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By: Jackson Lewis P.C.

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Latest from Disability, Leave & Health Management Blog

On November 16, 2020, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) clarified its guidance permitting critical infrastructure workers to return to work before the end of the standard 14-day quarantine period following exposure to COVID-19.  In this updated guidance, the CDC reiterated its standard recommendation that all individuals known to be exposed to a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days, with the possible limited exception of asymptomatic critical infrastructure workers…
With a difficult 2020 nearing its end, if Connecticut Paid FMLA has recently reappeared on your radar, don’t fret!  Simply review the below basics to prepare for this upcoming change. As a reminder, last summer (i.e., an eternity ago), Connecticut enacted two separate laws—one creating a paid leave benefit and the other amending, and expanding, the existing Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA). Employers must keep this statutory setup in mind, as certain…
Michigan
As previously reported, on October 2, 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court invalidated post-April 30, 2020 Executive Orders that Governor Whitmer issued related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The opinion can be found here. As a result, a patchwork of laws and agency orders have stepped in to cover the gaps left by the invalidated Michigan COVID-19 Executive Orders. For example, on October 21, 2020, Governor Whitmer signed a bipartisan law that prohibits employees from reporting…
Michigan
As previously reported, on October 2, 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court invalidated post-April 30, 2020 Executive Orders that Governor Whitmer issued related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The opinion can be found here. As a result, a patchwork of laws and agency orders have stepped in to cover the gaps left by the invalidated Michigan COVID-19 Executive Orders. For example, on October 21, 2020, Governor Whitmer signed a bipartisan law that prohibits employees from reporting…
As we enter flu season (in the midst of a national spike in COVID-19 cases), and it now appears that a COVID-19 vaccine is on the horizon, employers are struggling with whether they should require employees to be vaccinated for seasonal influenza and/or COVID-19 infection.  After the year that many have had, there is a natural reaction to jump at the idea of mandating vaccinations.  But for employers, there are many considerations that should be…
Legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives to try to alleviate the lack of clarity concerning how companies are supposed to make websites accessible to vision impaired individuals. There is currently no law or regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) directly addressing technical or legal standards for website accessibility. The Online Accessibility Act, introduced on October 2, 2020, intends to remedy many of these issues and concerns by creating a new Title…
Colorado voters approved the Paid Medical and Family Leave (PMFL) Initiative, Proposition 118, on Election Day. PMFL creates a state-run paid family and medical leave insurance program in Colorado that allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of leave and keep their job. The program, which begins on January 1, 2024, is similar in many ways to unemployment insurance and what exists in California and New Jersey.  Read more here.…
In September, when Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1867, employers hoped that the state-wide COVID-19 Supplemental Leave was a replacement for the patchwork of local ordinances. However, due to differences in coverage, many employers are faced with complying with the more stringent local ordinances. In particular, many local ordinances allow an employee to take paid leave to care for a family member if their school or place of care is closed due to COVID-19.…
A federal court in Indiana dismissed an employee’s claim that his employer did not have the right to request a medical examination after he tested positive for drugs and subsequently admitted that he was taking numerous prescription medications that could create a safety risk.  Beal v. Muncie Sanitary District, Case No. 1:19-cv-01506 (S.D. Ind. Oct. 22, 2020).  Read more on our Drug and Alcohol Testing Law Advisor.…
Just when you thought you had your contact tracing protocol down for dealing with COVID-19 exposures, CDC guidance has changed again. The CDC has now expanded the definition of close contact to be  “Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until…