Tennessee has permanently extended its COVID-19 statute under an enactment that removed the sunset provision of the state’s COVID-19 statute, which was set to expire on July 1, 2023.
Articles About Tennessee Labor And Employment Law
Tennessee Enacts Comprehensive Consumer Privacy Bill
On May 11, 2023, Tennessee’s Governor signed Senate Bill 0073, the Tennessee Information Protection Act, making the state the eighth state to pass consumer privacy legislation. Tennessee joins California, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Utah, and Virginia which have previously passed consumer privacy statutes.
Tennessee’s law will take effect July 1, 2024.
When does this law
Tennessee’s Revised Mandatory E-Verify Law Applies to More Employers
As of January 1, 2023, Tennessee will require all private employers with at least 35 employees to use E-Verify and maintain E-Verify case results.
E-Verify is a federal electronic database intended to aid employers in confirming that the documentation provided by new hires to establish lawful employment eligibility is in
Tennessee Enacts Law Restricting Enforcement of Vaccine Mandates
On November 10, 2021, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that he would sign legislation that addresses various COVID-19–related issues, including vaccine mandates and mask mandates. The law is effective immediately. There are several major issues for employers regarding COVID-19 prevention measures addressed in the new law.
Federal Judge Blocks Enforcement of Tennessee’s Bathroom Signage Law
On July 9, 2021, a federal district court in Nashville, Tennessee, granted a preliminary injunction, halting enforcement of a new Tennessee law on bathroom signage. That law mandates that businesses post specific signs next to their public bathrooms, if they allow people to use the bathroom that conforms with their
Pandemic-Based E-Verify TNC Temporary Extensions to End
E-Verify will no longer allow extensions for addressing Tentative Nonconfirmations (TNCs) beginning November 5, 2020.
After relaxing processing guidelines because of processing hardships due to COVID-19, E-Verify is again enforcing its requirement that employees choosing to contest TNC notifications must take action to contact the appropriate government agency within 10
Tennessee’s Latest Guidance on COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine
The Tennessee Department of Health has released guidelines on the length of isolation necessary for those who have contracted COVID-19 (referred to clinically in the guidance as “a Case”) and the length of quarantine for those who share living space with a Case.
Isolation
Tennessee Governor Signs COVID-19 Liability Shield into Law
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the Tennessee COVID-19 Recovery Act into law on Monday, August 17, 2020.
Tennessee Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
The “Tennessee Pregnant Workers Fairness Act” (Senate Bill 2520) requires every employer with at least 15 employees to make a reasonable accommodation for an employee’s or prospective employee’s medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless such accommodation would impose an undue hardship on business operations. The
Tennessee Governor Issues Order Urging Residents to Stay Home
Summary: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order No. 22 on Monday, March 30, 2020, urging all Tennesseans to stay at home as much as possible except for engaging in essential activities, like obtaining food, supplies, or medical care. The Order stops short of ordering residents to stay at home. Governor Lee’s Order only closes non-essential businesses as to access or use by the public. Those businesses are instead encouraged to provide delivery or curbside service. The Order is effective at 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2020 and shall remain in effect until April 14, 2020.
Federal Judge Enjoins City of Dallas’ Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Set To Be Enforced on April 1
As many employers across the country are gearing up for the April 1 effective date of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act leave provisions, employers of Dallas employees were also concerned about how the City of Dallas’ Paid Sick Leave Ordinance’s April 1 enforcement date would impact them. The ordinance has been in federal litigation in the Eastern District of Texas. On March 30, 2020, United States District Judge Sean Jordan granted the Plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction and enjoined the City of Dallas or anyone “in active concert” with the City from enforcing the ordinance against any business or entity pending the resolution of lawsuit.
Tennessee Adopts 20-Factor Test in Independent Contractor Analysis
Rejecting the strict “ABC” test adopted by its appellate court, Tennessee has enacted a new law (H.B. 539) adopting a 20-factor test to determine employee-versus-independent contractor status. The new law becomes effective January 1, 2020.
Tennessee Expands Anti-Bullying Law to Private Employers
Tennessee recently amended its Healthy Workplace Act (Act), which seeks to prevent abusive conduct at work, to cover private employers. Enacted in 2014, the Act previously applied only to public employers. The amendment, which extends the Act’s provisions to the private sector, took effect immediately when Governor Bill Lee signed the bill into law on April 23, 2019.
Tennessee Expands Potential Immunity to Emotional Distress Claims to Private Employers
Tennessee employers have a new defense against employees bringing workplace environment-related lawsuits. An amendment expanding Tennessee’s Healthy Workplace Act to include private employers went into effect on April 23, 2019. Prior to the expansion, the law only applied to state and local government entities.
Dallas Joins Austin and San Antonio in Mandating Paid Sick Leave in Texas
On April 24, 2019, Dallas became the third city in the Lone Star State to adopt an ordinance requiring all private employers to provide paid sick leave to employees, following Austin and San Antonio.