Recently, the Louisiana Court of Appeal, First Circuit, in Thompson v. Cenac Towing Co., L.L.C., analyzed a trial court’s grant of summary judgment in a company’s favor after a noose-like rope was found hanging in a maritime workplace and held that the trial court had improperly weighed the credibility of
Archives for June 4, 2021
Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave: What Employers Need to Know
On May 28, 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law “An Act providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave.” The act requires eligible Massachusetts employers to provide emergency paid sick leave to employees who meet certain criteria, with reimbursement by the Commonwealth.
Puerto Rico Governor Issues Executive Order Relaxing COVID-19 Restrictions
On June 3, 2021, Puerto Rico Governor Hon. Pedro Pierluisi issued Executive Order (EO) 2021-043 to further relax COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines. The new EO will be in effect from June 7, 2021 until July 4, 2021. The Order expands the maximum capacity limits for establishments and relaxes mask
11th Circuit Finds Employee Conduct May Lead to Termination Even Where the Conduct is the Result of Mental Illness
On May 27, 2021, in Todd v. Fayette County School District, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the propriety of a school district’s decision to end a mentally ill teacher’s employment. The school district’s reasonable belief that the teacher had
Nevada Modifies Statute Governing Noncompetition Agreements
On May 25, 2021, Governor Steve Sisolak signed Assembly Bill 47, revising the law regarding noncompetition covenants in Nevada.
DHS Discontinues Collection of Fines from Noncitizens Failing to Depart the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security will no longer be collecting civil financial penalties for noncitizens who fail to depart from the United States. Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that “[t]here is no indication that these penalties promoted compliance” and that the penalties were “ineffective and unnecessary punitive measures.”
The fines for
Lactation Accommodations in California: 5 Steps to Ensuring Compliant Lactation Programs Policies
On January 1, 2020, California’s new lactation accommodation law, Senate Bill (SB) 142, went into effect and imposed detailed requirements for employers to provide lactation rooms and other facilities, along with new policies and procedures to administer lactation break programs. Just two months later, most California employees started working remotely
Surprise Flip Flop at Cal/OSHA Standards Board: Motion to Adopt Sweeping Changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Passes
On June 3, 2021, the Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) was initially unable to pass the proposed changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) after a daylong online hearing with more than 500 individuals logged on to the meeting
H-2B Visas for Summer Season
By June 1, 2021, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had received more H-2B visas petitions than the allotted 16,000 slots for returning workers. A lottery will be conducted to determine which petitions will be accepted for processing.
DHS announced in April that it will release 22,000 more H-2B visas for
Beltway Buzz, June 4, 2021
The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C. could impact your business.
President's FY 2022 Budget Proposal Boosts Labor and Employment Funding
On May 28, President Biden released his $6 trillion budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year. While final spending decisions are decided by Congress, the president’s budget submission typically provides a general idea of where the administration’s priorities lie.
Littler Names Jeremy Hawpe as Pride Affinity Group Co-Chair
(June 3, 2021) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has selected Shareholder Jeremy Hawpe (Dallas) as co-chair of its Pride affinity group, joining Shareholder Lauren Schwartzreich (Denver), and succeeding Shareholder Darren Gibson (Austin) who is stepping down to focus on his growing and
Dear Littler: What employment issues should we keep in mind when hiring seasonal minor employees?
Dear Littler: We’re a nationwide employer excited that many of the pandemic-related restrictions are starting to ease up. In pre-COVID times, summer was always our busiest season. We’re looking forward to ramping up summer hiring, but have so far found it challenging to fully staff all our locations. We’re
Texas Firearm Carry Act of 2021: Can Employers Bar Employees From Carrying Guns Onto Work Premises?
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign the Firearm Carry Act of 2021 (House Bill 1927) into law. Texas will join several other states that have enacted or plan to enact similar permitless, “constitutional carry” statutes in support of the individual right to keep and bear arms under the
Cal/OSHA Passes Amended COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard – What Changed?
On May 20, 2021, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board (“Board”) delayed a vote on proposed changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”). At that time, the Board claimed they would revise the ETS to address updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) for fully vaccinated persons.