On August 5, 2021, the California Department of Public Health issued the first mandatory vaccination order in the country.
Archives for August 10, 2021
The IRS Expands Leave Covered by the American Rescue Plan Act
The federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides tax credits to covered employers who provide certain sick and family leave wages to employees between April 1, 2021, and September 30, 2021.
More About the Cuomo Investigation
Many of you have commented about my post last week on the investigation into Governor Cuomo’s workplace conduct.
LGBTQ+ PROTECTIONS IN THE WORKPLACE
Federal workplace protections for LGBTQ+ employees have expanded significantly since the United State Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County.
SCOTUS EMPLOYMENT LAW DECISIONS 2020-2021
Since our last annual United States Supreme Court roundup article, the Court issued four decisions that may affect California employers. We summarize these rulings below.
Iowa Supreme Court: City’s “Ban the Box” Ordinance Is Preempted by State Law, But Not Entirely
The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that Iowa state law preempts the City of Waterloo’s restriction on employers’ use of applicants’ criminal record history when making hiring decisions. Other aspects of the ordinance, however, remain legal and enforceable. The case is Iowa Ass’n of Bus. & Indus. v. City
The End of a (Short) Era: ARPA COBRA Subsidies and the Remaining Action Item for Plan Sponsors
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) kept many practitioners busy this spring/summer, as may be evident by our discussions here, here, here, and here.
Under one of ARPA’s most impactful provisions, employees who were involuntarily terminated or had their hours reduced (and who met certain other criteria) became
California Wage Theft Bill Would Raise the Stakes for Compliance
California Assembly Bill (AB) 1003 would create a new type of grand theft in the state: a company’s “intentional theft of wages” of more than $950 from any individual employee, or $2,350 total from 2 or more employees, in a 12-month period. The bill requires that the theft be intentional,
Recognizing the Signs of Ramped-Up MSHA Enforcement
One of the first things that comes to mind when a mine operator evaluates the ramifications of having received a citation is how much the resulting civil penalty might be. That is certainly a valid concern, but the penalty is only part of the story. The Mine Safety and Health
Connecticut Mandates Vaccination for Employees and Individuals Providing Direct Access Services to Patients or Residents of Long-term Care Facilities
On August 6, 2021 Governor Lamont issued Executive Order No. 13B mandating vaccination of all employees working at long-term care (LTC) facilities throughout Connecticut.1 The order also covers all contracted service providers and volunteers that have direct physical access to patients or residents. The order is effective immediately and remains
IRS Issues Additional Guidance on the COBRA Subsidy
On July 26, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2021-46 to provide additional guidance on the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) subsidy under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). On May 18, 2021, the IRS released Notice 2021-31 to address issues related to subsidy eligibility