On May 21, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 21-08 “Safe Workers,” which prohibits Washington employers from taking any adverse employment action as a result of a worker receiving a COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine or needing time off related to the worker’s own COVID-19 vaccination, exposure, or illness. Time off to take a family member…
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Understand how CDC’s relaxed mask guidance applies in your state On May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (coronavirus) generally don’t need to wear masks or physically distance with a few exceptions, setting off a flurry of compliance questions for employers. Depending…
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Several important developments have recently occurred in Washington state. We're addressing the following topics in this post - find the full articles below. New law creates more pandemic worker protections. On May 11, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee signed ESSB 5115, the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA), creating labor standards that automatically take…
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Question: We’re offering workers a bonus if they voluntarily get a COVID-19 vaccination, but some workers say they don’t want to get it because of religious beliefs or disabilities. If we don’t pay those workers the bonus, are we liable for discrimination? Answer: Yes, but by adjusting your incentive plan, you can encourage…
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The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that differences in pay for men and women in jobs that share a “common core of tasks” may trigger liability under the federal Equal Pay Act (EPA) and a similar Oregon state law that was in effect until January 1, 2019. A female…
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The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the latest COVID-19 relief bill, offers a 100 percent COBRA subsidy and expands eligibility for paid leave tax credits, among other provisions. The bill was signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021. COBRA subsidy: Employees who lose employer-sponsored group health insurance coverage…
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The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) released updated employment guidance related to COVID-19 (coronavirus) on March 4, 2021, including mandatory vaccination policies. DFEH Employment Information on COVID-19 replaces previous guidance issued March 20, 2020 and July 24, 2020. The DFEH says you may implement mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies…
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The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently announced that Google LLC has agreed to pay over $3.8 million to resolve allegations of discrimination in pay and hiring, which came to light in a routine affirmative action audit of its facilities in California and Washington. The company, which is…
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President Biden has rescinded President Trump’s controversial Executive Order 13950: Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, effective immediately. As we previously reported, the order prohibited federal contractors from training employees on “divisive concepts” related to race and sex discrimination. Later we reported that a federal court issued a nationwide injunction that temporarily halted…
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A federal district court has temporarily stopped the federal government nationwide from enforcing Executive Order 13950, Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, to the extent that the order prohibits federal contractors from training their employees on “divisive concepts” related to race and sex discrimination and puts federal grantees at risk of…
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