CDC Issues New Guidance on Workplace Testing

To test or not to test?  The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently issued new guidance for employers to consider when engaging in COVID-19 viral testing under several common scenarios.  The new guidance (available HERE) emphasizes that employer should be strategic and have plan in place for testing.  Here’s what theRead More

A Few Thoughts on Face Coverings in the Workplace

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

Update: COVID-19 Workplace Reporting & New OSHA Guidance

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

Getting Back to Business: What If My Employee Doesn’t Want to Come to Work?

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

Newest Answers to ‘FAQs’ from the EEOC on Reasonable Accommodations and Undue Burden During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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

Working in the Age of COVID-19: Documenting & Reporting

 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

Americans of All Ages are Creating Their Wills During COVID 19 Pandemic

There has been an explosion in the numbers of Americans rushing to make their will online. Understandably, the coronavirus pandemic has created the scramble to set up wills and end-of-life-directives. However, online do-it-yourself wills are sometimes invalid as they do not comply with all of the legal requirements here in Maine. The prevalence of willRead More

New Department of Labor Guidance on Federal Unemployment Benefits… and More Letters to Add to Your Alphabet Soup

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

Construction And The Coronavirus Pandemic

Even with much of the economy shutting down as a result of Coronavirus-related safety measures, construction, in large part, continues. Continuing work on projects may be essential to a construction company’s survival. It also raises a number of concerns under present circumstances, including concerns over getting paid, concerns over delays in performing work, and concernsRead More