Articles Discussing Workplace Issues In The Retail Industry.

With a White House and National Labor Relations Board that are more pro-labor than most recent past administrations, a “labor renaissance” will be the overarching theme of 2023.

Workplace violence remains an important and challenging issue for retailers facing customer and coworker misbehavior. We discuss establishing a workplace violence prevention plan, identifying and evaluating environmental risk factors, and implementing corrective measures.

Employers are apt to focus on OSHA’s heat-related enforcement rules when temperatures are high, but protecting workers from heat hazards is critical throughout the year when fluctuations in temperature changes are unsafe. 

During the busy holiday season, retailers work harder than any other time of the year and, consequently, can experience an uptick in workplace incidents involving customer and coworker misbehavior. 

Maintaining a competitive edge in the brick and mortar retail space can involve taking risks—having employees use ladders in day-to-day operations is one most retailers cannot avoid.

Events related to the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused roles within retail operations to shift, and managers may have been required to do more when employees are unexpectedly sick or when staffing levels fell due to the “great resignation.” Therefore, employers need to be careful to potential loss of managers’ exempt status.

The Great Resignation and lasting effects of COVID-19 have retailers fighting for talent. In what continues to be a very tight labor market, employers are enhancing employee benefits offerings hoping to recruit and retain employees.

Events related to the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused roles within retail operations to shift, and managers may have been required to do more when employees are unexpectedly sick or when staffing levels fell due to the “great resignation.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a new enforcement initiative that will target one of the agency’s top priorities: indoor and outdoor heat-related workplace hazards.

Jackson Lewis attorneys look back at class action developments in 2021, including COVID-19 vaccine mandate litigation, significant procedural decisions, wage and hour suits, and the continuing rise of cases brought under the California Private Attorneys General Act and Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, among other litigation trends.

Jackson Lewis attorneys discuss the emerging class action risks that arise at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, as employers navigate return-to-work challenges including employee screening, mask and vaccine mandates, and the need for ongoing safety measures as the crisis persists.

Hurricane Ida reportedly was the third most powerful storm on record to hit Louisiana. The full economic impact from hurricanes and other natural disasters may not be realized for months.

Our remote and return-to-the-workplace survey shares insights from more than 400 C-suite, senior human resources and legal executive respondents on what the future holds for their workplaces.

In this issue, attorneys discuss some of the emerging trends and issues to look out for as we continue to navigate the challenges of COVID-19 and toward a new year.

Many jurisdictions require individuals to wear face coverings in public spaces, including in retail businesses, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But some customers have been refusing to comply.