In a tremendous move toward pre-pandemic standards, Governor Whitmer announced that beginning June 22, 2021 nearly all COVID related orders will be lifted and Michigan will resume all activities. Capacity in both indoor and...more
6/21/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
On May 20, 2021, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an acceleration of the “Vacc to Normal” plan. The acceleration takes place as Whitmer reported more Michiganders have received vaccines and the CDC announced...more
On May 10, 2021, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that 55% of Michiganders had received the first dose of available COVID-19 vaccines, hitting the first milestone of the MI Vacc to Normal Plan....more
On January 22, 2021, after two months of stringent lockdown orders (released 11/15/2020, 12/07/2020, 12/18/2020, & 1/13/2021), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a new epidemic order...more
1/25/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
On November 15, 2020, Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued an emergency epidemic order limiting gatherings and imposing restrictions, which included closing entertainment venues, recreational...more
On December 18, 2020, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued an emergency epidemic order rolling back some of the restrictions previously in place for Michigan businesses. The most significant...more
On November 18, 2020, Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued an emergency epidemic order limiting gatherings and imposing restrictions, which include closing entertainment venues, recreational...more
Michigan is experiencing “an exponential growth” in COVID-19 cases, with daily new cases reaching over 6,000 (three times more than last spring) and more than 3,000 Michiganders currently hospitalized. To combat the rise in...more
11/17/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Contact Tracing ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Government Lockdown ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health Emergency ,
State and Local Government
Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases and related deaths in Michigan over the last four weeks, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued an October 29, 2020 Epidemic Order extending and revising its...more
10/30/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
On October 22, 2020, Governor Whitmer signed multiple bills that protect Michigan employers that are in compliance with COVID-19-related laws, including agency orders, and protect workers who do not report to work because...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
In light of the Michigan Supreme Court’s March 2, 2020 order nullifying over 100 of the governor’s COVID-19 executive orders, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) continues to issue health-related...more
10/12/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued an emergency order prohibiting certain gatherings and mandating masks, partially filling the gap created by the Michigan Supreme Court’s October 2, 2020...more
On October 2, 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945 (EPGA), MCL 10.31, et seq., was an unconstitutional delegation of power by the legislative branch to the...more
On September 30, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-191, maintaining previously enacted infection control protocols in long-term care facilities and protections for its residents and employees. Most...more
On September 25, 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Orders (EO) 2020-183, 2020-184, and 2020-185 related to the pandemic. The first EO eases some business restrictions, the second imposes contact...more
9/28/2020
/ Contact Tracing ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Movie Theaters ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government ,
Students
On September 5, 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-178, which continues protections offered under previous Executive Order 2020-168 (now rescinded) for frontline workers in grocery stores and...more
9/9/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Essential Workers ,
Executive Orders ,
Food Service Workers ,
Grocery Store Workers ,
Grocery Stores ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Long-Term Care ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Pharmacies ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
Due to the plateau of COVID-19 cases in Michigan, on September 3, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-176 to “carefully and deliberately relax some restrictions.”...more
On August 27, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-172, which rescinded Executive Order 2020-166 and provides further guidance and protections to workers who stay home when they or their close contacts...more
Although Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer previously issued Executive Order 2020-153 requiring individuals to wear a face covering in all public indoor spaces and some outdoor spaces, the order specifically carved out an...more
8/7/2020
/ Child Care ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Executive Orders ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
State and Local Government ,
Summer Camps ,
Workplace Safety
Governor Whitmer continues to issue social distancing-related executive orders to combat the rise of COVID-19 cases in Michigan. Most recently, the governor issued Executive Order 2020-153 requiring face coverings in many...more
As Michigan’s COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-160 rescinding previous orders that had relaxed Michigan’s stay-at-home requirements. The new order closes or restricts operations of...more
Without a doubt, employers across the globe are contending with myriad issues to keep their employees safe and employed as businesses start to reopen, and Michigan is no exception. In this Insight we provide an update on...more
Holding that full-time presence at the workplace is not always an essential job function, on July 17, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed summary judgment in favor of the employer in an Americans...more
8/2/2018
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Essential Functions ,
Failure to Accommodate ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Job Descriptions ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Reversal ,
Summary Judgment
On March 26, 2018, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill that prohibits local governments from regulating the information employers can request from prospective employees during the interview process. ...more
3/30/2018
/ Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Municipalities ,
New Legislation ,
Preemption ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws