Employers mandating that employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 should know how to respond to an employee’s request for a religious exemption from the vaccination policy.  In this post, I discuss the process an employer can use to distinguish an employee’s personal opposition to a vaccination from a sincerely held religious belief that qualifies as a

During President Biden’s campaign, he described himself as a “union man.”  We are nearing the first 100 days of President Biden’s presidency, and his appointments to the NLRB and the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) are consistent with that description.  He has been appointing pro-union representatives including current or former state and federal officials who

As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease, many employers are navigating the best path forward for their business to ensure we keep our communities healthy while also protecting against potential litigation.  Employers and employees are asking many questions about their rights and thoughtful comprehensive planning and policies are necessary.  Employers have questions about whether they are

Change in the political party of an administration can be expected to impact the development and interpretation of federal law and regulation.  This is particularly true in the transition between former President Trump’s administration and that of President Joseph R. Biden.

President Biden has only been the President for two weeks, yet he has already

The City of Minneapolis determined that many freelance workers (independent contractors) need legal and economic protections since they are not covered by employment laws.  The City, therefore, enacted the Minneapolis Freelance Worker Protections Ordinance (the “Ordinance”).  This Ordinance, effective January 1, 2021, requires companies to enter into written agreements with most freelance workers.

The Ordinance

After much hand wringing, negotiation and name-calling, Congress has passed its second COVID-19 stimulus package, which was signed by President Trump on Sunday, December 27, 2020. For months, clients have been asking whether the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) will be renewed or whether it will expire on December 31. We now have the

On August 14, we wrote a blog post that discussed the impact of a New York court case which invalidated several features of the Final Rule issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to implement the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).  At that time, it was unclear whether the court’s decision applied throughout

Effective April 1, 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) obligating employers to provide Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Emergency Family Leave (EFL) to employees who are unable to work because of the pandemic.  The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Final Rule effective April 6, 2020, expanding on the