On August 3, 2020, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (“SDNY”) ordered the United States Department of Labor (“USDOL”) to remove several restrictions imposed on employees seeking to utilize paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) and Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (“ESPLA”‘).
A New Path on the Road Back: Schools Must Offer Full-Time Remote Learning
The New Jersey Department of Education (“NJDOE”) released supplementary guidance to the 104-page “Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education,” which now requires all schools to offer all-remote/virtual instruction for students.
MAKING SENSE OF COVID-19 What Small Business Owners Need to Know
Smart business owners are planning for when the regulations of quarantine will be relaxed and business operations will return. Forward-thinking companies should focus on three areas: 1) use of the loan proceeds under the CARES Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP); 2) safe return-to-work practices, and 3) preparing for COVID-19 related lawsuits. The first area requires legal and financial planning and understanding the PPP. The second requires legal and workplace safety planning to meet CDC workplace safe distancing mandates. The last requires implementing corporate best practices and procedures to prepare now for a potential COVID-19 related lawsuit. This article discusses these topics generally, and the authors are happy to discuss your particular circumstances.
Three Phase Plan Checklist for Returning to the Workplace
Organizations around the country are beginning efforts to re-open offices, retail businesses, educational institutions, manufacturing facilities, and other physical locations. Interpreting requirements from varying levels of local and state governments while navigating the complexities of best practices issues by trade and industry groups is a challenge that most organizations could use help to manage.
New Procedures, Same Old FERPA: How the Return to School Impacts Student Records
On July 6, 2020, a select few schools re-opened their doors for Extended School Year (“ESY”) in-person instruction as Governor Murphy’s restrictions began to lift.
Returning to Work Amid COVID-19: What Employers Should Know About Assessing And Accommodating At-Risk Employees
By now, employers are well-informed that employees with underlying health conditions are at greater risk for developing serious medical complications if they contract COVID-19, and that these employees’ medical conditions might warrant accommodations when returning to work under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and state anti-discrimination laws. Employers need to be prepared when their doors re-open to accommodate these employees and implement policy to safeguard their operations from potential lawsuits.
Restaurant Litigation – Is This A Trend?
McDonald’s employees in Chicago and Los Angeles have sued over unsafe, COVID-19-related working conditions, claiming the burger giant failed to mandate OSHA/CDC social distancing guidelines and advise employees when their coworkers were diagnosed with the virus.
Federal Reserve Board Further Expands Main Street Lending Program
On April 9, 2020, the Federal Reserve established the Main Street Lending Program (the “Program”) to support lending to small and medium-sized businesses that were in good financial condition before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Return to Work Series: Employers Should Plan Proactively to Address the Increased Risk of COVID-Related Claims Under The Conscientious Employee Protection Act
Employers first became aware of COVID-19’s ultimately tragic arrival in New Jersey just before the start of Spring. And, as the leaves unfurled from the trees throughout late March and early April 2020, so unfurled a forest of new laws that governs the movements of individuals and the functions of businesses in a way most New Jerseyans have never seen before.
Schools May Conduct In-Person Summer Learning: The Latest Guidance from the DOE
The Department of Education has released guidance1 for schools to conduct summer educational programing, including in-person instruction, which can begin on or after July 6, 2020.