News and Information

On March 12, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released an Updated Interim Enforcement Response Plan for COVID-19, which provides new instructions and guidance about how it will handle COVID-19-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness reports – summarized as follows: ...Read More..

In February and March 2021, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing released or updated the following resources: COVID-19 Employment FAQs, whi ...Read More..

On March 12, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) announced that the EEO-1 Component 1 data collection for 2019 and 2020 will open at the end of April 2021 and close in July 2021. Filers should begin preparing to submit data in anticipation of the April 2021 opening. The exact closing date will be posted when the data collection launches. Employers will be notified of additional details and how to access the onl ...Read More..

On March 12, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation (SB 2588A) requiring employers to give their employees up to four hours of paid leave (at the employee’s regular rate of pay) per COVID-19 vaccination injection. This leave may not be charged against any other leave the employee has earned or a ...Read More..

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (HR 1319)(ARP), to address the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19. Most of the law does not directly affect the HR function, but portions that do are discussed in this alert. The ARP is essentially an extension of the curr ...Read More..

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (HR 1319) which provides funding for: Agriculture and nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program); Schools and institutions of higher education; Childcare and pro ...Read More..

On March 9, 2021, the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors adopted the Temporary COVID-19 Hazard Premium for Specified Workers in Unincorporated County Ordinance, which provides an additional $5 per hour in hazard pay to employees of grocery stores and drugstores who are working in the county. The or ...Read More..

On February 26, 2021, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser signed emergency legislation (B 58) addressing workplace protections by: Requiring employers to adopt social distancing and workplace protection policies to ...Read More..

On March 8, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People guidance under which fully vaccinated people can: Vis ...Read More..

In March 2021, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) released employer guidance to provide employees leave, time, and flexibility to get vaccinated. The guidance addresses mandatory vaccination programs, optional vaccination programs, and vaccination requirements ...Read More..