U.S. Supreme Court Prohibits Enforcement of COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court threw a monkey wrench in President Biden’s six-pronged, comprehensive national strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by ordering a stay of enforcement of the recently enacted COVID-19 vaccine-or-test mandate issued as an emergency temporary standard by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The mandate covered virtually all employers with […]
Vaccine May Be Required By Private Sector Employers with 100+ Employees
As part of President Biden’s six-pronged, comprehensive national strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, he has announced the first ever federal vaccine mandate to apply to private employers. In the coming weeks, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is likely to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard that would require all private […]
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Says Employees Must Be Paid for Just Standing in Line
On July 21, 2021, in the case of In Re: Amazon.com, Inc., the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that employees must be paid for the time spent waiting to undergo and undergoing mandatory workplace security scre
enings under the state’s Minimum Wage Act (PMWA).
Christmas in June for Commercial Landowners?
Commercial landowners in New Jersey can now watch winter storms from the warmth of their building and wait until it is over to clear snow and ice from their sidewalks. On June 10, 2021, the New Jersey Supreme Court adopted the “ongoing storm rule” for commercial property owners within the State. Under this “ongoing storm […]
Mandatory Notice Requirements for COBRA Continuation
The federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances, such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between […]
Christopher J. Kalbfell Joins The Literacy Center Board of Directors
Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba congratulates Christopher J. Kalbfell who recently joined the Board of Directors for The Literacy Center. “I’m excited to be a part of this community-based organization focused on adult literacy,” said Mr. Kalbfell. “I look forward to working with the other members of the Board to help ensure everyone in the area […]
Office Romance – Navigating the Risks this Valentine’s Day Season
As we begin year two of a global pandemic, most in-person activities remain severely restricted, and many employees continue to work remotely. Given these restrictions, employers may be lulled into a false sense of security that risks posed by office romance are no more.
Biden Administration Retracts the DOL’s Proposed Tip Pooling Rule
In the early days of President Joe Biden’s presidency, his administration has not wasted any time reviewing and, sometimes, revoking employment-related regulatory rules issued in the final days of the Trump administration. For example, the United States Department of Labor (DOL), at President Biden’s direction, withdrew three previously issued opinion letters on now-frozen rules related […]
Dipping Your Toe in the Tip Pool: The Department of Labor Issues New FLSA Guidance
[Update: President Biden’s administration withdrew three opinion letters issued by the prior administration.] The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in both private and government sectors. On December 22, 2020, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) announced a Final Rule addressing amendments made […]
Guidance for Businesses in Pennsylvania’s “Green Phase”
On June 26, 2020, twelve more counties in Pennsylvania (some of which were hit the hardest by COVID-19) will be moving into the “Green Phase” of Governor Tom Wolf’s process to reopen Pennsylvania. This means all counties, with the exception of Lebanon County, will be “Green.” The Green Phase is the third of three phases […]