Vigilant Blog
News, trends and analysis in employment law, HR, safety & workers' comp
May
14
2020
CDC increases length of recommended isolation for COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its guidance to increase the recommended isolation time for COVID-19 (coronavirus) illness in situations when sick individuals seem to have recovered but haven’t been tested to determine whether they’re still contagious. For individuals who are suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, home…
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May
14
2020
WASHINGTON: L&I finalizes rules for temporary worker housing
On May 12, 2020, Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) released new requirements for temporary agricultural worker housing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Here’s what you need to know if you’re the housing operator for your employees (or if you’re responsible for a housing operator’s compliance with these rules): Effective and…
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May
14
2020
DOL updates FFCRA paid leave FAQs, May 2020
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has updated its frequently asked questions on paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The DOL added questions #89 to 93. As we previously reported, the FFCRA applies to employers with fewer than 500 employees. These new FAQs address COVID-19 leave questions related to domestic…
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May
14
2020
EEOC updates guidance on COVID-19 disability accommodations
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently clarified in its COVID-19 FAQs what to do if an employee with a disability has one of the underlying medical conditions identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that puts them at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19…
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May
14
2020
Homeland Security temporarily eases H-2B for food processors
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced a temporary final rule that gives food processors more flexibility in hiring foreign workers under an H-2B visa (temporary nonagricultural work), in an effort to address worker shortages during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The new rule allows workers who are already legally…
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May
14
2020
Q&A: Be alert to unemployment fraud during pandemic
Question: Our business has received a number of unemployment claims that seem odd, including some from employees who are still working. We know that unemployment claims are way up due to business slowdowns related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), but is there something that we should be doing about these unusual or…
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May
14
2020
Resources available to track phased opening of states
States are implementing reopening plans in the wake of COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions, some more quickly than others. Many are reopening in phases, but several states are allowing counties to apply for accelerated reopening, making it challenging for businesses to know what phase and/or guidelines apply. Below is a list of…
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May
14
2020
WASHINGTON: New manufacturing requirements released
In a memo on May 12, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee announced a comprehensive list of Phase 2 – Manufacturing Facility COVID-19 Requirements for businesses located in counties where Phase 2 of the governor’s reopening plan is in effect. The requirements apply to all manufacturing in the state of Washington, with the exception…
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May
07
2020
CDC issues guidance on cleaning businesses and public spaces
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued detailed instructions on cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools, and homes to help keep them free of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Much of the focus revolves around developing and implementing plans to maintain spaces in a clean and hygienic…
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May
07
2020
CALIFORNIA: Cal/OSHA updates infection prevention guidance
Cal/OSHA has been updating and expanding its guidance for specific industries on how to protect workers from COVID-19 (coronavirus). We previously reported on guidance for the construction and logistics industries. According to the web page for Cal/OSHA Guidance on Requirements to Protect Workers from Coronavirus, those documents were updated on May 5,…
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