Category
Contagious disease
CDC Revises Indoor Mask Guidance (Feb 2022)
In late February 2022, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) relaxed its mask guidance for communities where hospitals aren’t under high strain. The CDC announced its new COVID-19 Community Levels tool which is a way for communities to decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or......
CDC Updates Quarantine and Isolation Periods for COVID-19
On December 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance for employers on how long employees should quarantine and self-isolate after a positive COVID-19 test, and after close contact with a positive COVID-19 person. Here is the update: If you test positive for COVID-19: The CDC shortened the recommended time...
CDC’s New Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated People
COVID-19 cases on the rise again, driven by the infectious Delta variant. Based on these rising numbers, the CDC released new guidelines for fully vaccinated people on July 27. According to the CDC, about half of the US population is fully vaccinated, so make sure you are aware of the updated guidelines as an employer.......
Should Employers Mandate or Encourage COVID-19 Vaccines?
Can employers require mandatory COVID-19 vaccines? In the first case of first impression, a judge in Houston, Texas dismissed a lawsuit regarding a hospital worker who refused a mandatory vaccine (June 12, 2021). Per hospital mandate, to continue employment with Houston Methodist Hospital, managers had to be vaccinated by April 15 and all oth...
Fake COVID Vaccine cards – really?
Apparently, there is a market for fake vaccine cards online and sellers are charging hundreds of dollars. Really…? Posts have started to appear on Twitter, Instagram, and eBay, and other e-commerce sites, for fake vaccine cards, even though the blank CDC cards are readily available on the internet, including various public health sites. There...
Mandatory Paid COVID leave (FFCRA) Expires 12/31/20, Now Voluntary
On January 1, 2021, employers are no longer mandated to provide expanded paid COVID sick days and emergency family leave benefits that was put into place by the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Covered employers (private employers with under 500 employees and public employers) have the option to voluntarily permit employees to use any...
DOL Revises Regulations for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Effective September 16, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the release of revised regulations under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The revised regulations came after a New York court decision invalidated several parts of the FFCRA’s rules. The new, updated regulations did not change too much for non-healthcare em...
EEOC updates FAQs on Screening Employees for COVID-19 and Handling Medical Information
There was an update for employers from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on September 8. After public feedback, the EEOC updated several answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about how employers should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. What was updated? FAQ A6 (COVID-19 testi...
$300 Extra Unemployment Benefits coming soon to Floridians
At the end of July, the $600 extended unemployment benefits paid by the CARES Act ended. After the Congress was deadlocked on a new stimulus bill to help people hurt by the pandemic, President Trump signed an Executive Order on August 8, directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with the U.S. Department......
New DOL Guidance for Paid Leave for School Closures
With schools starting to open in Florida, employers are revisiting the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”), which provides two weeks of paid sick leave related to COVID-19 and up to twelve weeks of paid leave under the expanded Family and Medical Leave Act (“EFMLA”). School districts are offering a mixture of online/virtual ...
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