On January 13, 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision blocking the Biden administration from enforcing an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) rule mandating...more
1/14/2022
/ Administrative Authority ,
Biden Administration ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Lack of Authority ,
National Federation of Independent Business v Department of Labor and OSHA ,
OSHA ,
SCOTUS ,
Stays ,
Temporary Regulations ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (“OSHA”), issued its long-awaited Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”), applicable to employers with at least 100...more
11/5/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Executive Orders ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Preemption ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Temporary Regulations ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On Thursday, September 9, 2021, President Joe Biden announced new COVID-19 vaccine mandates requiring all employers with 100+ employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly.
In addition, the vaccine...more
9/10/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Response ,
Employer Mandates ,
Federal Contractors ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Temporary Regulations ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) became law on March 18, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we previously blogged on several (okay, numerous) occasions, the FFCRA comprises the Emergency Paid...more
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has issued new guidance stating that employers cannot require employees to undergo antibody or serology testing to determine whether employees were previously infected with...more
The wait is over. Since the announcement that certain Connecticut businesses would be permitted to reopen beginning May 20, 2020, most have waited with bated breath to understand what that process would and should look like....more
On Friday, April 17, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its guidance on COVID-19 issues and equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. The easy to read Q&A format is necessary reading for...more
For the last several weeks, the Department of Labor has periodically updated its Families First Coronavirus Response Act: (FFCRA) “Questions and Answers” page by illustrating real-world applications of the FFCRA. ...more
Effective April 20, 2020 at 8:00 p.m., employees in the workplace are required to wear a face mask or cloth face covering. Governor Lamont issued this directive as part of Executive Order No. 7BB, which also requires...more
On Friday, April 17, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its guidance on COVID-19 issues and equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. The easy to read Q&A format is necessary reading for...more
The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) recently extended the deadline for employers to conduct mandatory sexual harassment training by 90 days. The extension applies to employees hired after the...more
On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, Governor Lamont issued Executive Order 7V, ordering Connecticut employers to take “additional protective measures to reduce the risk” of COVID-19 transmission. The Department of Economic and...more
The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act’s (“FFCRA”) swift enactment left employers scrambling to interpret its provisions. Fortunately, the Department of Labor has issued temporary regulations that resolve many common...more
The federal Department of Labor (DOL) continues to update its Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) FAQ leading up to the April 1, 2020 implementation. Over the past week, the DOL has supplemented the FFCRA FAQ...more
On Wednesday night, March 25, the Senate passed unanimously (96-0) a $2 trillion emergency relief bill. The measure would constitute the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history....more
Updating our prior Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) guidance, today the Department of Labor issued a model poster concerning FFCRA rights and responsibilities. The poster is accessible here....more
On March 20, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) jointly issued News Release IR-2020-57 to provide preliminary guidance on how eligible employers can begin taking advantage of the two...more
Yesterday, the Department of Labor issued preliminary guidance concerning the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “FFCRA”), which was passed just six days ago. The guidance provides some...more
Effective at noon on March 24, 2020, Massachusetts will become the latest state to close non-essential businesses in the effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. As covered here previously, Connecticut and New York issued...more
On Friday, March 20, Governor Lamont issued an executive order requiring non-essential workers to stay home. All workplaces have been ordered to utilize telecommuting, where possible. Executive Order 7H represents the most...more
On Sunday March 23, 2020, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development released “legally binding guidance” concerning which businesses are “essential” for purposes of Governor Lamont’s March 20, 2020,...more
As people everywhere struggle to adjust to the rapid changes caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the financial impact on businesses and employees has been a primary concern. Employees are facing reduced work hours and layoffs as...more
3/19/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Response ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Paid Leave ,
Pending Legislation ,
Popular ,
Sick Leave ,
State of Emergency ,
Tax Credits ,
Unemployment Insurance ,
Wage and Hour
If you are reading this post, you already know about SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), or, coronavirus. There is no shortage of news to absorb and guidance to implement. Federal,...more
3/11/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Risk Management ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety