Effective Nov. 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has increased the following key penalties affecting group health plans: Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC): Failure…
On Nov. 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a federal emergency temporary standard (ETS) to address the grave danger of COVID-19 infection in the workplace. Affected…
On Oct. 5, 2021, California approved Assembly Bill 654 (AB 654) to amend California’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 notice and reporting regulations. The bill became effective upon…
On Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, drug manufacturer Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced an antiviral pill that could drastically reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections. The drug, molnupiravir, was…
Can an employer discipline or terminate an employee who has an open workers’ compensation claim? This is a common question that many employers ask. The answer depends on which state…
On Sept. 9, 2021, President Biden announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing an emergency temporary standard (ETS). The new ETS will require private-sector employers with…
In our increasingly litigious society, the threat of a lawsuit hangs over every business transaction, large or small. Even employers who adhere to the letter of the law at all…
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently closed a six-month investigation of a nitrogen leak incident that killed multiple employees at a poultry processing plant earlier this year. This…
An employee’s workers’ compensation absence may be due to an on-the-job injury or illness that also qualifies as a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).…
On Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, Delta Air Lines announced it will require employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or pay a $200 monthly fee. Starting Nov. 1, unvaccinated employees on…