This edition of our newsletter features over 60 developments from around the world that international organisations will want to know about.
Archives for July 2020
Virginia Issues Guidance in Support of Emergency Temporary Standard for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Executive Summary: As first discussed in our July 17, 2020 alert, the Department of Labor and Industry’s (DOLI) Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program and the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board have adopted an Emergency Temporary Standard for the COVID-19 Pandemic (ETS). The ETS, which went into effect on July 27, 2020, applies to all private, state, and local government employers and employees covered by VOSH jurisdiction.
Connecticut Creates Rebuttable Presumption that COVID Infection was Work-Related for First Months of the Pandemic
On July 24, 2020, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed his 63rd executive order in response to the public health emergency posed by COVID-19. Executive Order 7JJJ (“the Order”) creates a rebuttable presumption that certain workers who missed at least one (1) day of work between March 10, 2020 and May 20, 2020 and who were diagnosed with COVID-19 contracted the virus on the job.
Face Coverings Required in Indiana; Indianapolis Imposes Additional Restrictions
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has issued a statewide mask order effective July 27, 2020, through August 26, 2020. Under this Order, anyone at least eight years old must wear a face covering in indoor public spaces, commercial entities, or transportation services, and in outdoor public spaces where social distancing of at least six feet is not possible.
Adam Cantor and Kathryn Wheeler Discuss IRS Deadlines
Adam Cantor and Kathryn Wheeler discuss employer confusion over IRS benefits deadlines and related compliance points in “Reminder: July 31 Form 5500 Deadline Wasn’t Extended,” published by SHRM.
Courtney Malveaux Discusses Virginia COVID-19 Regulations
Courtney Malveaux discusses the implications of Virginia’s sweeping new regulatory changes designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 in “Business leaders receive details on state’s new, temporary COVID-19 workplace standards,” published by The Winchester Star.
How the Pandemic May Change ‘Work-Life Balance’ Forever.
U.S. companies known to treat workers right pivot to a new reality, offering perks employees may want to keep when the virus recedes.
As the Pandemic Forced Layoffs, C.E.O.s Gave Up Little
Some corporate bosses offered to cut their pay, but most did not. Those who did gave up less than 10 percent of what they received last year.
UPS Freight to Pay $75,000 to Resolve Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for District of Kansas entered an order today formalizing a settlement resolving the final dispute between UPS Freight and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in a three-year old lawsuit.
Viewpoint: How to engage effectively in a safely masked workplace
When businesses reopen, our ‘new’ workplace may look a bit different than we remember.
Returning to the workplace with wearable tech, robots and QR codes
Technology can play a vital role in our transition to the post-pandemic workplace.
Senate Proposal Would Ease State-Tax Burdens For Remote Workers
Pay would often continue to be taxed by states as it was at the beginning of the pandemic
City Praises Contact-Tracing Program. Workers Call Rollout a ‘Disaster.’
The contact tracers said the program was confusing and disorganized in its first six weeks, leaving them fearful that their work would not have an impact on the virus.
UPS Ground, EEOC Reach $75,000 Pact for Driver Who Had Stroke
UPS Ground Freight Inc. will pay $75,000 to settle an EEOC case alleging the company violated disability bias law when it failed to assign an employee to a full-time dock worker position after he had a stroke and needed to wait a year to be recertified as a driver, federal court records show.
Norfolk Southern to Pay $2.5 Million to End EEOC Disability Suit
Norfolk Southern and the EEOC reached a $2.5 million settlement of the agency’s lawsuit alleging the railroad used pre-employment or return-to-work medical exams to unlawfully screen out workers with disabilities, federal court records show.