As a follow-up to its September 20, 2021 announcement, the White House announced on October 15, 2021, that it would lift the travel ban for fully vaccinated foreign nationals starting November 8, 2021. The lifting of COVID-19–related travel restrictions
Continue Reading White House Announces Relaxation of COVID-19–Related Travel Restrictions to the United States, Beginning on November 8, 2021
Congressional Update: Debt Limit Crisis and Reconciliation Plans. Both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives were officially out this week, but the U.S. Congress still made some news.
Holiday season and the end of the year are both quickly approaching, and with the turning of the calendar from 2021 to 2022 come several employee benefit plan amendment deadlines and implementation requirements. Some of these changes are optional for
Continue Reading Are Your Employee Benefits Plans Ready for the New Year or Is It the Same Auld Lang Syne?
The Court of Appeal of the State of California, Fourth Appellate District, recently handed a potentially significant website accessibility win to the business community under the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Unruh Act) when it upheld a jury verdict in Thurston
Continue Reading Is the Tide Turning on Website Accessibility Claims? California Court of Appeal Upholds a ‘Bona Fide Intent’ Requirement
On October 13, 2021, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson allowed a new law addressing mandated COVID-19 vaccines for employees to go into effect without his signature. Senate Bill 739’s primary sponsor, Senator Kim Hammer, made it clear that the bill
Continue Reading Arkansas Seeks to Amend President Biden’s Mandate
On September 30, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) No. 1578, which amends Government Code section 11425.20(a) to provide that administrative hearings shall be open to the public, including by live audio or video.
Continue Reading Governor Newsom Signs Bill Allowing for Virtual Administrative Hearings
A district judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia recently dismissed a case due to the plaintiff’s failure to file suit within the allotted time identified in the notice of right to sue (NRTS) that
Continue Reading Plaintiff’s Employment Discrimination Civil Action Is Timely—Until It Is Not
The New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR) recently announced that for complaints filed on or after October 12, 2021, it will no longer discontinue complaints following private settlements. This announcement comes as a significant change in the division’s
Continue Reading New York State Division of Human Rights Discontinues Private Settlements—Is This Another Hurdle to Settlement?
On October 7, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) No. 331 into law. SB 331 is known as the “Silenced No More Act.” It amends California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1001 and the California Fair Employment
Continue Reading California Imposes Significant New Restrictions on Severance and Settlement Agreements
On October 11, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order (EO) No. GA-40, prohibiting any entity in Texas from requiring any individual, including an employee, to receive a COVID-19 vaccination if that individual objects to the vaccination “for any
Continue Reading Texas Governor Issues Executive Order Significantly Limiting the Ability of Many Employers to Mandate Vaccines
