On Monday, Portland City Councilors took two significant actions that affect employers in Portland, Maine. First, the Council repealed an emergency order from March 2020, eliminating the hazard pay provision set forth in the...more
1/6/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Hazard Pay ,
Masks ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Popular ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
With the nation’s ongoing focus on COVID-19 vaccinations, you may be hearing information—and misinformation—about your obligations under HIPAA, the federal Health Information Portability and Accountability Act. In this...more
10/25/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Documentation ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Healthcare ,
Vaccinations
On September 9, President Biden announced plans to require that federal workers, federal contractors, and employees of employers with 100 or more employees are vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19. The Occupational Safety...more
10/5/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Healthcare Workers ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Congress’s 5593-page Consolidated Appropriations Act, passed by the Senate on December 21, 2020, and signed by the President last night (December 27, 2020), includes an extension of employer tax credits for leave provided...more
12/29/2020
/ Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Extensions ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
IRS ,
Paid Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Credits ,
Trump Administration
Massachusetts has joined an increasing number of states ordering the closure of non-essential businesses in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. On March 23, 2020, Governor Charles Baker signed COVID-19 Order No. 13, which...more
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, business—and hiring—must go on. As the EEOC continues to update its guidance regarding employment practices during the pandemic, here are common questions regarding how to implement...more
Q: I am concerned about employees coming to work with a fever—can I test employees’ temperatures before allowing them to work to avoid spreading the coronavirus?
Verrill’s View: Maybe—but there are many factors to consider....more
3/19/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Medical Examinations ,
NLRA ,
OSHA ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety