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The Legal Line®

Standards for Employee Documentation for Telework/Leave In the Age of COVID

April 22, 2020

Recent EEOC guidance from April 17, 2020 provided additional information about providing reasonable accommodations for disabilities, addressing harassment, and returning employees to wor k in the era of COVID-9. This EEOC guidance provides critical insights for employers to be sure they are complying with anti-discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC, including for example the Americans … Read more

Senate Passes Almost $500 Billion in New COVID Relief Mostly for Small Businesses

April 22, 2020

After passing a $2 Trillion package in March, on April 21, 2020, the Senate unanimously passed another bill (the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act) which provides almost $500 Billion in new funding for COVID-19 related relief. The vast majority of the money appropriated in the bill will go to small businesses hit … Read more

EEOC Updates its Guidance on Covid19

April 20, 2020

The EEOC has published updated guidance on managing your workforce during the COVID19 pandemic. In a revised set of FAQs, the EEOC covered a number of issues, such as: Can you require sick employees to stay at home? (Yes) Can you require a doctor’s note? (Yes, but you may need to be flexible on this … Read more

DOL Publishes Regulations regarding Families First Coronavirus Response Act

April 2, 2020

The onset of coronavirus has changed just about everything we all took for granted as “normal.” Employers have been forced to make critical decisions in short-order to respond to this public health crisis, all the while trying to balance supporting their employees and sustaining the viability of their businesses. At the same time, employers also … Read more

New $ 2 Trillion Dollar Emergency Relief Bill Passed and going to President

March 27, 2020

It finally happened. The new law is here and with it, hopefully, at least a measure of relief. Here is a link to the House bill passed moments ago: https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=6819239-FINAL-FINAL-CARES-ACT The package is much as has already been reported, including: Emergency Funding to Contain the Covid19 Outbreak: $340 Billion to go to hospitals, FEMA, the … Read more

DOL Publishes Guidance and Poster Re: Families First Coronavirus Response Act

March 26, 2020

As most people already know, just over a week ago, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act). Generally, it requires employers with fewer than 500 employees (“covered employers”) to provide their employees with 1) paid sick leave and/or 2) expanded family and medical leave, for specified reasons related to coronavirus, with … Read more

Domestic “Marshall Plan” to Deal with Pandemic Has Passed Congress

March 25, 2020

Today, the Senate introduced a massive, $2 Trillion stimulus package to address the global Covid19 pandemic. Here is a link to the pending law: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3548/text There’s a lot in there. Some highlights: Qualifying Small businesses will get approximately $367 billion to cover business expenses and to keep making payroll while workers have to stay home. … Read more