Insights Archive - Ogletree Deakins

The New ‘Race and Sex Stereotyping’ Executive Order Affecting Federal Contractors

On September 22, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.” The executive order follows a September 4, 2020, memorandum from Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and introduces requirements for government contractors conducting diversity and inclusion (D&I) trainings. It is clear from the order that covered contracts, subcontracts, and grants with the U.S. federal government must control for specific language related to workplace trainings, but the order otherwise lacks guidance about changes covered contractors must make when training on D&I issues.

Kimya S.P. Johnson Philadelphia Author

Leigh M. Nason Columbia Author

Lauren B. Hicks Atlanta
Indianapolis Author

Bonnie Puckett Atlanta Author

Katrina Grider Houston Author

Philadelphia Expands Entitlement to Paid Sick Leave for Workers Not Covered by FFCRA

On September 17, 2020, six months after Mayor Jim Kenney issued Executive Order 3-20, a Declaration of Emergency Related to the Known and Potential Presence of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 in Philadelphia, he signed into law Bill No. 200303, a temporary amendment expanding the City of Philadelphia’s paid sick leave law—officially known as the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces Ordinance—to establish public health emergency leave for individuals not covered by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Janice G. Dubler Cherry Hill (NJ)
Philadelphia Author

Brandon R. Sher Philadelphia Author

OFCCP Goes Live With Landing Pages for Its New Promotions and Accommodations Focused Reviews

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently announced that 2,250 supply and service contractor establishments would be scheduled for compliance reviews. OFCCP has identified 1,000 of these reviews as promotions and accommodations focused reviews (i.e., 500 promotions focused reviews and 500 accommodations focused reviews).

Christopher J. Near Columbia Author

James A. Patton, Jr. Birmingham Author

UK Government Introduces New Job Support Scheme to Protect Jobs Still Affected by the COVID-19 Crisis

On 24 September 2020, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced new measures to support businesses and workers affected by the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The announcement came after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared a tightening of coronavirus restrictions in England on 22 September 2020.

Daniella McGuigan London Author

Beltway Buzz, September 25, 2020

The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C. could impact your business.

James J. Plunkett Washington D.C. Author

Ontario Employers Take Note: Minimum Wage Is Increasing October 1, 2020

Employers operating in Ontario, Canada should be aware that Ontario’s minimum wage rate is set to increase on October 1, 2020. This increase affects not only the general minimum wage rate, but also the alternative minimum wage rates that apply in Ontario.

Michael Comartin Toronto Author

Employers, Don’t Let Your Guard Down: COVID-19–Related Employment Lawsuits Are in Full Swing

We previously reported on COVID-19–related employment lawsuits that we tracked from late March 2020 through early May 2020. Since then, the number of lawsuits has steadily risen as employers have resumed operations after shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders were lifted and students returned to school in virtual or hybrid environments. To track this litigation and to identify trends, we developed an Interactive COVID-19 Litigation Tracker that details where COVID-19–related litigation is taking place by state, the industries affected, and the types of claims asserted against employers and educational institutions.

Hal A. Shillingstad Minneapolis Author

Natalie M. Stevens Cleveland Author

New York Federal District Court Vacates Significant Portion of DOL’s Joint-Employer Rule

On September 8, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) final joint-employer rule, which limited when multiple businesses involved in an employment relationship could be liable for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Christina L. Wabiszewski Milwaukee Author

Smart and Safe Arizona Act: What Employers Need to Know About Arizona’s Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative

At the end of 2019, we urged employers to keep an eye on a new recreational marijuana legalization voter initiative in Arizona: the Smart and Safe Arizona Act. Although many employers have been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, they may want to be aware that the Arizona Secretary of State has officially certified the Smart and Safe Arizona Act as one of two voter propositions on the November 2020 ballot. In addition to approving the initiative, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has also published arguments for and against the measure.

Rayna H. Jones Phoenix Author

Texas Employees Have a Right to Vote on Election Day (and to Be Protected From Retaliation)

Election Day—Tuesday, November 3, 2020—is quickly approaching, and employees might ask for time off to vote. Employers that simply say “no” to their employees might be violating Texas law.

