On Wednesday night, the Senate passed unanimously (96-0) a $2 trillion emergency relief bill. The measure would constitute the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history. Key provisions include:
Updating our prior Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) guidance, today the Department of Labor issued a model poster concerning FFCRA rights and responsibilities. The poster is accessible at: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/posters/FFCRA_Poster_WH1422_Non-Federal.pdf
The FFCRA requires covered employers post in a conspicuous place on its premises a notice of FFCRA requirements. For covered employers with remote work forces,
Yesterday, the Department of Labor issued preliminary guidance concerning the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “FFCRA”), which was passed just six days ago. The guidance provides some clarity on a few key issues:
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Effective at noon on March 24, 2020, Massachusetts will become the latest state to close non-essential businesses in the effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. As covered here previously, Connecticut and New York issued substantially similar executive orders in days immediately prior. The Massachusetts order identifies “essential” businesses, orders the closing of non-essential businesses
On Sunday March 22, 2020, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development released “legally binding guidance” concerning which businesses are “essential” for purposes of Governor Lamont’s March 20, 2020, Executive Order 7H (directing all businesses and nonprofit entities to utilize, to the maximum extent possible, any telecommuting or work from home procedures that they
On Friday, March 20, Governor Lamont issued an executive order requiring non-essential workers to stay home. All workplaces have been ordered to utilize telecommuting, where possible. Executive Order 7H represents the most drastic step yet in Connecticut’s battle against COVID-19, and followed mere hours after Governor Cuomo announced similar measures in New York. The
UPDATE: Executive Order 202.8 can be read here. In addition to closing workplaces to non-essential employees, the order:
At a press conference this morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a forthcoming executive order placing further restrictions on New Yorkers’ daily life. The order will be effective as of Sunday. Per the New York Times, relevant employment-related provisions include:
On the heels of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act signed into law yesterday, New York State has enacted broad legislation extending paid sick leave benefits to employees. The extent of paid sick leave is determined by employer size and revenue, and can be utilized by employees whether they are sick, or absent from work because of a “mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation” issued by “the state of New York, the department of health, local board of health, or any government entity duly authorized to issue such order due to COVID-19.” All of New York City is currently subject to such an order.
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On January 6, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont signed bipartisan legislation addressing rates of pay for restaurant workers. The Governor vetoed a previous version of the bill which would have applied retroactively and effectively ended the viability of approximately two dozen pending minimum wage lawsuits. The new law does not apply retroactively, allowing the pending minimum wage suits to proceed.
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