Human Resources and Employment Law

• A Quick Guide to Vaccination Cards and Vaccine Incentives

  May 10, 2021

  As the State of Michigan turns toward lifting COVID-19 related restrictions that have precluded most office work and have limited the density of crowds allowed at bars, restaurants, gyms, and other public venues, many employers are wrestling with how to move forward in a way that is safe for both their employees and clients while […]

• THE NEW COBRA SUBSIDY PROGRAM: Employer Notice and Payment Obligations

  April 9, 2021

  The recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act (“ARP”) contains an important provision affecting all private employers with 20 or more employees (and all Michigan governmental employers) that sponsor employee health insurance plans.  Below we very briefly summarize essential aspects of the new law and its most immediate impact on the obligations of employers and COBRA […]

• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Issues Additional Guidance on Remote Work

  November 10, 2020

  Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued new guidance on Friday, November 6, 2020, which follows MDHHS’s Emergency Order (updated on October 30th) and Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA)’s October 14th Emergency Rules (“Rules”). In particular, the new guidance specifically states that employers should allow their employees to work from home […]

• Privacy and Cybersecurity Issues Relating to Remote Work

  October 29, 2020

  COVID-19 has brought concerns about remote work into sharp relief and has forced employers to confront myriad challenges relating to privacy and cybersecurity. As businesses scrambled to find new ways to communicate and to safeguard data, cybercriminals wasted no time trying to take advantage of the pandemic. As soon as most states began requiring non-essential […]

• REMOTE WORK: LIBERATING OR A STEP INTO A BOTTOMLESS PIT?

  October 29, 2020

  The pandemic has forced employers and employees into work situations they never imagined with the widespread use of remote work as a means of continuing business operations in the face of Executive Orders precluding the performance of on-site work. Many employees relished the thought of escaping the ever-watchful eyes of supervisors and even co-workers and […]

• What Businesses Need to Know About Michigan’s Mask Mandate

  July 16, 2020

  As positive cases of COVID-19 rise, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer expanded the previous recommendation-only directive for use of a face mask to a mandate. Now, businesses open to the public must refuse entry or service to those not wearing a mask. The order also requires that masks be worn in crowded outdoor spaces, and individuals are […]

• Enter the Rainbow: Supreme Court Rules That Title VII Protects LGBTQ Workers

  June 16, 2020

  Monday, the Supreme Court in the case of Bostock v Clayton County Georgia put a spotlight on the rainbow that symbolizes the LGBTQ community by ruling that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act covers sexual orientation and gender identity. This puts an end to a deep split amongst the Federal Courts regarding the issue […]

• Congress Passes Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act: Key Changes to PPP Program

  June 4, 2020

  The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have passed H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, which modifies the Paycheck Protection Program implemented as part of the CARES Act. H.R. 7010’s Key Changes to the Paycheck Protection Program Extending the “Covered Period” definition of the program from June 30, 2020, to […]

• Successful Staffing After COVID-19 Closure

  May 21, 2020

  WE CAN OPEN! NOW WHAT? Michigan employers that are allowed to reopen their businesses after a COVID-19 shutdown face many issues in re-introducing their employees to the workplace. The following major issues should be on all employer’s radar during the call back process to ensure successful staffing. Compliance with Executive Order 2020-91   As explained […]

• Five Steps to Resume Michigan Business Operations

  May 19, 2020

  On the heels of the auto industry and manufacturing returning to work, it is widely expected that other Michigan employers will be allowed to resume operations in the next few weeks. Each business that is allowed to resume operations has a number of steps that it must address in order to comply with State and […]