Policies / Handbooks

Prepare your policy for a proliferation of pandemic puppies

07/15/2021

During the past year, lots of your employees got new pets. As people return to the workplace, expect more “Can I bring my dog to work?” questions. Now’s a good time to clarify (or draft) your policy as a perk or recruitment tool.

Employees’ biometric data in the workplace: the legal do’s and don’ts

06/24/2021

Fingerprint scans for time cards … temperature screening for COVID … retina scans for security access. These increasingly common examples of biometric data also carry risks that employers should learn to mitigate.

Courts are beginning to toss employees’ covid vaccination lawsuits

06/16/2021

Most plaintiffs haven’t gotten in front of a court yet. But one group of plaintiffs in Texas did and their case was dismissed. That’s good news if you’re thinking of requiring employees to get their shots before coming back to work.

Revise policies to protect health, encourage taking sick leave

06/15/2021

Now that the pandemic is ebbing and more workers are coming back into the office or resuming retail and restaurant jobs, it may be time to revisit your sick-leave policies. While coronavirus infections are on the decline, more familiar illnesses are starting to return.

OSHA revises covid guidance to protect unvaccinated workers

06/15/2021

OSHA scrapped plans to issue a broad emergency temporary standard for covid-safety practices. A new ETS focuses narrowly on measures to protect workers in health care environments.

Address staff anxiety over relaxed mask rules

06/10/2021

When the Centers for Disease Control announced in mid-May that people who are fully vaccinated against covid-19 do not need to wear masks in public, many businesses were caught flat-footed.

Firm threatens lawsuits over vaccine mandates

06/03/2021

Despite EEOC guidance that employers may require employees to be vaccinated against covid-19, only 49.9% of Americans had received at least one shot as of June 2. About 13% of Americans say they will refuse to be vaccinated under any circumstances, according to the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.

Summertime! Develop a consistent dress code for warm weather

06/01/2021

As the weather warms up and employees start returning to your premises, it may be time to roll out your summer dress-code policy.

EEOC: OK to require employees to be vaccinated against covid-19

06/01/2021

Federal equal employment opportunity laws do not prevent an employer from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for covid-19, according to new guidance issued by the EEOC on May 28. However, employers must comply with the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA and Title VII.

Drop mask rules or not: Questions, answers about new CDC guidance

05/25/2021

According to Centers for Disease Control guidance issued May 13, people who have been fully vaccinated against covid-19 no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where otherwise required to by law or local business and workplace guidance. For employers, the guidance raised more questions than it provided answers.