The Secretaries of the Departments of Treasury, Commerce, and Labor have been directed to review and report on the pension funding crisis in an October 22, 2020, Presidential Memorandum. The Memorandum brings renewed attention to a long-standing pension funding crisis and the failing backstops.
Archives for October 2020
Stephanie Adler-Paindiris Discusses COVID-19 Class Action Lawsuits
Stephanie Adler-Paindiris discusses the increased risk of class action litigation related to the COVID-19 pandemic in “How Employers Can Prepare for Rise in Pandemic-related Lawsuits,” published by the Franchise Times.
Request For Medical Examination Was Permissible Under ADA After Positive Drug Test Result
A federal court in Indiana dismissed an employee’s claim that his employer did not have the right to request a medical examination after he tested positive for drugs and subsequently admitted that he was taking numerous prescription medications that could create a safety risk. Beal v. Muncie Sanitary District, Case
Michigan OSHA Adopts COVID-19 Emergency Rule
Mickey Chichester and Jaclyn Giffen outline the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s COVID-19 emergency rule.
SHRM Online
Lack of Stimulus Bill Could Lead to Rise in COVID Related Lawsuits
Angelo Spinola encourages health care providers to stay abreast of the latest laws and legal trends impacting the home care industry in order to remain successful.
Home Health Care News
Navigating the ADA in the Time of COVID-19: A look at compliance during the pandemic
Allison Williams, Natalee Marion and Kelli Fuqua provide an outline for employers navigating Texas disability laws in the time of a pandemic.
State Bar of Texas
Unused Vacation Days: What You Should Know
Deidra Nguyen discusses unused paid time off policy considerations for employers.
The Wall Street Journal
View Article (Subscription required.)
More flexibility and different HR management, so pandemic changes work
Carlo Majer and Edgardo Ratti advise employers implement more structured regulations as employees continue to work in a remote environment due to the pandemic.
Today
What Happens to My Unused Vacation Days?
Deidra Nguyen encourages managers to make prospective, not retrospective, changes.
The Wall Street Journal
View Article (Subscription required.)
Keeping Employees Safe at Work — ADA Considerations in the Age of COVID
Oregon Issues Temporary Rules for School Closures
Megan Crowhurst and Heather St. Clair explore the components of Oregon’s temporary administrative order.
SHRM Online
View Article (Subscription required.)
Littler Ask the Experts
Will Vail comments on the revised definition of a healthcare provider under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Wired
DOL Addresses Independent Contractor Issue
Dane Steffenson and Tammy McCutchen suggest the final “integrated unit” factor may be the most significant proposed change.
MHL News
White House Order Against Diversity Training Generates Confusion
Jim Paretti describes contractors as concerned and confused about the order.
The Wall Street Journal
View Article (Subscription required.)
How employers can ensure federal law compliance by following updated EEOC guidance on COVID-19 screening and testing protocols
As workplaces in North Carolina and South Carolina are opening back up, employers should make sure they are up to date on their rights and obligations to test or otherwise screen their employees for COVID-19 under the federal anti-discrimination laws governing the workplace.