As discussed in our previous article, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) has presented a number of new administrative and operational challenges to employers. As was the case with the FFCRA, the Department of Labor (DOL) has released guidance to help answer...
What Employers Need to Know About the American Rescue Plan Act
There is a lot for employers to unpack in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was signed into law on March 11, 2021. Here are some of the key provisions: Voluntary Paid Sick and Family Leave With regard to paid leave, the ARPA provides incentives for employers...
CHRO Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Deadline Moved Yet Again
Employers who missed the February 9, 2021 deadline for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training have been given a reprieve by the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. The agency issued a blanket extension of the training deadline until April 19,...
Executive Order Extends Emergency Paid Sick Leave for School Employees
On February 4, Governor Lamont issued Executive Order 10, extending Emergency Paid Sick Leave for employees of local and regional boards of education in Connecticut. This extension is only applicable to boards of education and not to private-sector or other municipal...
May An Employer Mandate That Employees Be Vaccinated against COVID As A Condition of Employment?
In a non-union context, the answer is “yes” based upon guidance from the EEOC, at least in the sense that it will not violate the ADA or GINA. In the Union context, the answer is less clear given the uniqueness of the Covid-19 pandemic and the paucity of case law...
EEOC Proposes Changes to Rules for Wellness Program Incentives
The EEOC has proposed new rules addressing the incentives employers may lawfully offer to their employees to encourage participation in wellness programs which require the disclosure of employee medical information without violating the ADA or GINA. Currently HIPAA,...
DOL Ceases Enforcement of Executive Order Banning Diversity Training
The DOL, through its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, issued notice advising that it has ceased enforcement efforts relative to Executive Order 13950, and any enforcement or investigation of pending complaints against recipients of federal funding...
DOL updates its FFCRA guidance
The FFCRA, passed by Congress in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to mandate paid leave benefits to eligible employees for certain qualifying events, expired on December 31, 2020. Although Congress passed new stimulus legislation in January 2021, that...
EEOC Updates Guidance As COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-Out Begins
Just in time for the holidays, the FDA has recently approved the emergency use of the first two COVID-19 vaccines, with at least two more in the final stages of clinical trials. As these vaccines become available to certain sectors of the population, the EEOC has...
Reminder: Deductions for CT Paid Family and Medical Leave start January 1, 2021 – Are you ready?
Is it that time already? On June 25, 2019, Connecticut passed legislation to create the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act program, which provides eligible workers paid leave benefits for qualifying events covered under the federal FMLA, the Connecticut FMLA and the...
