Attorneys at Law
The 2020 school year is here. Instead of new binder covers and backpacks, parents are now back-to-school shopping for ergonomic desks and web-cams. It’s the “new normal,” and parents and employers are grappling with how to handle the reality that many parents may want or need to work from home this fall due to COVID-19,Read More
You’ve seen the signs. Maybe you’ve even posted them if your company is open to the public. “No Mask, No Service” postings are showing up more frequently throughout Maine and around the country. So, what are your rights as a business to post such a notice? In Maine, the Executive Order is controlling and hasRead More
New Guidance for Employers under the FFCRA, the FLSA and the FMLA On Monday, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) posted another guidance blitz, this time posting questions and answers on three different websites for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Family Medical LeaveRead More
Jordan Payne Hay recently provided some guidance to the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association (MGFPA) in an effort to respond to the flurry of inquires MGFPA has received on face-coverings. (https://www.mgfpa.org/2325-2/) The law in this area is rapidly evolving, and the Governor’s newest Executive Order makes that clear . You can read the Executive Order Read More
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued new guidance changing its earlier position from April 10, 2020. Now, all employers (not just employers in the health care industry, emergency-response organizations and correctional institutions) must make a report to OSHA if an employee contracts COVID-19 at work. According to the new guidance, you mustRead More
After issuing some guidance and then removing it due to “misinterpretation,” the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has finally settled on answers to three important issues about accommodating certain “high risk” employees. The EEOC’s revised guidance is meant to clarify that an employee can’t be banned from coming back to work solely because they areRead More
Governor Mills’ recent announcement lifting some stay-at-home restrictions has prompted businesses to reopen their doors to both customers and employees. Of course, with workplaces reopening comes a whole slew of new challenges for employers. You didn’t think it would get easier, did you? In the coming weeks, Skelton Taintor & Abbott will be hosting aRead More
On April 17, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with regard to requests for reasonable accommodations, including temporary accommodations, the interactive process, and how an employer can establish an undue hardship defense in the age of COVID-19. The new FAQs also begin to address what, if anything, employersRead More
As we begin to settle-in to the realization that social distancing, telecommuting, and face-masks are now part of our collective ‘new normal,’ it’s important to fully understand how your company is handling or plans to handle important employee records and documentation during this period of uncertainty. Here are some questions to start tackling: What ShouldRead More
Over the weekend, the federal Department of Labor (DOL) issued its newest round of guidance on Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits now available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The guidance letters are great resources, but here are the basics: Federal Pandemic Unemployment CompensationRead More
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