State Employment Law Articles

On March 30, 2021, Governor Ralph Northam signed into law the Virginia Overtime Wage Act (VOWA), creating new wage and hour requirements for Virginia employers. Set to take effect July 1, 2021, the VOWA also includes numerous employee protections. The VOWA amends the Virginia Code to authorize colle

Last week, on May 20, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board met to review and vote on proposed revisions to the COVID-19 emergency regulations. However, that vote was delayed due to a letter request by Cal/OSHA – the agency that published the original emergency regulations and the proposed revisions. The del

On May 18, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a new guidance titled, “Interim Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals,” adjusting the applicability and enforcement of current state guidance for fully vaccinated individuals. Here are the key provisions of the new interim guidance.

On May 11, 2021, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed into law SB 5115, the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA), which expands the workers’ compensation framework for infectious and contagious diseases and imposes new notice requirements on employers.

On May 20, 2021, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an acceleration of the “Vacc to Normal” plan. The acceleration takes place as Whitmer reported more Michiganders have received vaccines and the CDC announced revised facemask guidance for vaccinated individuals.

On May 19, 2021, on the eve of a vote by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt proposed substantial changes to the existing Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), Deputy Chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (commonly known as “Cal/OSHA”) Eric

On May 18, 2021, Santa Clara County, California, issued a health order that both relieves employers of some earlier COVID-19–related requirements and imposes new obligations on employers, particularly with respect to employees’ vaccination status. Santa Clara County also issued the “ Mandatory Direc

Effective May 19, 2021, New York State has adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s May 13 “ Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People ” for most commercial operations and public settings.

One of our favorite clients (ok, you are ALL our favorites) emailed me recently about the CDC’s new mask guidance. She asked a very practical question: “Do I follow the CDC guidance, or California’s guidance? And why the %$^* does everything keep changing! I have a headache.”

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials in several Northern California counties were among the first to act, issuing orders addressing public health and safety. Indeed, the first death from coronavirus occurred in one such county – Santa Clara County.

By: Collecting Employee Vaccination Status Can Create Challenges for Employers While we are turning the corner on the pandemic, California employers still face challenges navigating the complex health and workplace rules pertaining to COVID-19. Compliance issues remain for employers that are now col

With the onset of warmer weather this spring and summer, now is a good time for California employers to review their recovery break policies.

On May 18, 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors enacted an urgency ordinance that, under certain circumstances , requires all private employers to provide paid leave so employees can receive COVID-19 vaccine injections. This paid leave includes time employees spend traveling to and from

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and as new information has become available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local governments have continuously revised their isolation and quarantine requirements and recommendations.

On May 20, 2021, the Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) decided to table the expected vote on Cal/OSHA’s revisions to its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Instead, the Standards Board requested that Cal/OSHA

South Carolina recently passed a joint resolution that offers protection to its businesses and health care providers from liability for certain claims arising from COVID-19.

There is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel for New Jersey employers, as the state’s COVID-19 numbers continue to decline and Governor Philip Murphy continues to ease restrictions on businesses. But this good news comes with a dose of serious bad news for New Jersey employers too. The

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has announced the state will lift its COVID-19 restrictions and adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) face covering guidance on May 29, 2021. The City of Boston announced it will align with this plan. Municipalities around the Commonwealth

On May 5, 2021, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Assembly Bill A2681B , which has been coined as the New York HERO Act.

New CDC guidance that fully vaccinated persons may stop wearing masks and distancing in most settings is a welcome announcement after over a year of the COVID crisis. However, California employers should note that the new CDC guidance has an exception that largely swallows the guidance because masks