July 13, 2020 | FFCRA Update With the summer season officially upon us, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (“the Departmentâ€) has issued Field Assistance Bulletin (“FABâ€) 2020-4 to clarify when benefits under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRAâ€) may be available due to a summer camp or enrichment program being closed…
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused employers to make significant changes to their business practices, including onboarding. Managers and new hires across the country are navigating the unchartered waters of remote onboarding. The onboarding process—which is designed to cultivate a long-term relationship between the employer and the employee while fostering a feeling of…
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has interrupted many businesses across the country. While it’s unclear how long COVID-19 will continue to affect organizations, many employers are looking to the future of employees returning to work. Echoing public health officials’ sentiments, a return to normalcy won’t be like flipping a switch, but rather a continuous effort. In…
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented changes for many industries. As social distancing is encouraged, gatherings with over ten people are banned, and stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders for all nonessential employees are issued. Many employers ask their employees to work from home. For some employees, working from home is business as usual.…
On June 17, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued an additional answer to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about how employers should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) while also observing all applicable emergency workplace safety guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. The new FAQ, which addresses antibody tests (see A.7), was added…
Under most state workers’ compensation (WC) laws, COVID-19 may be a compensable, work-related condition only if an employee can show that: He or she contracted coronavirus while performing services growing out of and incidental to their employment; and The disease arose out of that employment (work-relatedness). As of June 30, 2020, however, several states…
On June 18, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released guidance to help employers plan how to reopen nonessential businesses. The guidance also addresses issues employers should consider as they ask their employees to return to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA’s publication of guidelines for reopening nonessential businesses includes charts, examples,…
The uncertainty wrought by COVID-19 has left employers at an increased risk of exposure to employment-related claims alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment, among others. As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the United States, there has been a massive upheaval of the American workplace. Employers have found themselves drafting and implementing policies and…
The novel coronavirus (officially called COVID-19) is believed to spread from person-to-person, primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus is also believed to spread by people touching a surface or object and then touching one’s mouth, nose, or possibly the eyes. Employers and workers should follow these general…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued temporary regulations to implement the paid leave mandates of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The regulations provide direction for administration of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). This action is intended to…