EEOC Issues "Return to Work" COVID-19 Guidelines for Employers
- On April 17, 2020 and April 23, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) again revised its guidance for employers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, this time providing advice involving disability accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and claims brought under... ›
Should Employers Require Employees to Wear Facemasks?
By: Miriam H. Wugmeister, Lloyd Aubry and Eric Gebert
As employers begin considering return to work strategies, many are wondering whether they should permit or require individuals to wear facemasks at work. It may be surprising to many companies, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has published detailed standards and guidance... ›DOL Issues Regulations for Paid Leave Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
By: Kwan Park
On April 6, 2020, the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) published regulations regarding the paid leave programs previously established in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) and later revised in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). The DOL... ›Payroll Tax Relief Provisions of COVID-19 Legislation
By: Domnick Bozzetti
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Congress has passed legislation to encourage continued payment of wages and benefits by providing relief to employers in the form of payroll-related tax credits, loans, and tax-deferral programs, including: for businesses with fewer than 500 employees, tax credits... ›Treasury Department Issues Guidance (and Application) for Paycheck Protection Program Loans
By: Tina D. Reynolds and Damien C. Specht
On Tuesday afternoon, the Treasury Department released its guidance concerning the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was authorized by Congress under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Under the PPP, qualified small businesses, eligible non‑profits, self-employed individuals, and independent contractors may... ›Avoiding Labor Violations When Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
By: Andrew R. Turnbull and Kwan Park
With the onslaught of various state and local shelter-in-place orders, new health and safety guidelines for workplaces, and the ensuing economic downturn, many companies need to act quickly to address the unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When responding to these challenges, both... ›DOL Issues Newly Updated Guidance on Critical Issues for Employers Regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
On March 28, 2020, the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) published additional guidance on nearly two dozen more “critical issues” that the DOL had not addressed in its previous guidance on the recently enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). Our March 26,... ›CARES Act – What Employers Should Know (Part II): Unemployment Insurance Benefits
As businesses and employers parse the 880-page Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), which President Trump signed into law on March 27, 2020, we offer this analysis of the unemployment compensation provisions in the Act. This Employment Law Commentary is... ›COVID-19 Update – What Do the Latest Proposals Mean for UK Employers?
By: Annabel Gillham, Trevor L James, Lara M. King and Oliver Spratt
On 23 March 2020, Boris Johnson announced that the UK would effectively be going into "lockdown" for a period of at least three weeks, in order to tackle the spread of coronavirus. This means closing all non-essential shops and public spaces and banning public... ›CARES Act – What Employers Should Know (Part I): Paid Emergency Sick and Public Health Emergency Leave and More
By unanimous vote on March 25, 2020, the Senate passed the largest stimulus measure the United States has ever seen, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The bill—totaling a whopping 880 pages—tackles numerous issues on several fronts in an... ›