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Safety/Health

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.

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.

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.

Snapshot: Only 8% of employers will require covid-19 vaccinations

05/18/2021
Few employers are leaning toward requiring employees to be vaccinated as a condition of returning to the workplace.

Be alert for covid-related negligence liability

05/13/2021
Most workplace-related covid-19 infection claims have been resolved through the workers’ compensation system, where employer liability is limited. But a handful of recent claims have made their way into court because they allege secondary infection of nonemployees. There is no limit on the dollar amount plaintiffs can seek in a negligence lawsuit.

Employers, employees may clash over return-to-work

05/13/2021
Employers continue to struggle with what post-pandemic work ought to look like, according to a new survey by the Littler Mendelson employment law firm. One of the most potentially significant problems: Employers and employees may disagree about plans for reopening workplaces after a year of working remotely.