Federal contractors and other employers should anticipate greater scrutiny related to their compensation policies and practices as a result of recent policy shifts. President Biden has made it clear that a key priority of his administration is closing the gender and racial wage gap that currently exists in the United States, and that he plans to encourage changes at both the state and federal levels. At the federal level, that means the reintroduction of the…

The start of April sees a number of important changes that employers in the UK need to be aware of: 1st April 2021 – Increases to National Minimum Wage (employers should note the change to the age categories): Age over 23: £8.91 (from £8.72 for over 25 year olds) Age 21-22: £8.36 (from £8.20 for 21-24 year olds) Age 18-20: £6.56 (from £6.45) Age 16-17: £4.55 (from £4.62) Apprentices: £4.30 (from £4.15) 4th April 2021…

New Jersey has confirmed that employers can mandate their employees be vaccinated for COVID-19. This move aligns New Jersey with federal guidance previously issued by the EEOC. Other states, such as California, have also issued similar guidance and the trend is expected to continue. Consistent with federal guidance from the EEOC, the New Jersey guidance provides that employers may require employees to be vaccinated to be present on the worksite, however, employers must provide…

As of January 2021, providing FFCRA paid leave is optional. Employers choosing to provide FFCRA Paid Leave to their employees on a voluntary basis can now receive a payroll tax credit to cover the wages paid through September 30, 2021 (subject to applicable caps).  Last year, in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which mandated that most employers with fewer than 500 employees provide their workers with…

Recently the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) released guidance stating that employers generally may require their employees to receive a Food and Drug Administration approved vaccination against COVID-19. Under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), an employer may implement a mandatory vaccination policy so long as the employer: Does not discriminate against or harass employees or job applicants on the basis of a protected characteristic; Provides reasonable accommodations related to disability…

New York is doing away with its quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers. By way of background, in June 2020, New York issued a COVID-19 Travel Advisory requiring certain travelers to quarantine upon entry to New York. In November 2020, New York modified its travel advisory to permit out-of-state travelers to test out of its mandatory quarantine. In a surprising move, however, on March 11, 2021, Governor Cuomo’s office issued a press release stating that domestic travelers…