In another high-profile 5-4 decision, the majority of the United States Supreme Court ruled on June 30 in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue that Montana’s Supreme Court violated the U.S. Constitution when it struck...more
7/7/2020
/ Compelling Governmental Interest ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Espinoza v Montana Department of Revenue ,
Establishment Clause ,
Free Exercise Clause ,
No Aid Clause ,
Private Schools ,
Religious Discrimination ,
Religious Schools ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
Scholarships ,
SCOTUS ,
State Aid ,
State Constitutions ,
Strict Scrutiny Standard ,
Tuition
On June 19, Governor Wolf announced that 12 of the remaining 13 counties in the Commonwealth’s Yellow phase of reopening will be eligible to move into the Green phase this coming Friday, June 26....more
6/24/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Retailers ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Seating ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: New Jersey’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development released the required notice pertaining to misclassification of employees, which must be conspicuously posted by New Jersey employers. The law went...more
Despite some concern over the large protests over the past week, local and state officials have confirmed that the City of Philadelphia will enter the “Yellow” phase of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan. ...more
As previously discussed, 18 counties were moved into the “Green” phase of the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan this past Friday, May 29, 2020. On that same day, the Wolf administration announced that 16 additional...more
As previously discussed, 18 counties will be moving to the “Green” phase of the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan this coming Friday, May 29, 2020. ...more
On Friday, May 22, 2020, Governor Wolf made several significant announcements regarding additional counties set to reopen in Pennsylvania in the next few weeks. ...more
Another industry may begin reopening throughout Pennsylvania, irrespective of location. On May 19, 2020, Governor Wolf announced that the real estate industry may immediately begin conducting certain business transactions...more
On the same day that many businesses in 13 Pennsylvania counties were permitted to partially reopen under the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan, Governor Wolf announced that 12 additional counties, mostly in South Central...more
On the same day that businesses in 24 Pennsylvania counties were permitted to reopen under the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan, Governor Wolf announced this afternoon that 13 additional counties, all in Western...more
After a 7-hour hearing on May 6, 2020, at which it heard from a wide variety of interested stakeholders, the New York City Council’s Committee on Civil Service and Labor has a lot to consider regarding the proposed NYC...more
On Friday, May 1, 2020, the Wolf Administration announced that it would permit 24 largely rural counties in Northwest and Northcentral Pennsylvania to open up under the first stage of the Commonwealth’s phased reopening...more
As promised, the Governor of Pennsylvania released yesterday evening extensive guidance for businesses in “Yellow” counties that are permitted to reopen beginning May 8, 2020. This guidance will likely also serve as...more
Major reopening developments are brewing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On April 22, 2020, Governor Wolf announced his general plan to reopen Pennsylvania beginning May 8, 2020 following his various business shutdown...more
4/24/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Wolf ,
Guidance Update ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Policy Updates ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Shelter-In-Place ,
Small Business
During its first-ever remote session, members of the New York City Council have introduced a series of bills aimed at providing relief for individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis....more
4/23/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
City of New York ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Executive Orders ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Guidance Update ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Occupancy ,
Public Benefits ,
Public Health ,
Public Housing ,
State and Local Government ,
State of Emergency
On April 20, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf announced his administration's first, limited reopening of Pennsylvania’s economy since his March 19 business shutdown order. Per the governor’s April 20 order, the following three...more
Secretary of the Department of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed an order on April 15, 2020, later approved by Governor Wolf, that significantly increased worker safety measures that must be employed by life-sustaining...more
4/20/2020
/ Construction Industry ,
Contractors ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Governor Wolf ,
Health and Safety ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government ,
Subcontractors ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Governor Murphy signed 153 bills into law on January 20, 2020, including six (6) that increase enforcement mechanisms for state agencies to impose certain penalties against employers who misclassify workers...more
1/27/2020
/ Employee Definition ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Freelance Workers ,
Gig Economy ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Labor Regulations ,
Misclassification ,
New Legislation ,
Penalties ,
Posting Requirements ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Stop Work Orders ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Theft
Seyfarth Synopsis: New Jersey Has Joined California and New York as the Third State to Formally Amend Its Anti-Discrimination Laws to Include Hairstyle Discrimination as a Form of Race-Based Discrimination. This Law is...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights recently released guidance clarifying that existing anti-discrimination laws prohibit employers from taking adverse employment actions or applying a grooming policy...more
On August 9, 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation (S.04037/A.4204) that prohibits employment discrimination based on religious attire, clothing, and facial hair. This law amends the New York State Human Rights Law...more