On December 27, 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law a $900 billion pandemic relief bill that provides extended relief for qualified student loan borrowers. Known as the “Heroes Act,” the stimulus package is a win for borrowers seeking student loan repayment from their employers. The initial $2.2 trillion stimulus package that Congress passed in March 2020 – the “Cares Act” –temporarily expanded Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “IRC”) to…

Workforce Bulletin

Maryland Employers: Are You Complying with Slate of New Employment Laws?

By Nathaniel M. Glasser, Anastasia A. Regne, Eric Emanuelson & Jenna Russell

January 14, 2021

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On October 1, 2020, numerous laws in Maryland providing expanded protections for both existing employees and job applicants addressing race and sex discrimination, pay equity, and wage transparency went into effect. As we begin a new year, employers should review these new laws to ensure compliance. Expansion of Employers’ Notification and Reporting Obligations for Workforce Layoffs Maryland has instituted its own version of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (“WARN”) Act with the passage…

Workforce Bulletin

Video: The EEOC Under President Biden – Employment Law This Week

By Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

January 14, 2021

As featured in #WorkforceWednesday: With President-Elect Biden’s inauguration next week, and the Democrats taking a narrow majority in both houses of Congress, we’re likely to see shifts in policy at the agencies that regulate employment. Attorney Robert O’Hara discusses what we’re likely to see coming out of the EEOC in the near term, and how the change in party control could affect the agency moving forward. Video: YouTube, Vimeo.…

Workforce Bulletin

Organizations Should Plan in 2021 to Comply with the California Privacy Rights Act’s Enhanced Cybersecurity Safeguards

By Brian G. Cesaratto & Deanna Ballesteros

January 14, 2021

The California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”) leaps forward on cybersecurity by amending the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) to impose enhanced protections. The CPRA enhancements apply to “for profit” companies and other organizations: (a) with more than $25 million in gross revenues in the preceding calendar year, or (b) that annually buy, sell or share the personal information of 100,000 or more consumers or households, or (c) that derive at least 50 percent of their…

Workforce Bulletin

Video: Biden Picks Labor Nominee – Employment Law This Week

By Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

January 13, 2021

As featured in #WorkforceWednesday: President-Elect Biden has chosen Marty Walsh to serve as Labor Secretary in his administration. Walsh is Boston’s mayor and a former top union leader. Attorney David Garland tells us more. Video: YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram.…

Workforce Bulletin

Michigan Anti-Retaliation COVID-19 Law Update

By Adam S. Forman & Brenna R. McLean

January 11, 2021

As of December 29, 2020, Michigan employers are no longer required to permit employees to self-quarantine for up to 14 days due to alleged close contact with an individual displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Recent amendments to Michigan’s Anti-Retaliation COVID-19 law reflect updated CDC guidance reducing the recommended length of quarantine for individuals who suspect exposure to COVID-19. Previous CDC guidance recommended that individuals quarantine for up to 14 days following close contact with an individual displaying…

Workforce Bulletin

DOL’s Final Rule on Investment Duties of ERISA Fiduciaries and Its Impact on Retirement Plan ESG Investing

By Janene Marasciullo & Gretchen Harders

January 8, 2021

On October 30, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) adopted the Final Rule amending the Investment Duties DOL Regulation, §2550.404a-1, which governs the obligations of ERISA fiduciaries when selecting investments for ERISA plans. The Final Rule made several changes to the June 2020 Proposed Rule, which proposed to define the duties of fiduciaries when considering investments that promote environmental, social, and corporate governance goals (ESG investments). As reported here, DOL received extensive and…

Workforce Bulletin

How to Comply with Notice and Posting Requirements During the Age of Remote Working

By Susan Gross Sholinsky, Eric Emanuelson & Cynthia J. Park

January 8, 2021

As many employers approach their one-year anniversary of working from home, it is obvious that the COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed both how and where we work. By 2025, an estimated 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely—a staggering 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, surveys reveal that company leaders plan to permit employees to work from home at least part of the time upon reopening their offices. However, a remote workforce poses a…

Workforce Bulletin

Video: 2020 in Review and What’s to Come in 2021 – Employment Law This Week

By Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

January 6, 2021

As featured in #WorkforceWednesday: The past year tested our resilience, and COVID-19 forced everyone to think creatively and adapt quickly. Nowhere was that seen more clearly than in the workplace. See our video featuring attorneys Brian Cesaratto, Denise Dadika, Nathaniel Glasser, RyAnn McKay Hooper, Shawndra Jones, Cassandra Labbees, Robert O’Hara, and George Carroll Whipple. Video: YouTube, Vimeo.…

Workforce Bulletin

Russia Increases Remuneration Payments Owed to Employees for Exclusive Rights to Patentable Objects

By Erika C. Collins & Ryan H. Hutzler

December 31, 2020

On November 16, 2020, the Russian government approved new rules increasing the rates of remuneration employers must pay employees for their inventions, utility models and industrial designs (the “Rules”). The Rules will be effective from January 1, 2021 until January 1, 2027. Employers’ Rights to Their Employees’ Patentable Objects and Employees’ Entitlement to Remuneration In Russia, the exclusive rights to patentable objects (e.g., inventions, utility models and industrial designs) that employees create as part of…

Workforce Bulletin

Insights on Labor and Employment Law

Blog Authors

Under the Heroes Act, Employers Can Help Pay Your Student Loans

Maryland Employers: Are You Complying with Slate of New Employment Laws?

Video: The EEOC Under President Biden – Employment Law This Week

Organizations Should Plan in 2021 to Comply with the California Privacy Rights Act’s Enhanced Cybersecurity Safeguards

Video: Biden Picks Labor Nominee – Employment Law This Week

Michigan Anti-Retaliation COVID-19 Law Update

DOL’s Final Rule on Investment Duties of ERISA Fiduciaries and Its Impact on Retirement Plan ESG Investing

How to Comply with Notice and Posting Requirements During the Age of Remote Working

Video: 2020 in Review and What’s to Come in 2021 – Employment Law This Week

Russia Increases Remuneration Payments Owed to Employees for Exclusive Rights to Patentable Objects

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