Numerous States Raised Minimum Wage on January 1, 2021

Numerous States Raised Minimum Wage on January 1, 2021On January 1, 2021 employees who earn minimum wage in the following twenty (20) states will see a rise in in their hourly earnings.Alaska – $10.34Arizona – $12.15Arkansas – $11.00California...

President Signs COVID-19 Relief Bill

Sunday, December 27th, President Trump signed the COVID-19 Relief Bill that was passed under the Consolidated Appropriations Act on December 21st. The President had previously raised doubts about whether he would sign the massive legislation after, among other things,...

COVID-19 Relief under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

COVID-19 Relief under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives finally reached agreement on a new round of COVID-19 relief on Monday, December 21st which was then attached to “must pass” budget legislation. The final bill,...

EEOC Issues Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccinations

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released updated guidance on COVID-19, the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and other EEO Laws. Their publication is in a question-and-answer format covering many areas of concern, including circumstances where an...

DOL Clarifies Overtime Calculations for Piece-Rate Employees

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued an opinion letter to help employers understand and calculate overtime for employees who are paid on a piece-rate basis where workers have both productive and non-productive work hours.Piece rate compensation is generally...

COVID-19 OSHA Safety Violations Total Nearly $2.5 Million in Fines

OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced that they have fined over 179 worksites for a sum of nearly $2.5 million due to coronavirus-related violations. Under OSHA rules, it is an employer’s responsibility to keep workers safe and...

CDC Updates Definition of “Close Contact”

On Wednesday, October 21st the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held a press conference announcing an updated definition of what constitutes “close contact” relating to the coronavirus. Under the previous definition, the CDC held that a close contact...

A Releases Simplified PPP Loan Forgiveness App

On October 8, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA), in conjunction with the Treasury Department released a simplified loan forgiveness application for loans provided under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The simplified application shall be used for...

Revised FFCRA Regulations

On August 4, 2020, we published a blog titled FFCRA Rules Struck Down. Since publishing that post, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has updated its guidance regarding some of the contested issues including advance notice requirements, intermittent leave, and the...