On June 17, 2021, at the end of yet another chaotic day in administrative rulemaking, California’s new COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) finally became effective. The ETS bring substantial changes to the COVID-19 regulatory requirements with which employers have struggled since California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) initial
Archives for June 17, 2021
President Biden Signs Juneteenth Bill Into Law Making June 19 a Federal Holiday
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making June 19 a legal public holiday. Juneteenth is the day that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. June 19, 2021 will be the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth.
Cal/OSHA Amends COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards, Again.
The last few weeks have been quite tense for California employers as they watched the drama unfold with the state’s Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal/OSHA”) over amendments to the standing COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”)
In case you missed it: a few weeks ago,
Oregon Enacts Employment Protections for Hairstyles and Other Physical Characteristics Historically Associated With Race
On June 11, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed into law House Bill 2935, also known as the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), joining several other states in explicitly prohibiting employers and public schools from discriminating against individuals based on physical characteristics historically associated
Marin County, California Requires Small Employers to Provide Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
The Marin County, California Board of Supervisors has enacted an urgency ordinance that requires employers in the County’s unincorporated areas with 25 or fewer employees to provide supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) for certain COVID-19-related reasons through September 30, 2021. The ordinance was enacted on June 8, 2021, and
Texas Enacts New COVID-19 Liability Protection Law
On June 14, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the Pandemic Liability Protection Act into law. The law became effective upon his signing. This new law provides COVID-19 liability protections for health care providers, businesses, non-profits, religious institutions and schools that follow certain safety protocols.
The History and Importance of Juneteenth
Littler’s Chief Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Officer Paul Bateman leads a conversation with Shareholders Dionysia Johnson-Massie (Atlanta), LaToi Mayo (Lexington), Lindbergh Porter (San Francisco), and Charles Wilson (Houston) as they discuss the trail to Juneteenth, its importance and how various acts impacted slavery in the U.S.
Ohio Decision Highlights Importance of Business Protection Agreements with Independent Contractors
Just as the distinction between an individual’s status as independent contractor versus employee can have serious ramifications for wage, tax, and other legal issues, the same can be true for claims relating to unfair competition. As a recent decision from the Court of Appeals of Ohio highlights, employers must
Delays to H-1B Rules Changes, Administration Advises
Citing the need to adequately assess their potential impact, the Biden Administration seeks to delay, or reverse, in some cases, a triumvirate of rules issued by the previous administration aimed to dramatically change the H-1B process. These include a rule substantially raising prevailing wages, a rule changing the definition of
Labor and Employment Rulemaking Prominent in President Biden’s First Regulatory Agenda
On June 11, 2021, the federal government released its unified federal regulatory agenda for spring 2021, which outlines regulatory and deregulation actions agencies expect to take in the coming months. With over 70 items on the docket, the U.S.
New York Governor Lifts COVID-19 Guidance and Signs Legislation Amending the HERO Act
On May 5, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (NY HERO Act), which mandates workplace health and safety protections from any airborne infectious disease that the commissioner of health has designated as “a highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious
How to Lift International COVID-19 Travel Restrictions? White House Announces Working Groups
Travel restrictions related to COVID-19 have been in place for more than a year. Certain restrictions have been removed, but the ones on travel from Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Zone, South Africa, and the United Kingdom remain in effect. The White House wants to remove more restrictions
Colorado Supreme Court Finds Policies Requiring Forfeiture of Earned Vacation Unlawful
On June 14, 2021, the Colorado Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Nieto v. Clark’s Market, holding that company policies that provide for the forfeiture of earned vacation pay are unenforceable under Colorado law. The Colorado Supreme Court reversed the lower court’s decision and aligned its conclusion with
Ninth Circuit Tosses $102 Million Award Against Walmart Alleging California Wage Statement and Meal Break Violations
Research: What Inclusive Companies Have in Common
Data from a survey of 19,000 HBR readers.