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Q&A: Eliminating contact with a coworker unreasonable under ADA
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News, trends and analysis in employment law, HR, safety & workers' comp
Feb
03
2022
Nationwide federal contractor vaccine ruling limited to shots
The federal district court in Georgia that issued a nationwide temporary hold on the federal contractor COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine mandate in December 2021 recently clarified that its ruling was limited to vaccinations only, and not the other portions of the mandate, which address masks, physical distancing, and designation of a…
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Feb
03
2022
OSHA withdraws large employer vaccination ETS
On January 26, 2022, OSHA officially withdrew its COVID-19 (coronavirus) emergency temporary standard (ETS) for employers with 100 or more employees. As we previously reported, the Supreme Court had stayed enforcement of the ETS to allow lawsuits challenging it to proceed to a full hearing with the Sixth Circuit Court…
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Jan
20
2022
Q&A: Keep on top of COVID-19 protocols
Question: As we enter this new phase of the pandemic, it seems like everyone is going to get sick. With the vaccination mandate effectively dead, do we need to care anymore? Answer: Yes! It’s been a long haul, and pandemic fatigue is real, but employers still have an obligation to monitor and…
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Jan
20
2022
COVID-19DisabilitySafety and Health
CALIFORNIA: Masks required indoors through Feb. 15, 2022
On January 5, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) extended its order requiring everyone to wear masks in indoor public settings regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 (coronavirus). The original statewide order was set to end on January 15, 2022, but will now stay in effect through…
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Jan
20
2022
CMS issues guidance on health care vaccine mandate
Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) vaccine mandate for COVID-19 (coronavirus), it’s time for covered entities to dig into the guidance and complete any compliance steps. In order to assist the regulated community with compliance, CMS has issued guidance for the first 25…
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Jan
20
2022
States back off from issuing general vaccine mandates
The states of Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington have all indicated that they don’t currently plan to proceed with their own general workplace vaccine mandates in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to maintain the temporary stay on the federal OSHA COVID-19 (coronavirus) emergency temporary standard (ETS) for employers with…
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Jan
20
2022
Q&A: Assess pay for time spent logging into online time clocks
Question: I have a remote employee asking if he’s going to be paid for the time it takes to log into our timekeeping software. This seems ridiculous. It only takes him a few minutes—if that—each day. Do we have to pay for this time? Answer: If his work depends on his computer use and he’s…
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Jan
13
2022
ALERT: Supreme Court says no to OSHA vaccine mandate, yes to CMS
On January 13, 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court issued decisions on two federal COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine mandates, one against and one in favor. The court temporarily halted enforcement of OSHA’s emergency temporary standard for employers with 100 or more employees and upheld the enforcement of the rule from the Centers for…
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Jan
06
2022
WASHINGTON: Collect higher PFML premiums in 2022
As of January 1, 2022, both the premiums and maximum weekly benefits have increased for Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. The premium rate has increased to 0.6% of each employee’s gross wages (not including tips), up to a maximum of $147,000 (which is the 2022 Social Security cap). The split…
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Jan
06
2022
WASHINGTON: Governor says long-term care deductions begin Jan. 1
On December 23, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee clarified that employer deductions from employees’ wages under Washington’s Long Term Care Act are required by law to begin January 1, 2022, except for workers who purchased their own insurance and successfully applied for an exemption. Just a few days earlier, he had announced that he…
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