplaces. With more than 500 people virtually attending the...more
In the wake of the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision invalidating the law that served as the basis for Governor Whitmer’s emergency COVID-19 orders since April 30, 2020, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health...more
Our Franczek team received many inquiries about staffing options for classrooms where the teacher of record is teaching remotely. While many districts are staffing these classrooms with licensed paraprofessionals, the...more
Yesterday, Governor Greg Abbott announced plans to continue Texas’ reopening process after the coronavirus pandemic brought public activity in much of the state to a halt earlier this year. Executive Order GA-30 allows...more
On August 17, 2020, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA), the state plan responsible for overseeing workplace safety and health in the state of Oregon, released a draft COVID-19 temporary...more
On August 14th, the City of Austin and Travis County extended their “Stay Home, Mask, and Otherwise Be Safe” orders through December 15, 2020. The previous orders were set to expire on August 15, 2020. City health officials...more
As we previously reported, Virginia became the first state to issue mandatory COVID-19 workplace safety rules when the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board (“VSHCB”) approved an emergency temporary standard on July 15,...more
California causes of action are subject to various statutes of limitation. Unless a plaintiff or petitioner files a complaint or other document asserting a cause of action within the applicable limitations period, the filing...more
On March 12, Governor Pritzker announced that his administration will file emergency rules clarifying that individuals unemployed due to COVID-19 will be generally qualified for unemployment benefits to the full extent...more