Nota Bene Episode 82: How Congress is Meeting the Pandemic: Stimulus, Relief, and Recovery with Elizabeth Frazee and Jonathan Meyer
Employment Law Now IV-67- Today's U.S. DOL Phone Briefing re: Federal Coronavirus Initiatives
Oregon and Washington just became the latest states to make striking employees eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. This marks a major policy shift for both states – especially for Washington, which currently...more
In its 2025 regular session, the Washington State Legislature passed 10 bills impacting employers that will come into effect this year. These legal changes affect compliance obligations, employee benefits, and protections...more
Oregon employers should note several significant legislative enactments that either recently took effect or will become effective later in 2025. These changes in the law span a range of employment law areas, including...more
In a 9-0 decision authored by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which held that Catholic Charities Bureau Inc. (the “Charities) and its subsidiaries were not...more
Lawmakers in at least six states are pushing to make striking employees eligible for unemployment benefits rather than being disqualified for participating in the work stoppage, as is the case in all but two states. This...more
In this brief state law update, we'll cover new and updated posters required by state and local law for employers operating in those locations. Locate your state below to determine if any of the following updated employment...more
High winds and drought conditions have fueled severe wildfires, devastating communities around Los Angeles, California. The fires have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, while firefighters are working tirelessly to...more
The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles area continue to profoundly impact our community, presenting complex challenges for employers and the workforce. As evacuation orders, curfews, and hazardous conditions persist, it is...more
Kurz vor dem Bruch der Ampel-Koalition hat das Bundeskabinett am 6. November 2024 die Sozialversicherungsrechengrößen-Verordnung für das Jahr 2025 beschlossen. Die zugrunde gelegte Lohnentwicklung im Jahr 2023 betrug im...more
Early in the pandemic, I reported on the widespread newly created remote workforces resulting from stay-at-home orders issued by the governors of most states. In many cases, neither the employer nor the workers were prepared...more
In general, employees who resign are not eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits. In North Carolina as with most states, the unemployment compensation law contains an exception for workers who resign for “a good...more
For most employers, it is important to own the intellectual property rights in written and/or graphic work commissioned from independent contractors. But including a Work Made for Hire Clause (“WMFH Clause”) in an...more
Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) fraud has exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in billions of dollars’ worth of fraudulent claims being filed across the United States. We have previously outlined steps that...more
US President Joe Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA, the Act) on March 11, 2021. ARPA follows from weeks of negotiations in Congress and attempts to facilitate the country’s...more
Legislators briefed on state pension challenges The House Government Operations Committee met on Thursday to discuss Vermont's overwhelming pension-underfunding problem. Joint Fiscal Office staff member Chris Rupe presented...more
With the new year comes new laws that affect California employers. The following are the A to Z of changes in the law that may affect your business in 2021....more
The CARES Act’s federal unemployment insurance supplement has expired, and a new executive order from the President has taken its place – for now....more
Due to the sudden economic turbulence resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, employers have been exploring ways to temporarily reduce operating costs. Many employers are seeking alternatives to layoffs. Such alternatives may...more
One of the new programs under the CARES Act legislation is the Shared Work Program. The concept is fairly simple. Rather than furloughing or laying off an employee, an employer may instead reduce the number of hours each...more
Amid many unanswered questions and high levels of uncertainty, the Minnesota Department of Labor published guidance clarifying certain worker protections and benefits relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance answers...more
Healthcare providers struggle to know if and when they may disclose a patient's COVID-19 status to an employer. The analysis differs somewhat depending on whether the healthcare provider is acting solely in its capacity as a...more
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed and the President signed the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” — the “CARES Act.” The Act: - provides various forgivable loans and other loan programs for small and...more
Businesses struggling with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis received good news late last night when the Senate passed an unprecedented piece of legislation aimed at providing a massive stimulus to...more
On March 25, 2020, the Canadian government announced the creation of a temporary program called the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to address the overwhelming number of Employment Insurance (EI) applications...more
Widely expected to pass both houses of the US Congress by March 27, and to be signed into law by the president, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) lays out a $2 trillion economic stimulus,...more