Last week, Ohio House Bill 352 (the “Employment Law Uniformity Act”) was signed into law. The Employment Law Uniformity Act, updates Ohio’s anti-discrimination statute, shortens the relevant statutory periods of limitation, and prevents the simultaneous filing of administrative and judicial actions, among other things. The act also codifies an employer’s affirmative defense for sexual harassment hostile work environment claims and limits individual supervisory liability. Administrative Filing Before the Employment Law Uniformity Act, employees could sue…

The transportation industry awaits a decision by the Ninth Circuit in Commissioner for the State of California v. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Nos. 19-70413, 18-73488, 19-70323 and 19-70329, as to whether the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Order in December 2018 that California’s meal and rest break rules are preempted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations will stand. Federal hours of service regulations generally limit truck drivers to 11 hours of driving time…

Originally effective on April 1, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) required certain employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The FFCRA specified an effective date through December 31, 2020. While many anticipated that Congress would take action to extend the law’s effective date beyond the end of 2020, this never occurred. Recently, the…

With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new respiratory protection guidance focused on protecting workers in nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care facilities (collectively “LTCFs”). OSHA’s new guidance stresses the significance of proper and effective Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) when dealing with COVID positive patients and residents, indicating that cloth facemasks and face shields are not PPE. Most significantly, however, the guidance specifies that employees…