As featured in #WorkforceWednesday: The latest FAQs from OSHA recommend wearing face masks, among other suggestions, for employees returning to work. Attorney Robert J. O'Hara discusses the significance of OSHA’s decision to issue recommendations, rather than guidance, and how rules on face masks in the office may differ at the state and local levels.
On June 15, 2020, and June 24, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued two Executive Orders (“EO”) numbers 202.45 and 205, which address COVID-19 travel-related restrictions. EO 202.45 temporarily modifies New York State’s pandemic-related Sick Leave Law to prohibit employees from receiving paid sick leave benefits if, as of June 25, 2020, they travel to a “restricted state” for non-work related reasons and contract COVID-19. EO 205 (the “Travel Advisory”) imposes a 14-day quarantine requirement on travelers from a “restricted state” entering New York ...
As summer kicks into high gear, and the Americans with Disabilities Act's 30th anniversary looms large at the end of this month, businesses in many jurisdictions are in the process of gradually reopening to the public.
And if the long and difficult spring wasn't trying enough, businesses now face yet another challenge — balancing maintaining the safety of employees and patrons against complying with Title III of the ADA, and applicable state and local laws, which can significantly vary depending on the jurisdiction.
While in many ways the world keeps changing, some things never ...
In a recent Bloomberg Law article, we reported on legislative developments regulating the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in employment law decisions. On May 11, 2020, one of the pieces of proposed legislation we discussed, Maryland’s H.B. 1202, became law without Governor Larry Hogan’s signature. As we reported, H.B. 1202 prohibits employers from using facial recognition technology during pre-employment job interviews without the applicant’s consent. To use facial recognition services in interviewing employees, an employer must obtain an applicant’s ...
[Update: Governor Murphy has extended the public health emergency several additional times, and it is now in place until approximately January 20, 2021.]
On July 2, 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order 162 (“EO 162”) extending the state’s Public Health Emergency by thirty days, i.e., until approximately August 2, 2020. Pursuant to EO 162, all Executive Orders and actions taken by any Executive Branch departments and agencies (including Administrative Orders) that were adopted in whole or in part based on the current Public Health Emergency will ...
On June 7, 2020, Governor Lamont issued Sector Rules that Connecticut businesses must follow in order to open during Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan.
Phase 2 (which began on June 17, 2020) includes the following sectors:
- Amusement parks
- Hotels/lodging
- Restaurants (indoor)
- Museums, zoos and aquariums
- Indoor recreation (e.g. bowling, movie theaters etc.)
- Libraries
- Outdoor events
- Personal services (e.g. nail salons, tattoo parlors, etc.)
- Sports and fitness facilities (e.g. gyms, fitness centers, pools, etc.)
- Film, television and digital media production
Trump Administration Amends Presidential Proclamation That Temporarily Suspends New H-1B, H2B, J-1, and L-1 Visa and Travel from Abroad
On June 29, 2020, the Trump administration issued an amendment to Section 3(a)(ii) of Proclamation 10052 (“Proclamation”) to suspend and limit foreign nationals attempting to enter the United States in H-1B/H-2B/H-4, L-1/L-2, or J-1/J-2 employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories.
The original language in the Proclamation read as follows:
Sec. 3. Scope of Suspension and Limitation on Entry. (a) The suspension and limitation on ...
On June 26, 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issued Executive Order 157 (“EO 157”), which details rules for the reopening of indoor retail, recreational and entertainment businesses (including casinos) and individual instruction at gyms. Initially, EO 157 also permitted indoor dining (with restrictions) to begin on July 2, 2020, but Gov. Murphy reversed that decision three days later via Executive Order 158 (“EO 158”) and has said that indoor dining in New Jersey will continue to be prohibited indefinitely. Gov. Murphy based this reversal on the “spikes in ...
As featured on #WorkforceWednesday: This week, we finally have some guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and big employment law changes in Virginia go into effect.
July 1, 2020 represents a milestone for Virginia employers. As we previously reported, nearly two dozen new employment laws take effect, including the Virginia Values Act. In addition, all of Virginia enters Phase Three of Governor Ralph Northam’s Safer at Home plan to reopen the economy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Changes to Virginia Employment Law
Employers with Virginia operations should take note of the following important changes:
- Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Military Status, and Pregnancy: The Virginia Values Act amended the Virginia Human Rights Act
Blog Editors
Recent Updates
- Artificial Intelligence Regulation at a Crossroads: The Trump Administration’s Preemption Push
- Your AI in HR Must-Do List: Navigating Illinois’ Draft AI Notice Regulations
- Video: Top Employment Law Changes of 2025 - Employment Law This Week
- New York Employers: Prepare for Paid Family Leave Adjustments for 2026
- The EEOC, DOJ, and DOL Amplify National Origin Discrimination as an Enforcement Priority