On June 3, 2021, Cal/OSHA adopted revised COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards. These highly controversial new standards will likely be effective June 15, 2021.
1.5 hours of CA MCLE, HRCI and SHRM credit pending.
Archives for June 7, 2021
Not All Fun and Games? College Athletes May Soon Drive a Hard Bargain With Union Support
On May 27, 2021, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) introduced the College Athlete Right to Organize Act seeking to provide collective bargaining rights for college athletes. Specifically, the bill seeks to amend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to define any college athlete as an employee, if they receive any direct compensation (inclusive of scholarships and other forms of financial aid).
Supreme Court Adopts Narrow Interpretation of Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), 18 U.S.C. § 1030 et seq., does not prohibit improper use of computer information to which an individual has authorized access.
Georgia Prohibits COVID-19 ‘Vaccine Passports’ for Public Employers, Also Limiting Private Employers
While many states have issued orders prohibiting inquiries about an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status, Georgia has become the first to restrict public employers from requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.
D.C.’s Displaced Workers Protection Act Expanded to Assist Employees Laid Off in COVID-19 Era
Eligible workers in D.C. who have been displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic have the opportunity to be reinstated once their employer starts rehiring after the pandemic, according to a new law.
Illinois Bill to Further Limit Use of Restrictive Covenants With Employees Headed to Governor’s Desk
The Illinois General Assembly passed a major bill on May 31, 2021, that further limits and clarifies the circumstances in which restrictive covenants can be enforced against Illinois employees. Governor J. B. Pritzker is expected to sign the bill into law.
New Louisiana De Minimis Mobile Workforce Exemption Bill Goes to Conference Committee
The Louisiana Legislature has now sent to conference committee proposed legislation (SB 157) that would exempt the wages of certain nonresident employees from Louisiana individual income taxation, and their employers from withholding and reporting requirements, if the employees only worked in Louisiana for fewer than 25 days in a calendar year.
New York Employers Must Permit Employees to use Accrued Sick Leave for Vaccine Side Effects
Executive Summary: The New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) announced on May 27, 2021, that employees in New York must be permitted to use sick leave under the New York Paid Sick Leave Law to recover from any side effects stemming from COVID-19 vaccinations.
Working In Sweatpants May Be Over As Companies Contemplate The Great Office Return
Many offices that have been closed since March 2020 are beginning to bring workers back, but not all companies think they need a return to the old ways.
Journalists at The Atlantic unionize, the latest in a wave of media organizing.
The Atlantic intends to voluntarily recognize a newly formed union of editorial workers, the magazine’s editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, said Monday.
You Can’t Cure Your Employee’s Existential Crisis. But You Can Help.
Three ways managers can support and retain people.
The Real Value of Middle Managers
In the era of remote and hybrid work, they’re more important than ever. Here’s what they need to succeed.
Bill Making It Easier To Sue For Workplace Harassment Hung Up In Final Days Of Legislature (Colorado)
It is the top legislative proposal for most Democratic women lawmakers: a bill that would broaden the definition of workplace harassment, update anti-discrimination laws, and allow more people to file claims against employers. But now, Senate Bill 176 is on shaky ground heading into the final days of the legislative session.
Worker Suicide Pushes Toyota to Toughen Anti-Harassment Stance
More than three years after the work-related suicide of one of its employees, Toyota Motor Corp. says it’s strengthened its harassment prevention measures and reached a settlement with the deceased worker’s family.
The Labor Laws Your Boss Doesn’t Want You To Know About
The statutory rights and protections of workers in the United States have evolved considerably over the country’s history.