The Federal Corona Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), approved Friday in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, provides businesses with a myriad of opportunities for relief, including expansion of unemployment benefits, advance refunding of tax credits for employers that provide expanded FMLA leave and emergency paid sick leave, small business loan programs, debt forgiveness, and more. Summaries of the … Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: March 2020
CARES Act Impacts to Employer-Sponsored Health and Welfare Benefit Plans
Health and welfare benefit plans and insurers are affected by various provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) passed on March 27, 2020. In addition to provisions impacting tax-qualified retirement plans and executive compensation (summarized here), the CARES Act affects coverage of diagnostic testing, preventive services, telehealth services, and drug reimbursement. Here are the … Continue Reading
Cracking Down on Employers Misclassifying Employees as Independent Contractors
New Jersey has joined California and New York City by adding significant new penalties and requirements on employers doing business in the Garden State, including new penalties for misclassifying workers as independent contractors and new posting requirements effective April 1, 2020. Illinois, New York, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Florida considered various forms of legislation on worker misclassification in 2019, and … Continue Reading
Summary of Key Tax Provisions in Historic Senate CARES Act Legislation
On March 26, the Senate passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), which advances legislation intended to help Americans and businesses survive a public health and economic crisis due to COVID-19. This article provides a summary of key tax provisions in the CARES Act. The bill now moves to the House, which is expected to … Continue Reading
New Unemployment Obligations for Georgia Employers
Employers faced with layoffs and furloughs need to pay close attention to state unemployment laws, which are in flux and in some instances may impose extraordinary burdens on employers. For example, Georgia has extended unemployment benefits and now requires employers to file for benefits on behalf some employees impacted by COVID-19 as a result of certain changes to state unemployment … Continue Reading
Department of Labor Issues FFCRA Guidance, Poster
A flurry of publications from the United States Department of Labor (DOL) provide employers with additional details regarding the recently-passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Q&A guidance issued March 24 establishes an April 1, 2020 effective date and explains how to calculate the 500-employee threshold and hours used to determine employees’ leave entitlement. A March 24 Wage and Hour … Continue Reading
COVID-19 Inquiries and Disclosures in the Workplace
Once an employee has been exposed to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, what do you do? Once an employee has tested positive, what do you say? How does an employer walk the fine line between protecting the privacy of affected individuals and ensuring the safety of others in the workplace?
Because a national public health emergency has been … Continue Reading
Notice Requirements When Furloughing Or Laying Off Workers in the Pandemic
Employers contemplating layoffs or furloughs of employees as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak need to be careful. Even if they are not subject to the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act), they may be obligated to provide various notices under state “mini-WARN” acts or other state laws.
Below is a quick overview of how these federal … Continue Reading
Paid Sick Time and FMLA Expansion Law Passes
Employers with fewer than 500 employees will be required to provide paid leave to certain employees impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) and will receive a tax credit in return, under a new law approved by the Senate and signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020. These measures are set to take effect no later than April 2, 2020.
The … Continue Reading
Rocky Mountain Employers: Brace for Sweeping Changes to Compensation and Minimum Wage Laws
Employers operating in the Rocky Mountain region need to pay close attention to the 2020 Administrative Order issued by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) mandating broad changes to employee compensation and rights. It is different than similar orders issued previously, and makes significant changes to wage and hour laws in Colorado. CDLE recently adopted the Colorado Overtime … Continue Reading
New Sick Leave Entitlements for Quarantined NY Employees and More Coming
Immediate pay and job protection for New Yorkers quarantined as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) , as well as comprehensive paid sick leave that will impact all employers within six months, will be enacted imminently into law, Governor Cuomo of New York has announced.
Originally designed as one bill, New York lawmakers and the Governor reached agreement on the … Continue Reading
Paid Sick Leave and Other Relief Coming for Employees Affected by COVID-19
Employers with fewer than 500 employees will be required to provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for certain employees impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) and will receive a tax credit in return under an emergency bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this weekend. The Senate is expected to consider the bill this week and President … Continue Reading
IRS Issues Helpful Coronavirus-Related Guidance for Employers with High Deductible Health Plans
Benefit plan sponsors are responding to participant questions about the coronavirus/COVID-19. In particular, employers’ HR departments are fielding questions about whether their health plan will pay for any necessary testing and/or treatment. Both full-insured and self-funded plans are widely announcing plans to waive the cost of physician-ordered tests. But until now, there was one huge open question. Could participants in … Continue Reading
Declaration of COVID-19 as a Pandemic Changes Rules for Employers
The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020 finally acknowledged that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a pandemic. That designation changes the rules for employers.
The standard for justifying disability-related inquiries and medical examinations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is now easier to meet, based on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Guidance for Pandemic Preparedness from … Continue Reading
Employers: Charting a Course in the Midst of Coronavirus
The global health crisis created by the explosion of Coronavirus cases is requiring employers to navigate uncharted waters. Circumstances are changing daily, and employers must be agile in responding. For now, here are some key tips:… Continue Reading
Deadline Rapidly Approaching To Register Online for H-1B Visa Lottery
The rush is on: U.S. employers looking to hire foreign professionals through H-1B sponsorship must register online for the annual lottery by noon (12:00 pm) EST on March 20, 2020. Employers petitioning for cap-subject H-1B hopefuls are required to register electronically through myUSCIS and pay a $10 registration fee to be entered in the yearly draw. The H-1B online registration … Continue Reading
NLRB Issues Joint Employer Final Rule
Right on the heels of the Department of Labor (DOL) issuing a new joint employer liability test under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued its own employer-friendly final rule for determining joint employer liability under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRB’s final rule is scheduled to become effective April 27, 2020.… Continue Reading
