Coronavirus
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 […]

Pop quiz: When is COVID a ‘disability’ under federal anti-bias laws?
Is COVID-19 a “disability” under federal laws banning disability discrimination? The frustratingly noncommittal but accurate answer: It depends. But the lack of a black-and-white, clear-cut answer to the question is no reason to avoid it. In fact, it’s even more reason to learn when COVID-19 is likely to qualify as a disabling condition, and when […]

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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