Over three years have passed since the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency in January of 2020. We have come a long way from the time of businesses being closed and mandatory quarantine periods. While we faced one of the most challenging times for...
On Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, President Joe Biden signed executive orders requiring federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Biden also directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to draft a new emergency rule requiring all businesses with 100 or more employees...
In early May, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced it has stopped taking new PPP loan applications from most lenders due to the general fund for PPP loans being out of money. The agency will continue to process outstanding loan applications as it has set...
The Small Business Administration, in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association are promoting new funding for the restaurant/bar sector. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund is a program that targets relief to restaurants and bars adversely impacted by Covid-19. To qualify, a place of business has to be...
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which is the latest bill to address the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19, has been signed into law. Most aspects of the law do not directly affect the HR function, but two of those that do—optional extension of sick...
With wide bipartisan support, Congress has approved the "PPP Extension Act of 2021," which extends the Payroll Protection Program. It had been scheduled to expire on March 31, but the application deadline is now May 31. The act further gives the SBA another month, until...
On Wednesday, March 10th, the House will pass the American Rescue Plan and send it to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. This comprehensive legislation is the latest effort in defeating the COVID-19 pandemic while providing needed assistance to bolster the U.S. economy. The...
An employee of ours had a brief coughing fit today, but she says she just had something caught in her throat. As far as we’ve seen, she hasn’t experienced any symptoms associated with COVID-19 other than this one time. Do we need to send her...
We would certainly recommend not having an in-person event this year, which could put your company, employees, customers, and community at risk. If your event spreads the virus, your employees could become sick, much of your workforce may need to quarantine, and your event could...
According to Gallup, the number of days employees are working remotely has doubled during the pandemic. Some companies are even considering making a remote work arrangement permanent. While there are no laws that exclusively apply to remote workplaces, remote work does come with additional compliance...