In a popular television show, a parent is panicking because he can’t find his 17-year-old daughter. His best friend looks at him and says, “Well just check the chip, didn’t you chip her? Our dog got chipped before we even...more
Many things have an expiration date - cheese, meat, medicine, certain fashion choices, but some things linger well past their “use by” date – like three-week-old takeout in the very back corner of your refrigerator. During...more
10/21/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Identity Theft ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Paid Leave ,
Unemployment Benefits ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workers’ Compensation ,
Workplace Safety
We are fast approaching winter, and the Iowa Department of Public Health will be regularly announcing flu rates and weather alerts will be blaring at us weekly. And like your car, you may need to winterize your employee...more
10/19/2022
/ Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Sick Leave ,
Workplace Safety
At the time of this posting, the Biden administration has rescinded the OSHA ETS on vaccines for employers of 100 plus employees. The federal contractor rules remain stayed as litigation continues to work its way through...more
1/28/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
In June of 2021, OSHA issued an ETS which required a variety of actions for healthcare providers. This included continuing personal protective equipment programs such as masking, specific respiratory protection standards...more
1/24/2022
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Some industries are required to keep OSHA injury and illness logs including 300, 300A, and 301s. Healthcare is one of those industries and normally logs encompass the following requirements: type of injury, death, loss of...more
President Biden’s announcement of the “Path out of the Pandemic” should not have come as a complete surprise to employers given the various previous announcements including mandating vaccines for federal employees, the OSHA...more
Communications from the CDC during the coronavirus pandemic have sometimes been difficult to understand or apply in practical circumstances, and there is no Rosetta Stone to decipher their meaning. Additionally, CDC...more
During his campaign, President Biden indicated consistently that he would work rapidly to provide additional Coronavirus protections and he delivered on that promise in two Executive Orders signed on his first and second days...more
At the beginning at the pandemic, OSHA issued an interim requirement that all COVID-19 cases be logged on an employer’s 300 Log. This requirement was different than the standard for communicable diseases such as Influenza A...more
Q: I have several employees who work for more than one employer. Should I be worried about their potential COVID-19 exposure in some other workplace?...more
Q: Given that there is coronavirus in several places in the United States, can I take the temperature of every employee when they walk in the door?
A: The answer to this question is industry-specific. The EEOC issued...more
Q: My carpet cleaning business sends employees into people’s homes to clean on-site. Should I be asking if anyone in the home is ill?
A: In general, we try to avoid interfering with people’s privacy or inquiring about...more
Q: I’m in an industry where we have to record injuries for OSHA. If one of my employees develops COVID-19 (coronavirus) is that a recordable event?...more
The news is full of both images and stories about coronavirus/COVID-19 and the toll it’s taking in China. With increased activity in the United States and travel restrictions, as well as some U.S. citizens being quarantined,...more
2/24/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Premises Liability ,
Traveling Employee ,
Whistleblowers ,
Workers' Compensation Claim ,
Workplace Hazards
Sometimes the school teacher refrains, “everyone be quiet” or “back to your corners” can feel like an excellent tool for managing employees. However, there are some pitfalls to be aware of when you ask your employees to avoid...more
1/28/2020
/ Confidential Information ,
Confidentiality Policies ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Internal Investigations ,
Media ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Section 7 ,
Trade Secrets
Q: Does OSHA have specific reporting requirements for a death?
A: You must report to OSHA any work-related deaths within eight hours....more
Q: If my employee comes to work sick and passes out due to the flu, is that OSHA?
A: In addition to covering fatalities, hospitalizations, and injuries requiring more than first aid, OSHA does require that you record loss...more
How many times have you heard employment counsel say, “update your job descriptions?” Enough that you dream of updates? Enough that one of my clients commented, “I feel like that’s tattooed on my brain.” ...more