Recently we provided an overview of expected vaccine mandates for: (1) employers with 100 or more employees, (2) federal contractors, and (3) healthcare employers.
On September 24, 2021 a task force issued guidance on...more
On Sept. 9, 2021, President Biden issued a six-part plan to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic “while also keeping schools open and safe, and protecting [the] economy from lockdowns and damage.”...more
9/15/2021
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Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
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Workplace Safety
Over the past year and a half, employers have become all too familiar with various public health agencies and their regulations, recommendations, and preventative measures. For the past several months, a big question for...more
On August 13, 2021, OSHA updated its COVID-19 guidance applicable to employers not covered by its recent healthcare emergency temporary standard (ETS). The update includes general statements intended to reflect the CDC’s...more
North Carolina and South Carolina enforce their own workplace safety and health plans. As “state plan states,” they are required to adopt regulations that are at least as effective as those adopted by the federal...more
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), on July 15, 2021, DaVita Inc. and its former chief executive officer were accused in an indictment of two counts of violating the Sherman Act, an antitrust law, by conspiring...more
On July 9, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order on “Promoting Competition in the American Economy.” The order directs more than a dozen federal agencies to address a wide range of competition-related issues. One...more
In 2020, non-exempt, hourly employees of Lowe’s sued the home improvement retailer under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for not including payment of a one-time bonus, and payment for time spent on charitable volunteer...more
On January 21, 2021, one day after his inauguration, President Biden signed an executive order directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to consider issuing a broad emergency temporary standard (ETS)...more
The day after his inauguration, President Biden signed an executive order directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to “consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19, including with...more
On Jan. 29, 2021, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) issued new guidance on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance, titled “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing...more
One year ago this week, we released our first “insight” on a COVID-19-related issue, titled “OSHA Publishes Resource on Coronavirus Outbreak.” At that time we were starting to get questions from clients about employee travel...more
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prepares to authorize two COVID-19 vaccines for use, employers are asking if they can, and should, require that employees be vaccinated....more
Updated on 11/16/2020
COVID-19 cases in the United States have been increasing rapidly in recent weeks, and the surge is expected to continue into the winter. On Nov. 15, 2020, the rolling seven-day average of confirmed...more
On Sept. 16, 2020, the Wall Street Journal reported that a “second wave of coronavirus infections” is “gather[ing] momentum across Europe,” but this time, “governments are determined to avoid large-scale lockdowns and instead...more
Under new OSHA guidance that goes into effect on May 26, 2020, employers covered by OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements must determine if an employee who contracts COVID-19 was infected while at work. According to the new...more
A recent Washington Post headline read: “Thousands of OSHA complaints filed against companies for virus workplace safety concerns, records show.” The sub-headline stated: “Employees told regulators about failures to follow...more
An April 17, 2020 Washington Post headline read: “Thousands of OSHA complaints filed against companies for virus workplace safety concerns, records show.” The sub-headline stated: “Employees told regulators about failures to...more
In the current pandemic, it is important for construction employers to understand safety and health best practices to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.While no OSHA standards relate specifically to communicable...more
In response to the spread of COVID-19, Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte, and other municipalities in the county have issued a “stay at home” order that goes into effect on Thursday, March 26, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. The...more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a new webpage that links to resources on the agency’s site about workplace safety and health issues raised by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus outbreak....more
On January 7, 2020 OSHA used its Twitter account to remind covered employers to electronically submit the OSHA 300A summary for 2019 by no later than March 2, 2020. Covered employers for this purpose are those with...more
A new guidance letter from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states it is legal, but not necessarily advisable, for workers to use headphones to listen to music on a construction site even if the...more
Whistleblower issues are in the news, mainly because a U.S. intelligence officer recently filed a complaint against President Trump under the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act (ICWPA). The complaint, which...more
Many employers provide employees with the opportunity to participate in community service projects during their off-duty time, like mentoring youth, cleaning waterways, painting and repairing shelters, and building affordable...more