A proposal by Indiana’s Attorney General Curtis Hill on Wednesday would add a significant step in the incident response process for responding to breaches of security affecting Indiana residents. On Wednesday, during a U.S. Chamber of Commerce virtual event, he announced his proposed rule designed to better protect Hoosiers from
Archives for September 2020
DOT Extends Period of Enforcement Discretion For SAPs and Service Agents
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (“DOT”) Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy Compliance (“ODAPC”) has again extended its April 4, 2020 Statement of Enforcement Discretion for Substance Abuse Professionals and Service Agents, effective September 22, 2020. The Statement of Enforcement Discretion previously was extended in June and will now remain
Employers, Don’t Let Your Guard Down: COVID-19–Related Employment Lawsuits Are in Full Swing
We previously reported on COVID-19–related employment lawsuits that we tracked from late March 2020 through early May 2020. Since then, the number of lawsuits has steadily risen as employers have resumed operations after shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders were lifted and students returned to school in virtual or hybrid environments. To
New York Federal District Court Vacates Significant Portion of DOL’s Joint-Employer Rule
On September 8, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) final joint-employer rule, which limited when multiple businesses involved in an employment relationship could be liable for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Smart and Safe Arizona Act: What Employers Need to Know About Arizona’s Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative
At the end of 2019, we urged employers to keep an eye on a new recreational marijuana legalization voter initiative in Arizona: the Smart and Safe Arizona Act. Although many employers have been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, they may want to be aware that the Arizona Secretary
Texas Employees Have a Right to Vote on Election Day (and to Be Protected From Retaliation)
Election Day—Tuesday, November 3, 2020—is quickly approaching, and employees might ask for time off to vote. Employers that simply say “no” to their employees might be violating Texas law.
Sacramento County Passes Worker Safety and Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Ordinance
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors has passed the Sacramento County Worker Protection, Health and Safety Act of 2020, which is effective October 1, 2020.
The ordinance, which applies only to businesses located in the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County, requires employers to implement specified social distancing, mitigation, and cleaning
DoorDash and Postmates Pay Out More Than $350,000 to Seattle Gig Workers Due to Hazard Pay Law
Both companies conducted voluntary audits around compliance with the new mandate
3 steps for dealing with a coworker who is slacking
It’s a tricky situation that many of us have to deal with at some point in our careers.
What 800 executives envision for the postpandemic workforce
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption to our working lives in the short term, and is likely to change the way that we work in the long term.
White House ‘Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping’ Executive Order Limits Training
The “Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping” (EO) covers government contractors and certain grant recipients and seeks to severely limit and curtail the diversity and inclusion, sexual harassment, and related equal employment opportunity (EEO) training contractors and recipients are allowed to provide their employees.
FFCRA “Health Care Provider” Definition Narrowed by DOL
Almost six months after the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued regulations under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), those regulations have been revised (effective September 16, 2020) in response to a federal district court decision invalidating a handful of provisions interpreting the FFCRA.
OSHA Guidance Related to COVID-19 for Healthcare Providers
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued guidance on its response plan on May 19, 2020, reinforcing its prioritization of COVID-19 cases, specifically targeting hospitals and other healthcare providers.
AB 685 – California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s Authority to Shut Down Operations and New Notice Requirements
As part of his worker protection package, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed on September 17, 2020, Assembly Bill 685 (AB 685), which authorizes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal OSHA” or “division”) to prohibit operations and processes, and prevent entry into workplaces that it has determined present a risk of infection of COVID-19 so as to constitute an imminent hazard to employees.
How Gratitude Journaling Can Reduce Workplace Mistreatment
Want to create a more civil and less cut-throat workplace? Cultivate gratitude.