We take a break from our regularly scheduled “2022 outlook” programming to bring you breaking news on the seesaw that is the enforcement of OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) regarding COVID-19 vaccination or testing....more
1/17/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Lack of Authority ,
Manufacturers ,
National Federation of Independent Business v Department of Labor and OSHA ,
OSHA ,
SCOTUS ,
Stays ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Over the last few months, manufacturers have been paying close attention to two COVID-19 vaccination mandates issued by the federal government pertaining to employers. First, on September 9, 2021, President Biden issued an...more
12/1/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Federal Contractors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Manufacturers ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Last month, President Biden issued an Executive Order which effectively imposes several COVID-19 safety standards and protocols, including mandatory vaccination, upon certain federal contractors and subcontractors....more
10/7/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Manufacturers ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Safety Standards ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
While employers in healthcare and education have mandated, or considered mandating, vaccination of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, recently employers in many other industries are considering doing so....more
9/14/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Manufacturers ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
In recent years, there has been an increased focus on ensuring that employees are receiving equal pay for equal work, which has resulted in a wave of new legislation geared towards closing the wage gap....more
Beginning October 1, 2021, Connecticut employers, meaning those that employ at least one employee in the state, will be required to disclose wage ranges for vacant positions pursuant to an amendment of existing laws...more
6/15/2021
/ Amended Legislation ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Equal Pay ,
Gender-Based Pay Discrimination ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Pay Gap ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
On May 28, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its technical assistance guidance for the first time since December 16, 2020, to address COVID-19 vaccinations of employees in the workplace. The...more
6/7/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Incentive Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
GINA ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Post-employment restrictions, including noncompete agreements, have become an increasingly popular tool for protecting business investments; confidential information; client, customer and employee relationships; and goodwill....more
Connecticut House Bill 6515, otherwise known as the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, which prohibits workplace discrimination as well as discrimination in public accommodations, housing,...more
During 2020, many employers faced a call for action to clearly state their positions on the social justice and civil rights issues of the day. The days of employers comfortably remaining silent appear to be gone as employees...more
While the presidential election may be in the past, conversations on political and social issues are not. As the new Presidential Administration takes the helm, the pandemic continues, and significant political division...more
This week, we continue our 2021 outlook series with a focus on labor and employment. With the new Presidential administration this year, we anticipate a number of changes in labor and employment laws on the federal level....more
1/22/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Contractors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Manufacturers ,
Manufacturing Facilities ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge, many employers have implemented a variety of safeguards to limit the spread of COVID-19 in their workplaces. One safeguard being utilized is a COVID-19 testing program. As a preliminary...more
1/7/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Risk Management ,
Third-Party Risk ,
Vendors ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
After months of countless updates on the status of the COVID-19 vaccine weaving its way through the regulatory approval process, the vaccine has arrived! Now many employers are grappling with a key question – what type of...more
12/21/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Manufacturers ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As the holiday season approaches and COVID-19 cases surge, many employers are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in their workplaces. Most employees are suffering from fatigue, burnout, isolation, and loneliness from...more
The Connecticut Workers Compensation Act (Act) provides wage replacement and medical benefits for employees who suffer a work-related injury or illness, including certain occupational diseases (defined in the Act to mean “any...more
Over the past two years, in response to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, lawmakers across the United States have been evaluating laws related to sexual harassment prevention and passing legislation expanding such laws....more
10/2/2019
/ #MeToo ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hostile Environment ,
Labor Regulations ,
Posting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Connecticut has followed a growing trend among the states by implementing a system to provide paid time off to workers experiencing health and family-related issues. On June 25, 2019, Governor Ned Lamont signed into law “An...more
New York City’s recent ban on pre-employment marijuana testing, coupled with recent decisions in New Jersey and Connecticut, could give manufacturers cause for concern. Effective May 20, 2020, New York City employers will no...more
5/29/2019
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Manufacturers ,
Marijuana ,
Screening Procedures ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Continuing its aggressive measures to combat workplace sexual harassment, on August 23, the New York State Department of Labor issued for public comment a draft sexual harassment training program, a checklist of minimum...more
9/6/2018
/ #MeToo ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Complaint Procedures ,
Corporate Culture ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Harassment ,
Hostile Environment ,
Local Ordinance ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Connecticut has joined a growing trend of states and municipalities expanding the protections afforded to pregnant employees and applicants. Connecticut’s new law, effective October 1, 2017, entitled An Act Concerning...more