Earlier this month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued two memoranda detailing the agency’s plan for conducting enforcement actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 13, OSHA released an...more
Yesterday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) addressed two important issues that have vexed employers during the COVID-19 pandemic:
May employers administer a COVID-19 test — a test to detect the presence...more
On April 15, Mayor Muriel Bowser extended Washington, DC’s state of emergency and public health emergency through May 15, 2020.
The Mayor’s Order also mandates protocols for certain facilities and residences in which the...more
On April 15, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam extended the life of several COVID-19 emergency measures.
Executive Order 53, which bans crowds of more than 10 people; closes recreation, entertainment, and personal care...more
On April 17, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission again updated and expanded its prior guidance on legal issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is what you need to know most from the EEOC’s new FAQs....more
On April 15, to further stem the spread of COVID-19, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan issued a new face-covering and physical-distancing Order. Here are the highlights....more
Governor Ralph Northam has approved a new statute that broadens the legal protection available to whistleblowers. Before the new law, whistleblowers had limited legislative protection and the state’s wrongful discharge tort...more
Last week, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed into law the Virginia Values Act. Effective July 1, 2020, the new statute broadly expands the state’s Human Rights Act to prohibit sexual orientation and gender identity...more
Last week, Gov. Ralph Northam approved a spate of new pro-employee laws covering a broad array of matters.
“Every Virginian deserves access to a safe and well-paying job,” explained the Governor....more
4/16/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Northam ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Professional Services Companies ,
School Closures ,
Shelter-In-Place ,
State of Emergency
Many states and localities have issued stay-at-home orders, and have closed on-site business operations to all but essential businesses and their employees. To enable employers to navigate those restrictions, we provide below...more
4/8/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Car Dealerships ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Executive Orders ,
Hotels ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Retail Market ,
Shelter-In-Place ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service have published more information on refundable tax credits that reimburse small and mid-size employers, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, for the cost of...more
4/2/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Medical Leave ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Leave ,
Relief Measures ,
Sick Leave ,
Tax Credits ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Wages
To address COVID-19’s rapid spread in Washington, DC and across the region and the nation, Mayor Muriel Bowser has issued a stay-at-home order for the District of Columbia. The Order, which goes into effect on April 1, 2020...more
Governor Ralph Northam, like his Maryland counterpart, today issued an Order that requires people in Virginia to remain at home. And, to the extent that they use shared spaces, whether indoors or out, the Order requires...more
Today, Governor Larry Hogan has taken his most aggressive measure yet to protect public safety and prevent COVID-19’s spread. Effective at 8:00 p.m., today, he has ordered everyone who resides in Maryland to remain at...more
On March 24th, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued its first round of guidance regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
The new guidance includes two new posters, one for federal workers...more
Yesterday, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued a state-wide order aimed at promoting health and safety and reducing COVID-19’s spread. The order, which goes into effect today at 11:59 p.m., bans all gatherings of more than...more
Yesterday, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an order aimed at significantly slowing the community transmission of COVID-19. The order, which went into effect immediately, bans all gatherings of more than 10...more
With COVID-19 diagnosed in 21 of Maryland’s 24 counties and the disease’s death toll increasing, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has issued another order designed to stem the virus’s spread. Effective at 5:00 on Monday evening,...more
The disruptions resulting from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic present difficult questions for many employers who must decide whether to close offices, furlough employees, or layoff all or part of their workforce....more
Earlier this week, we published an Alert that reviews the EEOC’s recent guidance entitled What Employers Should Know about the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and COVID-19. This Alert reviews the additional guidance that the...more
On March 18, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser signed into law the COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020. The statute, which the City Council passed unanimously, contains two major workforce protections applicable to...more
Employers should be sure to consult their union contracts, individual employment agreements, government contracts, and local law for any apposite requirements or prohibitions.
Must employers grant FMLA leave to employees...more
Questions are being raised if an employer has the legal right to discipline or discharge employees who refuse to work out of concern about the Coronavirus. The definitive legal answer is, “it depends.” There are both legal...more
With the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus a worldwide pandemic and President Trump declaring a “National Emergency to Fight COVID-19,” it is imperative that employers understand the requirements of the OSH...more
On March 10, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued guidelines that address many Fair Labor Standards Act issues that have arisen due to the COVID 19 pandemic. This Alert identifies some of the highlights.ny...more