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Author: Aaron Hotfelder

OSHA requires employers to log work-related cases of COVID-19

OSHA requires employers to log work-related cases of COVID-19

In updated guidance released on May 19, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stated that employers must record confirmed, work-related cases of COVID-19 on OSHA Form 300, the form used to record workplace illnesses and injuries. Under the new guidance, an employer must log a worker’s case of COVID-19 if all of the following conditions are met: The illness is a confirmed case of COVID-19. The illness is work-related. The illness involved days away from work, restricted duties,…

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Coronavirus: Employers Can Now Inspect I-9 Documents Remotely

Coronavirus: Employers Can Now Inspect I-9 Documents Remotely

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that employers can now remotely inspect workers’ identity and employment authorization documents for Form I-9 purposes. Form I-9 is used to verify each newly hired employee’s legal right to work in the United States. Ordinarily, an employer (or authorized representative) must conduct an in-person review of these documents. The government has made clear that remote inspection is a temporary measure and available only to employers who…

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Congress Expands Unemployment Benefits in $2 Trillion Stimulus Package

Congress Expands Unemployment Benefits in $2 Trillion Stimulus Package

Faced with unprecedented levels of unemployment as a result of the coronavirus global pandemic, President Trump has signed a $2 trillion stimulus bill that will send up to $1,200 to each adult and expand eligibility for unemployment benefits. The president signed the bill, known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, on March 27th, just hours after the House of Representatives approved the law. The Senate had passed the bill unanimously a few days earlier.  Among many…

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California and New York Become First Two States to Ban Natural Hair Discrimination

California and New York Become First Two States to Ban Natural Hair Discrimination

On July 3, 2019, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 188, known as the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair) Act. The law, which takes effect January 1, 2010, is the first in the country to ban discrimination on the basis of hair texture, hair style, and other “traits historically associated with one’s race.” The law provides that individuals with dreadlocks, braids, cornrows, or other traditionally black hairstyles cannot be discriminated against on the basis…

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New York Expands Workplace Sexual Harassment Protections

New York Expands Workplace Sexual Harassment Protections

In June 2019, the New York legislature passed a first-of-its-kind law that radically expanded protections for individuals who suffer harassment at work. Prior to the passage of the law, an employee suing for sexual harassment in New York had to demonstrate that the harassment was “severe or pervasive.” The new law eliminates this standard—now virtually any sex-based harassment can form the basis for a claim of discrimination against an employer, as long as the harassment is more than a petty…

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