employment law – Page 7 – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

California Announces New “Blueprint For A Safer Economy” That Includes Significant Changes to Reopening Guidance

After being the first state to shut down its whole economy in mid-March response to the COVID-19 crisis, California began reopening in May. After attempting to do so on a statewide basis, reopening was primarily driven at the county level, with some counties permitted to reopen various parts of the economy before others. The state then experienced a huge surge of cases shortly thereafter, leading to a reimposition of many restrictions, particularly with regard to bars and restaurants and indoor operations across a number of industries. It created a monitoring list that tracked six key factors regarding reopening, including positive test rates, hospital and ICU capacity, number of available ventilators and personal protective equipment available for hospitals, and cases per 100,000 people.

To allow a continued reopening without an accompanying surge in cases, effective August 31, 2020, California has a new, phased reopening that applies statewide called the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Continue reading “California Announces New “Blueprint For A Safer Economy” That Includes Significant Changes to Reopening Guidance”

August 7, 2020 by Duane Morris

Significant Changes to COVID-19 Leave Provisions After Court Vacates Some DOL Regulations Interpreting Paid Leave Under the FFCRA

Judge J. Paul Oetken of the Southern District of New York found the United States Department of Labor exceeded its authority when it limited eligibility to leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The decision affects employers in New York (unless the court issues a stay pending appeal) and vacates the definition of “health care provider” and provisions regarding leave eligibility if an employer does not have work for the employee, intermittent leave approval of the employer and providing leave documentation prior to taking FFCRA leave.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

July 9, 2020 by Duane Morris

Travel Restrictions Are Back, but with State-by-State Twists

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. employers were asking employees to report if they had visited certain countries and, if the answer was yes, the employees were subject to at least a 14‑day quarantine. As the pandemic resurges after the U.S. effectively has gone green, travel-related quarantines are now back after visiting certain states within the U.S.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

July 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

Update: UK Government Flexible Furlough Scheme

The Flexible Furlough Scheme (FFS) commenced today, July 1, 2020, and you can now submit claims for periods starting on or after 1 July. GOV.UK published a news story this afternoon announcing this commencement.

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris partner Nic Hart and Liam Hutton, please visit the Duane Morris London Blog.

June 15, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

Paternalistic Employers, Beware: EEOC Addresses Employer Concerns for Workplace Safety via Mandated Accommodations

On June 11, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released additional Q&As in “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws.” As businesses reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers continue to grapple with how to safely return employees to the workforce, particularly those employees with certain underlying conditions identified by the CDC, as well as pregnant employees and those over the age of 65.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

June 12, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

COVID-19 Updates for Singapore Employers: Cost Reduction, Mandatory Notifications, and Government Support from the Fortitude Budget

Following the end of the circuit breaker period on 1 June 2020, Singapore is implementing a gradual resumption of business. During this period, employers are likely to continue to have concerns over cost-saving and business continuity measures and the government support available to them.

To read the full text, please visit the Duane Morris & Selvam COVID-19 Resource Blog.

June 11, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

Re-opening the Workplace During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What Employers in Singapore Need to Know

Singapore’s circuit breaker period came to an end on 2 June 2020 with the government introducing a three-phased approach for transitioning into a “new normal” and resuming economic activities safely.

To read the full text, please visit the Duane Morris & Selvam COVID-19 Resource Blog.

May 26, 2020September 4, 2020 by Duane Morris

Chicago City Council Passes Two COVID-19 Employee Protection Ordinances

On May 20, 2020, Chicago City Council passed two ordinances intended to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic: a COVID-19 anti-retaliation ordinance and an amendment to the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance, which provides employers with a six-month delay to the implementation of the private litigation rights provision of the ordinance.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

May 22, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

CDC Issues ‘Decision Tree’ to Assist Employers with Reopening Decisions

On May 14, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finally published guidance in the form of a one-page workplace decision tree. Although the document―entitled “Workplaces During the COVID-19 Pandemic”―provides high-level recommendations for employers to consider when reopening, it largely defers to state and local guidance and is a far cry from the substantially more detailed guidance documents that the CDC reportedly had been considering in recent weeks.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

May 18, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

Considerations for Posting PERM Notice for Remote Workers After COVID-19

Rapid changes in remote work requirements and availability are playing havoc with the PERM process for employers (the process under which employers must conduct a test of the U.S. labor market as part of the green card process for their foreign national employees). Due to rising unemployment and availability of U.S. workers, increased audits and scrutiny by the DOL are expected in the short and long term, making it imperative that employers have all of their I’s dotted and T’s crossed when completing the PERM steps.

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris attorney Susanne Heubel, please visit the Duane Morris Immigration Law Blog.