Adam D. Courtin San Antonio Author

Final Key Provisions of Oregon’s Workplace Fairness Act Take Effect October 1, 2020

In the summer of 2019, Oregon enacted the Oregon Workplace Fairness Act (SB 726), which imposed sweeping new requirements on Oregon employers in response to the #MeToo movement. Although some of the law’s provisions took effect in September 2019, the remaining provisions take effect on October 1, 2020. Oregon employers that have not done so already may want to take steps to ensure they are in compliance with all of the new requirements by that date.

Caroline R. Guest Portland (OR) Author

Kelly S. Riggs Portland (OR) Author

Cal/OSHA Standards Board to Draft and Adopt COVID-19 Safety Standard

On September 17, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) voted unanimously to pursue the drafting and adoption of a California COVID-19 safety regulation. The emergency regulation would cover all workers in California regardless of industry segment.

Karen F. Tynan Sacramento Author

Kevin D. Bland Orange County Author

New California Labor Code Section 6409.6 Imposes COVID-19 Workplace Exposure Notice Requirements

On September 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 685 into law, enacting California Labor Code Section 6409.6 and amending other state statutes. As explained further below, Section 6409.6 obligates employers to notify employees, the employees’ exclusive representative (such as a union), and subcontractors, within one business day of an employer’s receiving notice of a potential COVID-19 workplace exposure from a “qualifying individual.”

Charles L. Thompson, IV San Francisco Author

DHS Proposal Would Expand Biometrics Collection and Use for Immigration Enforcement

On September 11, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a regulation that focuses on the expansion of the collection and use of biometric data in the enforcement and administration of immigration laws. The proposed rule would subject foreign nationals to periodic biometrics collection and continuous vetting after they enter the United States and until they become U.S. citizens.

Ann H. Lee Denver Author

Amy R. Dalal Raleigh Author

Governor DeWine Signs Law Shielding Ohio Employers From Liability for COVID-19–Related Lawsuits

On September 14, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill (H.B.) 606 into law, providing employers with legal protections when it comes to their efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 and making Ohio one of a growing number of states granting similar civil immunity. According to Governor DeWine, the new law accomplishes the dual goals of keeping people safe and rebuilding the state’s economy.

Corey N. Thrush Cleveland Author

Donald Campbell Bulea Cleveland Author

Maine DOL Issues Final Mandatory Paid Leave Rules

The countdown is on for when Maine officially becomes the first state to require private employers to provide earned paid leave to employees for any reason.

Steven Silver Portland (ME) Author

Working Remotely? Welcome to Minneapolis and Its SST Ordinance

Now that the Minnesota Supreme Court has settled the issue of applying the Minneapolis Sick and Safe Time (SST) ordinance to employers “with no physical presence in Minneapolis,” what does this mean for employers with employees who are working remotely in their homes within the city? It may mean that those employees are covered by the Minneapolis SST ordinance and possibly by other similar ordinances.

Bruce J. Douglas Minneapolis Author

Beltway Buzz, September 18, 2020

The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C. could impact your business.

James J. Plunkett Washington D.C. Author

New Jersey Enacts COVID-19 Workers’ Compensation Presumption Bill for Essential Workers

On September 14, 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill (SB) 2380 into law. SB 2380 creates a rebuttable presumption of workers’ compensation coverage for COVID-19 cases contracted by “essential employees” during a public health emergency declared by an executive order of the governor. The law is effective immediately and retroactive to March 9, 2020.

S. Michael Nail Greenville Author

Mark Diana Morristown Author

20 Tips for U.S. Virgin Islands Employers in 2020: Navigating COVID-19 Inquiries and Disclosures

Conducting business in the U.S. Virgin Islands poses unique challenges not often encountered in the states, but also unique opportunities. This 20-part series offers tips for doing business in the U.S. Virgin Islands, covering a broad array of topics affecting employers. Part 11 of this series addresses the laws relevant to navigating inquiries into and disclosures of information related to COVID-19 in the workplace.

