Tag Archive: Coronavirus

June 29 Tip of the Week

June 29, 2020 3:49 pm Published by

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently published guidance clarifying that employees may use FFCRA paid family leave if the employee... Read More

May 18, 2020

May 18, 2020 10:01 pm Published by

As businesses continue bringing employees back into the workplace, many HR professionals are wondering exactly what kinds of questions they... Read More

Workers’ Compensation Claims Likely to Skyrocket Thanks to New Legal Presumptions of COVID-19 Infection

May 18, 2020 6:53 pm Published by

As more states lift stay-at-home orders and give employers the green light to bring workers back on site, one thing employers need to be on the lookout for is an increase in workers’ compensation claims. Workers’ compensation statutes are no-fault, meaning that employees do not need to prove negligence on the part of the employer to establish liability. It also means the employer cannot use negligence on the part of the employee as a defense to a claim. In practice, then, employees who are injured or become ill on the job are entitled to benefits like wage replacement and medical expenses, and employer liability is limited, in most circumstances, to only those benefits available through workers’ compensation.

April 27, 2020

April 30, 2020 1:10 pm Published by

Employees who are requesting leave under the FFCRA either for the Expanded Family and Medical Leave or Emergency Paid Sick... Read More

April 20, 2020

April 21, 2020 12:52 pm Published by

We know that for many states and cities, companies are still in the throes of furloughs, layoffs, RIFs and other... Read More

Furloughs, Layoffs, and Terminations: Understanding the Differences

March 27, 2020 1:44 pm Published by

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses find themselves with limited resources, and many questions over how to allocate them. No employer wants to punish employees who have been loyal to the company, and in which the employer has invested significant resources from hiring to training, but what are the options when an employer is stretched past its financial limit, and what is the difference between the various terms for the separation between an employer and employee?

Senate and White House Reach Deal on Stimulus Package

March 25, 2020 1:32 pm Published by

Early on March 25, 2020, after days of negotiations, the U.S. Senate and the White House announced a deal on a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package to provide relief during the coronavirus crisis. The text of the proposal still needs to be completed, but it is expected to be the largest stimulus package in U.S. history.

Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, and Department of Labor Guidance Related to Families First Coronavirus Response Act

March 22, 2020 6:24 pm Published by

The U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act), signed by President Trump on March 18. See our blog for details about the Act here.

New Legislation Proposed to Help Keep You in Business: Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act

March 22, 2020 3:09 pm Published by

In these unprecedented times, many businesses are facing closures due to economic conditions and/or government-mandated shutdowns. As a result, terminations and layoffs are widespread. In an effort to stave off continued losses, Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Susan Collins (R- ME), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) have proposed The Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act to provide $300 billion to implement a small business emergency economic relief plan. The Act aims to prevent workers from losing their jobs and small businesses from going under due to economic losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

House Bill Passed 3/13/2020

March 16, 2020 4:58 pm Published by

Federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave Legislation Introduced

Over the weekend, the House passed a revised version of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which, among other things, addresses federal emergency FMLA and paid sick leave. Importantly, this bill has not been approved by the Senate yet, so this is all subject to change. Below are the current highlights.

Federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave Legislation Introduced

March 9, 2020 1:57 pm Published by

With the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus increasing across the United States and abroad, Senator Patty Murry (D-WA) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) introduced new, emergency paid sick leave legislation that would provide paid sick days immediately to workers in light of the current spread, as well as prepare for future public health emergencies.

EEOC Weighs in on Coronavirus

March 4, 2020 9:11 pm Published by

On the heels of our recent blog about COVID-19, the EEOC weighed in with what employers should know about anti-discrimination laws and coronavirus.

The EEOC enforces certain anti-discrimination laws, including the ADA, which protects applicants and employees against disability discrimination. The ADA also regulates medical examinations and inquiries for all employees and applicants, including those without an ADA qualifying disability.

March 2, 2020

March 3, 2020 9:40 pm Published by

Unless you are living under a rock and are (or were until now) blissfully unaware, you have likely heard of the recent... Read More

Employer Response to Coronavirus

March 2, 2020 3:06 pm Published by

If you keep up with the news, you’ve likely heard a lot about COVID-19, or coronavirus. With the number of new cases continuing to increase worldwide, employers may be wondering what they can do to prepare for the risk of a potential outbreak.