On May 28, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its guidance on workplace COVID-19 vaccination issues under the federal EEO laws. The updated guidance is important for employers to consider in light of the recent CDC guidance relaxing restrictions for vaccinated persons, but not unvaccinated persons, and state and local workplace safety requirements that make a similar distinction.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
On May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People, applicable to nonhealthcare settings, providing significant freedom to the fully vaccinated to move around and interact with each other with few restrictions.
However, before employers make any changes to their health and safety protocols, they must heed the CDC’s warning to consider applicable state and local laws, including local business and workplace guidance, to determine whether they differ from the CDC’s new guidance.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
Pennsylvania and Philadelphia have each announced prospective dates for lifting a majority of the mandatory COVID-19 requirements applicable to employers. At the same time, these announcements create a new conundrum for Pennsylvania and Philadelphia employers: In the absence of state and local mandates, what health and safety policies should employers implement to mitigate the ongoing threat of COVID-19? There is no easy answer.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
Video replays of the webinar, “State of the Workplace in 2021: Reopening in a Partially Vaccinated Environment and the New Administration,” are available.
In what may be a first in California, the state Legislature recently passed a law that creates unionlike recall rights for employees who work for private sector businesses in certain industries. SB 93, recently signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, requires employers that own or operate an “enterprise” in one of six particular areas to first offer newly opened positions to laid-off employees. That obligation extends until the end of 2024.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
After the expiration of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and similar state and local measures, many government jurisdictions stepped in to fill the COVID-19 paid leave void left following the expiration of those laws, including employee leave related to COVID-19 vaccination. Philadelphia and Chicago have put into effect ordinances to this end, and the federal government will be providing tax credits to employers who elect to provide paid leave for certain COVID-19-related reasons.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
Duane Morris will hold a webinar event, “State of the Workplace in 2021: Reopening in a Partially Vaccinated Environment and the New Administration,” on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
Please visit the event website for more information and to register.
New guidance has arrived from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) for employers in California. With three approved vaccines against COVID-19 infection and a fourth undergoing clinical trials in the United States, the new DFEH guidance addresses questions relating to vaccines and the workplace. The guidance is especially timely, with some employees expressing reluctance to receive vaccinations and others hesitant to return to work fearing COVID-19 exposure.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
New COVID-19 legislation continues to roll out in California. On March 19, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 95, requiring payment during leaves due to certain COVID-19-related reasons for both private and public employers. The bill, designated as emergency legislation, takes effect March 29, 2021, but applies retroactively to January 1, 2021.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), signed into law on March 11, 2021, includes a temporary 100 percent COBRA subsidy for individuals whose qualifying event was an involuntary termination of employment or reduction in hours. The COBRA subsidy goes into effect on April 1, 2021, and will apply to employers that sponsor both fully insured and self-insured coverage for their employees. This Alert outlines the COBRA subsidy rules and implementation steps for employers.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
