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HR Management

Coronavirus and the Workplace

05/21/2021
Your guide to the coronavirus and HR.

COVID litigation: What HR can learn from the first wave of lawsuits

05/21/2021
Since the COVID pandemic struck last March, courts have been flooded with lawsuits. These lawsuits come in a wide variety of flavors, with each offering important lessons for employers who want to avoid becoming the next target. Here are some of the top litigation triggers to help you revamp your pandemic response.

COVID anxiety: What if workers don’t want to return?

05/21/2021
What do you do with an employee who insists on working from home after you recall people to in-person work?

Pandemic intensified worker substance abuse

05/21/2021
The number of employees reporting lower productivity or missed work due to substance abuse has “nearly doubled” since 2019, according to a new survey by Versta Research.

$136K COVID fine shows OSHA is in for the long haul

05/21/2021
In what appears to be the first company cited under OSHA’s new National Emphasis Program on COVID enforcement, a Massachusetts tax-prep company was hit with a $136,552 fine for, in part, prohibiting employees and customers from wearing face masks in the office during the statewide mask mandate last winter.

With new COVID laws & increased scrutiny, now’s the time to rewrite your PTO policy

05/21/2021
With an increased focus on employee leave in the public eye and new pandemic-related laws, companies with outdated paid time off policies could find themselves in messy legal situations. That makes now a good time to review and rewrite your PTO policies. Here are some issues to consider.

How to undo your WFH arrangements: 4 steps

05/21/2021
If your organization is preparing to call employees back into the workplace after a 15-month work-from-home COVID hiatus, it’s important to be aware of the potential legal risks. That includes dealing with workers who want to stay remote, either as a preference or as a legal accommodation.

Ongoing telework brings legal complexities

05/20/2021
Remote work is likely to continue long after the coronavirus crisis subsides. As you contemplate what post-pandemic work will look like, it’s important to recognize the complications inherent to permanent telework arrangements. Factor them into your decision making when setting new policies on remote work and hiring.

Report: Pandemic recovery will require retraining push

05/18/2021
As the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, millions of American workers—especially minority workers, women, youth and workers with lower educational attainment—will not only need new jobs, but also the training and opportunities to switch careers, according to a new report by the Conference Board business advisory nonprofit.

Revisit workplace mask policies in light of new CDC guidance

05/18/2021
Don’t rush to scrap your workplace masking and distancing rules solely on the basis of what the CDC says. In fact, OSHA remains the go-to safety authority for employers.