On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the US Senate passed HR 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. President Trump signed the bill into law that night. Provisions of the Act take effect in 15 days and automatically expire on December 31, 2020. The measure passed by the Senate keeps intact the majority of provisions discussed [...]
Earlier this month, we published a blog article outlining how employers can prepare for employee illness related to the flu season and Coronavirus. Since then, federal and state authorities have implemented measures to slow the spread of Coronavirus. These measures present a number of concerns for employers who may have sick employees, or employees who [...]
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is everywhere in the news and everyone is talking about it. The virus, which was first recognized in December 2019, has spread from its point of origin to nearly fifty countries by the beginning of March 2020. But for all the news coverage in the American media, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) [...]
For the past several years, contracted and freelance work has been on the rise in the United States in the form of app-based job opportunities, dubbed the “gig economy.” According to a 2019 report by Upwork, 57 million Americans engaged in freelance work in some capacity last year.[1] A few common examples of these gig [...]
While the start of a new year can bring joy and a sense of optimism, it can also signal something many supervisors and employees dread: performance evaluations. However, with the proper goals and execution, employers can turn performance reviews from an inconvenience into a valuable tool that benefits both the organization and its employees. Why [...]
With Christmas and the New Year around the corner, many employers are planning their annual holiday parties. However, even with good intentions, holiday parties can expose employers to liability arising from alcohol consumption and poor decision making. The following cases are a reminder that the rules of the workplace still apply even while celebrating [...]
The General Assembly is seeking to make another fundamental change which could represent significant financial exposure to public employers across the Buckeye State. The change was introduced in House Bill 308 and alters the way Post-traumatic stress disorder (or "PTSD") claims are handled for firefighters, police, and EMS personnel. According to the American Psychiatric Association, [...]
Failing to compensate employees below the required overtime rate under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) is an unnecessary source of liability for employers. However, the topic is often overlooked due to the complexity and confusion surrounding what actually counts toward an employee’s regular rate, the base rate an employer must use when determining overtime [...]
Receiving a notice that someone has filed a charge of discrimination against your organization with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) can be frightening. While many employers are familiar with the formal litigation process, an EEOC charge is different; there are different deadlines, different processes for submission of information, and a different timeline for [...]
One of the most difficult issues for employers is disciplining employees. An employer must consider many issues when it is deciding to discipline. Having all the facts involved in the disciplinary matter is crucial yet employers often fail to conduct a thorough investigation before making a decision. This article includes some questions for employers to [...]
