On the evening of May 13, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued Emergency Executive Order 20-56, “Safely Reopening Minnesota’s Economy and Ensuring Safe Non-Work Activities during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.” Executive Order 20-56 provides a loosening of both business restrictions and social restrictions in Minnesota.
Colorado’s Trek Back to Normal: Return-to-Work Orders After the COVID-19 Closures
On March 5, 2020, Colorado reported its first cases of coronavirus, which would multiply exponentially over the following weeks. Since then, the state and various municipalities, including Denver, have actively responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by issuing a series of orders affecting businesses and their requirements with respect to their
House Democrats Unveil HEROES Act, $3 Trillion Bill Responding to COVID-19 Crisis
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.
Ninth Circuit Issues Two (Mostly) Pro-Employer Background Check Decisions
The Ninth Circuit recently issued two mostly pro-employer federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) background check decisions.
Alabama Reopens Additional Businesses and Provides Immunity to Covered Entities for Certain COVID-19 Claims
On May 8, 2020, Governor Kay Ivey issued an amended Safer at Home order, lifting previous restrictions and providing additional guidance to Alabama businesses. The same day, Governor Ivey issued a separate executive order providing liability protection or immunity to businesses and health care providers.
EEOC Updates COVID-19 Disability Accommodation Guidance to Address Higher-Risk Employees Returning to Work
Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued instructions, statements, and guidance to help employers navigate COVID-19’s workplace impact. On May 5, 2020, the EEOC issued an update to its Technical Assistance Guidance on Disability Accommodation to address questions regarding employees at
IRS Updates FAQs to Expand Eligibility for Employee Retention Credits Under the CARES Act
On May 7, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of the Treasury revised their frequently asked questions (FAQs) guidance on the Employee Retention Credit to allow employers that do not pay wages, but continue to cover the health plan expenses for laid-off or furloughed employees, to qualify
Maryland and DC Change COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders and Regulations
There have been several recent and important developments in the on-going COVID-19 pandemic response in the District of Columbia and Maryland that affect employers.
Employers Beware: COVID-19–Related Employment Lawsuits Are Heating Up
For the last several months, employers have been forced to learn how COVID-19 spreads, how to maintain or resume safe work environments, and how to navigate a complex web of new and existing laws and regulations implicated by the pandemic. Employers have also had to contend with a growing wave
Tort Claims for Workplace Exposure to COVID-19: A Coming Wave?
While numerous states are acting to expand the scope of their respective workers’ compensation systems to embrace COVID-19-related workplace exposure claims, a persistent drip of tort claims threatens to breach the exclusive remedy bar. Will courts open the floodgates?
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Releases Reopening Guidelines
On May 8, 2020, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) published a series of general and industry-specific guidelines to assist businesses with reopening under Governor Tony Evers’s “Badger Bounce Back” plan. Guidelines are available for many industries, including agriculture, construction, entertainment/amusement, gym and fitness centers, hair and nail salons, hospitality/lodging,
South Carolina Issues Guidance for Reopening Close Contact and Service Industry Providers
At a press briefing on May 11, 2020, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced that close contact service providers, fitness and exercise centers, commercial gyms, and commercial and public pools would be permitted to resume operations in a limited capacity on May 18, 2020.
USCIS Eases H-1B Requirements for Physicians With J-1 Waivers in Response to COVID-19
On May 11, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy update in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that provides H-1B physicians holding J-1 foreign medical graduate waivers some limited flexibility in readjusting their hours and placement sites.
Cal/OSHA Issues Guidance for Logistics and Warehousing Facilities
On May 7, 2020, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), better known as Cal/OSHA, issued its COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Logistics and Warehousing Facilities, which provides detailed guidance to logistics and warehouse facilities on how to support a safe and clean work environment for workers in order to
IRS Updates FAQs on Employee Retention Credit Under the CARES Act
On April 29, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided additional guidance on the employee retention credit (ERC) available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act via new frequently asked questions (FAQs).