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► Employers Hoping for Stability as Biden Immigration Plan Unveiled
January 20, 2021
Employers are eager for details about President Joe Biden’s proposal for immi-gration reform, and they’re hoping for a plan that will replace uncertainty with stability, according to attorneys who advise employers on immigration matters. The plan calls for a multiyear path to ...
► Employers Can Expect Pro-Union Agenda Under New DOL Chief
January 11, 2021
President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is a traditional Democrat likely to push a pro-union agenda and a leader who will be eager to put in place pandemic-related safety measures, according to attorneys who advise employers. On January 7, ...
► DOL Finalizes Independent Contractor Rule; More Change Expected
January 8, 2021
The announcement of a new final rule addressing when workers can legally be classified as independent contractors emphasizes the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) intent to bring clarity to the issue, but with a change in administration near, the future of the rule is up in the air. The ...
► H-1B, Employment Immigration Processes Under Attack
January 6, 2021
In a continuing effort to curtail legal immi- gration, the Trump administration recently announced two rule changes radically limiting H-1Bs and the most common employment-based permanent residence process. The first rule change came from the U.S. Department of Labor affecting prevailing wages ...
► Big Changes to the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
December 23, 2020
Effective January 1, 2021, new legislation expands the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) so that California employers with as few as five employees must provide family and medical leave rights to their employees. The new law, Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), also expands the covered reasons for ...
► Ongoing Pandemic Blurring the Line Between Furloughs, Layoffs
December 23, 2020
Back in the spring when businesses across the country first fell victim to COVID-19, many employers chose to furlough workers temporarily rather than lay them off permanently. But now, with the pandemic dragging on, some furloughs are extending much longer than originally expected, triggering ...
► Employee Refuses to Return to Work During Pandemic
December 21, 2020
When states and localities first began sheltering in place because of COVID-19, many employers scrambled to determine whether to furlough or terminate employees, while others set up work-from-home policies and procedures. Although most states have moved into phases two or three of reopening, the ...
► EEOC Issues New Guidance on Mandatory Vaccinations
December 18, 2020
On December 16, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released new guidance for employers considering requiring COVID-19 vaccinations—guidance that attorneys advising employers say needs to be studied carefully. On December 16, the EEOC added a new section to its guidance ...
► When are Employees Entitled to FFCRA Paid Leave?
December 16, 2020
Believe it or not, 2020 is nearly over. Still, there are many uncertainties ahead. Many workplaces will close for some period over the holidays. At the same time, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise, and schools are using alternative learning methods and schedules. As a ...
► Cal/OSHA Adopts Sweeping COVID-19 Prevention Regulation
December 15, 2020
The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted unanimously to pass the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) Emergency COVID-19 Prevention Regulation on November 19, 2020. The regulation became effective after the Office of Administrative ...