Simone R.D. Francis St. Thomas
New York Author

Leave for Oregon’s Volunteer Emergency Responders During Unprecedented Wildfires

On September 9, 2020, Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order No. 20-41 invoking the Emergency Conflagration Act Statewide in light of extreme fire danger. Governor Brown’s invocation of the Emergency Conflagration Act remains in effect until at least November 1, 2020, as wildfires continue to rage. More than 1 million acres of land have burned across Oregon since September 7, 2020. To put things in perspective the area burned is nearly five times the size of New York City. According to Governor Brown, Oregon is facing an unprecedented level of uncontained fire. To put the flames out, Oregon will need all the help that it can get from its courageous firefighters and first responders.

Paul E. Cirner Portland (OR) Author

Is a COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccine in Your Company’s Future? Considerations at the Start of Flu Season

Each year we review the validity of mandatory flu vaccinations. It is usually in the context of health care organizations, as few other employers have had the same need. In the last few years, the analysis has remained the same: (1) what is the justification (often, employee and patient safety); (2) will there be medical and/or religious exemptions; and, if so, (3) what is the accommodation (it has generally been wearing a mask all times at work).

Katherine Dudley Helms Columbia Author

California Implements New COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Requirement

On September 9, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 1867, which requires large employers and some health care providers to provide up to 80 hours of paid leave for COVID-19–related reasons. The new law also codifies the governor’s previously issued executive order setting forth paid sick leave and handwashing requirements for food sector workers, creates a small business family leave mediation pilot program, and addresses enforcement issues in California’s pre-COVID-19 paid sick leave law.

Charles L. Thompson, IV San Francisco Author

Leslie E. Wallis Los Angeles Author

Families First Coronavirus Response Act: DOL Gets Back on the Rail

On September 11, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) partially ended the mystery of when and how it would respond to the August 3, 2020, decision from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in which the court—stating that the DOL had “jumped the rail”—struck down several provisions of the DOL’s final rule implementing the emergency family leave and paid sick leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Burton D. Garland, Jr. St. Louis Author

Charles L. Thompson, IV San Francisco Author

Ontario Government Extends Protections for Temporary Layoffs to January 2, 2021

On September 3, 2020, Ontario’s government announced that it would extend layoff protections, preventing temporary layoffs due to COVID-19 from automatically becoming terminations of employment.

John Illingworth Toronto Author

EEOC Again Updates Its COVID-19 Disability Accommodation and EEO Guidance

As we previously reported, since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued instructions, statements, and guidance to help employers navigate COVID-19’s workplace impact. On September 8, 2020, the EEOC updated its “Technical Assistance Questions and Answers,” which include updates relating to COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other equal employment opportunity laws previously published in the agency’s “Technical Assistance Guidance on Disability Accommodation.”

Simone R.D. Francis St. Thomas
New York Author

Jeff S. Mayes Houston Author

OFCCP Posts CSAL for Supply & Service and Construction Contractors

On September 11, 2020, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published a Corporate Scheduling Announcement List (CSAL) of “Supply & Service” contractors and subcontractors and, for the first time, a CSAL of construction contractors identified for potential compliance evaluations to its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Library.

T. Scott Kelly Birmingham Author

Beltway Buzz, September 11, 2020

The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C. could impact your business.

James J. Plunkett Washington D.C. Author

20 Tips for U.S. Virgin Islands Employers in 2020: Compensating Hourly Employees for Regular and Overtime Hours

Conducting business in the U.S. Virgin Islands poses unique challenges not often encountered in the states, but also unique opportunities. This 20-part series offers tips for doing business in the U.S. Virgin Islands, covering a broad array of topics affecting employers. Part 10 of this series addresses the laws relevant to tracking hours worked and compensating hourly employees for regular and overtime hours.

Simone R.D. Francis St. Thomas
New York Author

Marijuana Legalization Update for 2020: A Primer on the Latest Medicinal and Recreational Use News

In the past several years, marijuana legalization has become an increasingly difficult issue for employers to navigate. Marijuana legalization raises challenging workplace questions related to drug testing, disability accommodation, workplace safety, hiring, and employment termination, among other issues. Because of the fast-evolving nature of marijuana laws, and the wide variance in laws and protections from state to state, employers have struggled to keep up.

M. Tae Phillips Birmingham Author

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