In January, Ford County, Kansas joined a class action complaint filed in Missouri against eleven plastics manufacturers, seeking to represent “all persons or entities” in 35 states who purchased relevant plastics since 1990....more
At the end of July, New York City Council Member Julie Menin introduced new legislation that sent New York City hotel owners, operators and trade associations into a tizzy. The bill, known as the Safe Hotels Act, not only...more
On October 15, 2024, OSHA issued Inspection Guidance for Animal Slaughtering and Processing Establishments that updates enforcement protocols for the agency’s field staff and compliance guidance for employers in NAICS Code...more
Not often is a policy initiative good for both the environment and business. Sewer expansion is one of those initiatives. The development of sewer systems in Suffolk County would not only reduce health-harming nitrogen levels...more
On May 4, 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a first-of-its-kind Title VI environmental justice interim resolution agreement with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). The resolution follows an...more
The Supreme Court of Arkansas (“SCT”) addressed in a March 16th Opinion issues associated with the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas’s (“Fort Smith”) residential recycling program. See City of Fort Smith, Arkansas, v. Jennifer...more
A group of 23 AGs led by Florida AG Ashley Moody filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit arguing that the CDC did not have the statutory authority to impose a nationwide transportation mask...more
New York AG Letitia James reached a settlement with Verizon New York, Inc. to resolve allegations that Verizon failed to maintain its cooling towers in compliance with state and New York City health laws and regulations....more
Padilla v. San Jose Decision Sheds Light on How Cities Can Obtain Health and Safety Code Protections for Water, Sewer, Stormwater and Solid Waste Fees - A California Court of Appeal has determined that San Jose ratepayers...more
As workplaces are reimagined, employers and operators of coworking spaces need to consider how to operate safely in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic. Coworking spaces have become an intriguing work alternative for remote...more
On October 5, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 654 (AB 654), which expands the types of employers who are exempt from COVID-19 outbreak reporting requirements. Specifically, under AB 654, employers such as community...more
As more contagious variants of the virus spread across the United States and the world, it is important to stay up to date on best practices with respect to mitigating the spread of COVID-19. To that end, BarBend – a team of...more
On September 6, 2021, New York state’s commissioner of health designated COVID-19 a highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health under New York state’s HERO Act (the Act)....more
On August 13, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its “Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace.” The guidance was originally released on January 29,...more
Exercising its authority under Section 6(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on June...more
When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rolled out its COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard on June 10, 2021, it also issued its updated Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of...more
On June 10, 2021 OSHA issued its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for the health care industry, along with general guidance for all other employers, which we already touched on in a previous post. However, there...more
As COVID-19 antibodies begin flooding the immune systems of most Americans, it is important to remember the important role that hygiene has played over the past fifteen months. For many, the risks and dangers of the pandemic...more
The initial effective date of June 4, 2021, for New York’s HERO Act (“HERO”) is rapidly approaching, and soon all employers in New York will be required to adopt and implement model airborne infectious disease standards to be...more
New York AG Letitia James and the federal Department of Justice acting on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services reached a settlement agreement with Upper Allegheny Health System (“UAHS”), the operator of...more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has offered new COVID-19 guidance indicating that fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear masks or maintain physical distance from others in most settings...more
Earlier this month, the CDC changed its guidance regarding when fully vaccinated individuals could safely and appropriately be indoors and outdoors without nose and mouth coverings. More recently, OSHA adopted the CDC’s...more
New York has passed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (“NY HERO Act”), which is set to go into effect on June 4, 2021. The NY HERO Act strives to protect workers from airborne diseases, whether they be COVID-19 or...more
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has announced the state will lift its COVID-19 restrictions and adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) face covering guidance on May 29, 2021. The City of Boston...more
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Dispute Resolution Services has announced it will reopen the majority of its 69 hearing locations across the United States and Puerto Rico for in-person arbitration and...more