The Employment Law Counselor

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) regulations on November 4, 2021, that will affect most employers in the United States. In brief, by December 5, 2021, all unvaccinated employees of businesses with 100 or more employees (the calculation is firm/corporate level, NOT per location) must wear masks indoors (including in a vehicle with another person for work purposes). By January 4, 2022, all businesses with 100 or more employees must ensure employees are fully vaccinated or subject to regular testing at least weekly (which can be at the employee’s own expense, though collective bargaining agreements may require employers to pay for such tests). The new regulations are expected to cover more than 80 million employees.Continue Reading

On September 18, 2021, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidelines for Quarantine and Isolation (Guidance) with respect to the COVID-19 virus. For purposes of the Guidance, “quarantine” is the appropriate response if a person may have been exposed to the virus, while “isolation” is the response for a person infected with the virus, even with no symptoms. With the expected issuance of workplace guidelines (and governmental mandates usually based on CDC Guidance) keeping informed of the changes and updates will be critical for employers as employees return to office workspace.Continue Reading