On December 17, 2021, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, and House Speaker Laurie Jinkins released a joint statement announcing that the premium assessment under the Washington Cares Fund would be delayed. Employers had been set to collect premiums from Washington employees starting on January 1, 2022,
Archives for December 17, 2021
CMS Vaccine Rule’s Status (and Fate) Lands in the Supreme Court of the United States
On December 15, 2021, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed, in part, a nationwide preliminary injunction prohibiting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from enforcing its COVID-19 vaccination mandate for healthcare providers.
Cal/OSHA Approves 2nd Readoption of ETS and Governor Issues Order Potentially Further Extending COVID Restrictions
On December 16, 2021, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (the “Standards Board”) adopted its second set of proposed revisions to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (the “2nd Revised ETS”).1 The 2nd Revised ETS will take effect on January 14, 2022.
Senate Advisor Rejects BBBA’s Provision on Work Authorization for Certain Unauthorized Aliens
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has ruled for a third time that specific immigration provisions in the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) granting parole and work authorization to unauthorized aliens who entered the United States before January 1, 2011, cannot be included in the reconciliation bill because the policy changes outweigh
FTC Signals Interest in Noncompete Clauses
On July 9, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order aimed at promoting competition in the economy, including directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to consider exercising its rulemaking authority “to curtail the unfair use of non-compete clauses and other clauses or agreements that may unfairly limit worker mobility.”
Beltway Buzz, December 17, 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.
Appeals court lets Biden administration enforce vaccine rules for large employers
The Biden administration scored a significant victory Friday in its court battles to enforce various federal Covid-19 vaccine mandates, with an appeals court ruling that the government can enforce its vaccine-or-testing rule for companies with more than 100 employees.
See Where 12 Million U.S. Employees Are Affected by Government Vaccine Mandates
Government orders requiring coronavirus vaccinations have been expanding across the United States but have not provided the significant boost to state and local vaccination rates that some experts had hoped for, according to a New York Times analysis.
Appeals Court Reinstates OSHA’s Vaccine Mandate for Workers at Larger Businesses
The decision, by a split three-judge panel, overturned a ruling that had blocked a Biden administration rule requiring companies with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccinations or testing for workers.
Proposed Ballot Initiative Could Raise the California Minimum Wage to $18 an Hour by 2025
By: Proposed Ballot Initiative Could Raise the California Minimum Wage to $18 an Hour by 2025
By: Proposed Ballot Initiative Could Raise the California Minimum Wage to $18 an Hour by 2025
California has been advancing its way up to a $15.00 minimum wage for a number of years. In a few
The U.S. Labor Department extends its deadline for large companies to mandate vaccines.
The Labor Department said on Saturday that it would delay until Feb. 9 the deadline for full enforcement of its rule requiring large companies to have their workers get coronavirus vaccines or be tested weekly, after weeks of legal battles created uncertainty and confusion for employers.
Jeff Hirsch and Scott Roberts named Top Lawyers of 2021 by Boston Magazine
The post Jeff Hirsch and Scott Roberts named Top Lawyers of 2021 by Boston Magazine appeared first on Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP.
ICE: I-9 Flexibility to Continue Through April 2022
ICE has announced it will extend I-9 flexibility until April 30, 2022, due to continuing precautions related to COVID-19.
The guidance remains the same:
Employees who work exclusively in a remote setting due to COVID-19 continue to be temporarily exempt from the in-person requirements associated with Form I-9 Employment Eligibility
Cal/OSHA’s ETS is Amended and Extended to April 2022
On December 16, 2021, Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board voted to readopt the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) with several revisions. This amended readoption of the ETS will go into effect on January 14, 2022, and will remain in place until April 14, 2022. Only one member of the seven-person Standards