Did you know . . . The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which requires emergency paid sick leave and expanded FMLA leave for employees’ COVID-related absences, is set to expire on December 31, 2020.  This means that covered employers will no longer be mandated to provide FFCRA leave to employees as of the start…

As a trying 2020 comes to an end, we see a glimmer of hope in the beginning of the new year with the release and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.  With the vaccine likely becoming widely available in the coming months, many employers are wondering:  Can I require that my employees get a COVID-19 vaccination? …

By Lisa Edison-Smith As North Dakota employers deal with staff shortages due to COVID-19, the CDC has given some potential relief by offering alternatives shortening quarantine periods in some instances.  The CDC announcement is aimed to reduce staffing shortages and economic hardship caused by lengthy quarantine periods on businesses and individual workers. The CDC had…

By Employer Defense & Labor Law Practice Group Many employers are beginning to call back employees, who were temporarily allowed to telecommute, furloughed, or laid off in response to the COVID-19 crisis.  As a measure to protect the workforce, some employers may be considering mandatory COVID-19 testing of employees as a condition of their return. …

In the first part of this article series, we discussed the importance of developing and implementing policies to maintain a safe working environment.  Here are some additional tips to consider when reopening your business. Be mindful of permissible health screenings and questions. To reduce the spread of the virus to others within the workplace, it…

Across the country, states are beginning to reopen from COVID-19 shutdowns.  Like the shutdowns themselves, this reopening will vary from state-to-state in terms of timing and scope.  Regardless, businesses should begin to plan for this inevitable reopening and how it will affect their workforce.  In this two-part article, we will explore some tips for businesses…

On April 1, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) went into effect, and later the same day, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued the regulations that employers had been waiting for (published in the Federal Register on April 6, 2020). These are Vogel Law Firm’s Employment and Labor Practice Group’s “Top 10…

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued highly awaited interim regulations for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) today, April 1.  The regulations provide much needed guidance on the notice employees must provide to their employers of the need to take leave and required documentation to support requests for paid sick leave and emergency…

Notice 2020-21, recently released by the IRS, provides that tax credits for qualified sick leave wages and extended family leave wages required to be paid by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“Act”) will apply to wages paid for the period beginning on April 1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020. There has been…

Federal CARES Act Key Provisions On March 27, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.   The bill is a whopping 335 pages in its official print version and provides $2 trillion in stimulus benefits with many provisions aimed at supporting small business, encouraging employee retention, providing direct relief to individuals and…