A recent press release by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) demonstrates that Equal Pay Act claims are becoming increasingly common. The EEOC in Baltimore, MD announced that an auto dealership agreed to pay $62,500 to resolve an Equal Pay Act claim by a female employee. The employee had alleged that she was being
Employer Liability
Thinking about a Reorganization or Rightsizing? Here are Five Key Questions for your Organization to Consider Now
As the negative economic outlook continues to fill our news and social media feeds, many organizations are pondering what an economic shift may mean for their business. Others have moved on to the next stage of grief, acceptance, and have started to plan ahead. For some organizations, this means considering, and possibly implementing, a reorganization…
More on Workplace Surveillance
Our blog post on Nanny Cams in the workplace turned out to be one of our most popular posts (makes us wonder what people are putting in the search bar?). So, we thought we would follow up with some more information for employers about surveillance in the workplace.
Employers with unionized workforces will need to…
NLRB Holds Employers Must Continue Dues Checkoff After Expiration of Collective Bargaining Agreement
In Valley Hospital Medical Center, 371 NLRB No. 160 (Sept. 30, 2022) (Valley Hospital II), a divided National Labor Relations Board held that employers must continue to deduct union dues from employees’ pay and remit such dues to their union – a process known as “dues checkoff” – even after the expiration of…
L&I Report Sets its Sights on Misclassified Construction Workers
A recent report from a Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry task force describes the economic impact of worker misclassification in Pennsylvania and makes several significant recommendations to the legislature. These recommendations, if implemented, could dramatically impact how some Pennsylvania employers manage their workforce, particularly those employers in the construction industry.
The report was issued…
Sixth Circuit Dissolves Stay of OSHA ETS, Permitting OSHA to Resume Implementation of ETS
On December 17, 2021, a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit dissolved the stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) that had previously been issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. We summarized the…
COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Federal Contractors is Now Blocked Nationwide
Last week, we shared that a federal district court in Kentucky issued a preliminary injunction blocking the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors and subcontractors in all covered contracts in Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. See Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Biden, No. 3:21-cv-00055 (E.D. Ky. Nov. 30, 2021).
Yesterday, a federal district court…
Sixth Circuit Selected to Hear Consolidated Challenge to OSHA ETS, after the Fifth Circuit Issues a Stay
On November 5, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) published its much-anticipated COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) requiring, among other things, that most employees of companies with 100 or more employees submit to weekly COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering while at work indoors. We summarized the ETS in…
OSHA Issues Emergency Standards for COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination in the Workplace
On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”) issued its much-anticipated COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) imposing requirements pertaining to vaccinations, testing and face coverings on private employers throughout the country.
Which businesses does the ETS apply to? The ETS applies to employers with 100 or more employees, including…
VACCINE PREMIUM DIFFERENTIALS ARE PERMISSIBLE UNDER WELLNESS PLANS AND NO COST SHARES ALLOWED FOR AUTHORIZED VACCINES AND BOOSTERS
A recently published FAQ prepared by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury answers frequently asked questions regarding vaccine premium differentials and HIPAA nondiscrimination rules, as well as the cost shares for vaccine boosters.
Vaccine Premium Differentials
ERISA and other regulations prohibit plans “from discriminating against participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees in eligibility,…