Coronavirus
EEOC updates COVID-19 guidance: What you need to know
Saying it is the “capstone” of its resources on the subject, the EEOC has issued another update to its COVID-19 guidance. Demonstrating the fluidity of the situation presented by the pandemic, the agency has now updated this guidance about 20 times since its initial release. Let’s dive in and take a look at some notable…
Employer gets dragged into court – literally – after defying orders
What’s the worst-case scenario for an employer that refuses to provide court-ordered relief to a mistreated employee? How about getting taken into custody by U.S. Marshals? Does it happen a lot? No. But is it possible? Yes, as two corporate officials for a Wisconsin employer learned firsthand on September 12. Dragged into court: Case background…
Fired for objecting to lax COVID-19 safety measures? Employee sues
A carpet cleaning company employee said his employer forced him to work in an environment that exposed him to the virus. A Pennsylvania court issued a head-scratching decision. The employee cared for his elderly grandfather. The grandfather was an at-risk person for severe COVID-19. He told his employer he could only work at job sites…
Fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccine: Do they get unemployment?
An employee who is fired for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine – without showing entitlement to a legitimate religious or disability-related exemption – is likely to have a hard time collecting unemployment compensation benefits, two recent court rulings show. Though each state sets its own specific eligibility guidelines, these two rulings from Minnesota hinge…
Reasonable accommodation, COVID and mental health: The time is now
Now is a great time for HR departments to review their policies regarding the provision of reasonable accommodation to employees with mental disabilities. It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of most everyone, and perhaps an even steeper one on individuals with preexisting mental health issues. With…
Supreme Court to consider OSHA’s vaccine rule: What you need to know
The U.S. Supreme Court is getting ready to weigh in on OSHA’s vaccine rule. Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted a stay on OSHA’s emergency temporary standard relating to a COVID-19 vaccine rule for employers with at least 100 employees. Those employers must again be ready to comply…
The COVID-19 police you might not know about
Guess who’s watching to make sure you don’t unduly expose your employees to the coronavirus? When one thinks of the kind of unsafe working conditions that OSHA is concerned with preventing, a COVID-19 breeding ground may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But when it comes to ensuring the safety of the…
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