Archive for the ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19)’ Category

Following the July 24th release of their guidance entitled “COVID-19 Employer Playbook For a Safe Reopening,” the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has updated a 32-page document to help California employers plan and prepare for reopening their businesses and to support a safe, clean environment for workers and customers. Summary of the Guidance The […]

On August 3rd, 2020, the federal court for the Southern District of New York (Court) struck down four parts of the regulations adopted by the Department of Labor (DOL) pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). This ruling (State of New York v. U.S. Department of Labor, No. 1:20-cv-03020) comes four months after […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released an update to their previously issued list of who is at a higher risk for getting severely ill from COVID-19.  Published on June 25th, 2020, the newly expanded list still includes older adults and people with underlying medical conditions as the majority of those who […]

On June 18th, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued new guidance to assist employers as they reopen non-essential businesses.  The guidance provides suggestions for working with their employees who are returning to work during the evolving coronavirus pandemic. The new resource, titled “Guidance on Returning to Work,” […]

On June 11th, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) posted an updated and expanded technical assistance publication addressing questions that fall under federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws related to the coronavirus pandemic. The publication, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws,” provides approaches […]

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a series of frequently asked questions and answers regarding the use of masks in the workplace. “As our economy reopens for business, millions of Americans will be wearing masks in their workplace for the first time,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for […]

Each year, millions of workers are injured or become seriously ill because of their working environment. In fact, in November 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released their annual Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses Report stating that there were over 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses during 2018. In certain circumstances, these affected […]

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued two revised policies for enforcing OSHA’s requirements with respect to the coronavirus. As businesses begin to reopen across the country, OSHA wanted to update these resources to ensure that employers are acting to protect their employees. First, OSHA is increasing in-person […]

On May 4th, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published its “Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus” poster in 11 additional language translations. Originally released on April 6th, in English and Spanish, the non-mandatory poster highlights 10 infection prevention measures every […]

On April 28th, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued a number of items under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to help participants and beneficiaries of employee benefit plans, and their service providers, who have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. These […]