Federal law, as well as many state and local laws, require employers to display notices and posters in the workplace advising employees of their rights.  With many employers operating remotely due to COVID-19, however, questions regarding these statutory posting requirements have arisen.  In response, on December 29, 2020, the United States Department of Labor released guidance addressing the permissibility of providing the required postings through electronic means. By way of background, no less than 15…

On December 16, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released updated and expanded guidance addressing questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic that arise under the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws.  The publication, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws,” includes new guidance on the implications of the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccines on a number of federal laws. The EEOC guidance provides a high-level…

On December 10, 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and State Health Commissioner Norman Oliver issued Executive Order 72 and Order of Public Health Emergency 9, a new 19-page Order imposing modified stay at home requirements, tightened business restrictions, and enhanced face covering requirements.  Beyond tightening restrictions, the Order also outlines a wide-range of enhanced enforcement mechanisms and penalties.  The Order becomes effective December 14, 2020 and is set to expire on January 31, 2021…

The City of Pittsburgh is expected to enact the new Temporary COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Ordinance (the “Ordinance”), which provides Pittsburgh employees with a new entitlement of up to two weeks of paid time off for qualifying absences related to COVID-19. While this legislation may be well intended, it presents potentially significant challenges for employers with Pittsburgh-based workforces that have spent the past several months adapting to what seems like an ever-evolving carousel of federal,…

With two COVID-19 vaccines pending approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), employer-mandated COVID-19 vaccination policies are a hot topic at the employment law water cooler these days.  While there is currently no concrete guidance on this issue at the federal, state, or city level, on December 4, New York State lawmakers introduced a bill that could have a substantial impact on such policies. Specifically, State Assembly Bill A11179 would mandate the vaccination…

On December 2, 2020, the CDC updated its guidance on COVID-19 quarantines. Previously, the CDC advised that asymptomatic individuals should quarantine for 14 days after their last exposure to someone who has COVID-19. The CDC’s prior guidance did not allow for the reduction of that 14-day period based on the receipt of a negative COVID-19 test. It also did not address quarantine periods following travel absent an exposure event. In its most recent guidance, the…