Tag: pandemic

May 2, 2023

On May 1, 2023, President Biden issued a statement announcing the end of the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including those impacting federal contractors and CMS-covered healthcare employers, among others. But what impact does this have on employer vaccine mandates? As […]

November 21, 2022

As we approach our third new year since the first reported cases of COVID-19, related relief may seem like old news. Although much of the government-sponsored pandemic relief has expired, there are aspects that remain germane for employer-sponsored benefit plans. […]

September 9, 2022

1. Compensation in non-union jobs is outpacing compensation in union-represented jobs. A Bureau of Labor and Statistics report indicates the total wage and benefit costs for private-sector nonunionized employers was 3% higher than unionized employers for the 12-month period ending […]

August 16, 2022

COVID-19 was not a natural disaster under the WARN Act and thus the natural disaster exemption from the law’s notice requirements did not apply to an employer that said a layoff was due to a downturn caused by unexpected adverse […]

May 16, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted much about what we once considered business as usual. It has created unmatched levels of flexibility across industries—many of which had very few flexible options pre-pandemic. That said, it has also (understandably so) caused professionals […]

April 7, 2022

As usual, there are some important changes in German employment law that went into effect at the beginning of the new year. Below are eight of the most important new developments about which employers may want to be aware. Statutory […]

March 11, 2022

More than a dozen federal courts have eased or dropped mask requirements since the beginning of March. Reuters has the story. Federal courts that are relaxing or dropping mask requirements include: The District of Connecticut The Western District and the […]

February 4, 2022

Since bottoming out in early 2020, the U.S. economy has handily outperformed other major advanced countries, except in one crucial dimension: its labor force. Between the fourth quarters of 2019 and 2021, the labor-force participation rate—the share of the population […]

February 3, 2022

Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the battles over threshold business interruption coverage issues like the presence of physical loss or damage, causation, and the applicability of policy exclusions continue to rage. Results have been mixed, with insurers notching […]

February 2, 2022

As a nationwide labor shortage continues to put pressure on some of the U.S.’s biggest companies, hiring managers have had to get creative when it comes to acquiring and retaining talent, whether it’s Arkansas’s $10,000 relocation offer or an Arizona CEO’s quit-incentivizing payout. Now, The […]

January 27, 2022

Goodwin Procter is providing “thoughtfully curated weeklong” trips to associates and some other billers, so they can get relaxation time on the law firm’s tab. The “Recharge on Goodwin” program appears to be the first by a major law firm […]

January 21, 2022

Numerous states are proposing tax rebates and bonuses for public workers as the fiscal doldrums of early 2021 give way to fat times fueled by booming markets, growing incomes and federal aid. State revenues between April and November increased 24% […]

December 2, 2021

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) tax credit for COVID-19-related paid leave expired Sept. 30, following the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA’s) extension and expansion of the credit until then earlier this year. Employers now wonder if they should […]

November 30, 2021

The California Labor Commissioner’s Office recently underwent training aimed at resolving workplace disputes before a formal hearing takes place, which is a positive move for employees and employers looking to settle claims quickly and amicably. The bulk of the agency’s […]

November 16, 2021

A deadly crowd surge at rapper Travis Scott’s sold-out Astroworld festival in Houston killed eight people and injured dozens earlier this month. It wasn’t long after that accusations of lax safety and security began to fly. Families of the victims […]

November 15, 2021

As we previously reported, a new amendment to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (820 ILCS § 90) regarding the use of non-competition and non-solicitation restrictive covenants for Illinois employees will take effect on January 1, 2022. The law imposes […]

November 12, 2021

What Is the Labor Force Participation Rate? The labor force participation rate is an estimate of an economy’s active workforce. The formula is the number of people ages 16 and over who are employed or actively seeking employment divided by […]

November 1, 2021

Influencer marketing spending in the United States is expected to increase by more than 30% this year, surpassing a significant milestone. According to Insider Intelligences’ first projection, influencer marketing spending in the United States would top $3 billion in 2021 […]

October 29, 2021

As the National Celebration of Pro Bono comes to an end, several legal aid organizations are reporting that pro bono work actually increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as more remote volunteering opportunities became available. The Pro Bono Institute, a Washington, […]

October 26, 2021

Since March 2020, most law firms and legal organizations have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing their employees to work remotely and transition to more flexible hours. For some lawyers with disabilities, teleworking has brought significant benefits, including increased […]