On June 21, 2021, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) long-anticipated Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for COVID-19 requirements in the healthcare industry went into effect. Most of the...more
6/23/2021
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Employer ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Healthcare ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Can an employer mandate or incentivize a COVID-19 vaccination? If so, what exceptions or exclusions apply? As COVID-19 vaccines have become increasingly available in the United States, and with new Centers for Disease Control...more
6/8/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Confidential Information ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
GINA ,
Incentives ,
New Guidance ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations
As of May 16, 2021, 37.1% of the US population are fully vaccinated, with 47.4% reported to have at least one vaccination dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the vaccinated population...more
5/18/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented strain on organizations of all sizes across all industries. The uncertainty of the “new normal” is forcing employers all over the world to consider various new policies as employees...more
On April 20, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released three new FAQs for employers who recommend or require employees to receive COVID-19 vaccines. OSHA is responsible for enforcing workplace...more
On March 19, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 95 (SB95), significantly expanding California’s COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (CSPSL). This latest legislation now requires any California...more
3/25/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Employees ,
Covered Employer ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Governor Newsom ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Paid Leave ,
Retroactivity ,
Sick Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Supplemental Benefits ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Statements
On March 8, 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its first set of public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people in non-healthcare settings. The new recommendations detail (1) how...more
With the health outlook uncertain and the vaccination process months away from completion, many companies that shifted to remote work environments during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic still have employees working...more
2/25/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Furloughs ,
Paid Leave ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Remote Working ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Resource Guide ,
Restrictive Covenants
Yes, an employer can implement a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, subject to some conditions and exceptions.
A mandatory vaccine policy must be job-related, consistent with business necessity or justified by a direct...more
12/23/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Exemption ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations ,
Wrongful Termination
On November 19, 2020, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) adopted emergency temporary standards on Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention in the workforce, effective November 30, 2020, if approved as...more
The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented strain on organizations of all sizes across all industries. The uncertainty of the “new normal” is forcing employers all over the world to consider various new policies as workers...more
11/17/2020
/ Business Expenses ,
Confidential Information ,
Continuing Legal Education ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Data Privacy ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Wage and Hour ,
Webinars ,
Workplace Safety
On September 17, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 685 into law, which goes into effect on January 1, 2021. The law does two things: (1) it creates an enforceable statewide standard for how employers handle...more
9/23/2020
/ Business Interruption ,
Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Newsom ,
Public Health ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Safety Violations ,
Sick Employees ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Workplace Outbreaks ,
Workplace Safety ,
Written Notice
Healthcare employers are immediately impacted by two recent developments in federal and California COVID-19 paid leave laws.
First, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires employers with fewer than 500...more
HOW SHOULD MULTI-NATIONAL EMPLOYERS APPROACH THE CORONAVIRUS?
Those that employ a global workforce are facing unique challenges with the evolving coronavirus outbreak. The number-one priority of every global employer is...more
3/4/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
EU ,
France ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Multinationals ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Privacy Laws ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Traveling Employee ,
UK ,
Workplace Safety
Should We Take Additional Precautions? If so, What Proactive Steps Can We Take To Keep Our Workplace healthy and Safe?
Yes. The General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires employers to...more