Even though the calendar has not even turned to February, we already have seen major updates on the federal government’s COVID-19 rules and guidance. This past week proved no different. On Friday, January 21, 2022, a Texas federal judge blocked, on a nationwide basis, President Biden’s executive order mandating that federal workers get a COVID-19
Effective today, May 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) is officially withdrawing independent-contractor rule approved in early January and at the end of the Trump Presidency, which would have made it easier for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors rather than employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”).
Under President Trump’s
Under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), certain individuals are eligible to receive fully subsidized COBRA coverage for a six-month period which began on April 1, 2021. The APRA also requires that employers notify affected individuals of this benefit by May 31, 2021. Thankfully, last week, the Department of Labor issued template notices and a
According to new guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor, workers who refused jobs that they viewed as unsafe for COVID-19 reasons may now be eligible to collect unemployment benefits. The DOL published this guidance on February 25 in keeping with President Biden’s promise to provide unemployment benefits to workers who chose unemployment over exposure
Originally effective on April 1, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) required certain employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The FFCRA specified an effective date through December 31, 2020. While many anticipated that
Earlier this week, a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated several key aspects of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) final rule implementing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). (For those who are unfamiliar with the FFCA, an overview can be found here.) The decision
As we wrote about here, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued informal guidance to help employers understand their rights and obligations under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). DOL has since updated that guidance to address topics such as the following:
On March 25 the Department of Labor (“DOL”) released the Families First Coronavirus Response Act’s (FFCRA) required notice poster that will need to be posted at many workplaces. The DOL also issued a FAQ to explain employer obligations associated with the posting. Unfortunately, these publications both raise additional questions.
First, there appears to be an
While the Department of Labor (DOL) has not yet issued regulations, it has issued initial guidance to help employers understand who and what is covered under the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). This initial guidance comes in the form of a FAQ and a Fact Sheet.
The new guidance assists employers by answering
For the first time in 50 years the Department of Labor has issued a Final Rule attempting to clarify the overtime regular rate. The Final Rule focuses primarily on clarifying whether certain kinds of benefits or “perks,” and other miscellaneous items must be included in the regular rate. Since the DOL’s last overtime regular rate