The EEOC recently updated its COVID-19-related Q & A’s to assist employers in navigating “the new world” post-COVID-19 while complying with the federal anti-discrimination laws as employees return to work....more
6/22/2020
/ ADEA ,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
High Risk Covid Employees ,
Pregnancy Discrimination ,
Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Title VII ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new guidance requiring all employers to evaluate confirmed cases of COVID-19 for work-relatedness and to record those cases that are determined to be...more
Last summer, the Illinois General Assembly enacted SB 7, which introduced sweeping changes to Illinois law intended to combat sexual harassment. One of the new mandates included in that legislation was a requirement that all...more
OSHA has issued three new alerts in its industry-specific series aimed at increasing worker protection during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new alerts, issued on April 13, 16 and 21, are directed at employees in package...more
On April 13, 2020, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) issued an emergency rule creating a rebuttable presumption that first responders and other essential workers identified in Governor Pritzker’s March 20...more
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its guidance for employers facing the ever-increasing challenges arising from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. ...more
On March 14, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in response to the ongoing coronavirus emergency. HR6201 includes two new laws relating to employee leave from...more
3/17/2020
/ China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Public Health ,
Sick Leave ,
Sick Pay ,
Trump Administration ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
OSHA has released “Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19,” a 32-page booklet describing “lower exposure,” “medium exposure,” and “high or very high exposure” risk occupations and what precautions employers can take...more
3/12/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a news alert yesterday addressing the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act on employers’ responses to a potential...more
3/5/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Best Practices ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Risk Management ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On February 13, 2020, we reported on recent guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for businesses to plan and protect their workplaces...more
2/28/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
Business Travel ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Doing Business ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Medical Leave ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Sick Leave ,
Traveling Employee ,
Workplace Safety
Both the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have published interim guidance for employers on planning for and protecting their workplaces from exposure...more
2/28/2020
/ Airlines ,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Business Travel ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Clinical Laboratories ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Travel ,
OSHA ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Traveling Employee ,
Workplace Safety
The anticipated spread of coronavirus in the U.S. has many employers revisiting their emergency response plans. Depending on guidance from public health officials, some employees may be directed to work from home, temporarily...more
2/28/2020
/ Best Practices ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Leave of Absence ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
OSHA recently modernized its Whistleblower Protection Program Website. The redesigned site includes useful and interactive materials regarding whistleblower statutes enforced by OSHA, including a video that highlights...more
7/24/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
OSHA ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Sarbanes-Oxley ,
Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) ,
Websites ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies ,
Whistleblowers
Franczek recently hosted an at capacity seminar on preventing workplace violence. As a follow-up to that event, and as further introduction to Tracey Truesdale and Jason Patterson who frequently counsel employers on this...more