St. Paul Issues New Guidance For Employers Complying with the City’s Earned Sick and Safe Time Ordinance

Jai HookerLegislative Updates

Continuing the wave of new rules and regulations related to paid leave in Minnesota, on Jan. 8, 2024, the St. Paul Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO) issued guidance on its interpretation of St. Paul’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Ordinance. St. Paul revised its ESST Ordinance in October 2023 to align with Minnesota’s ESST law, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2024

EEOC Revises its COVID-19 Guidance, Again

Jai HookerLegislative Updates

In response to the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration, the EEOC updated its COVID-19 technical assistance: “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws”.

Wellness Programs and Water Bottles – EEOC Proposes New Rules under the ADA and GINA

Tasha PattersonLegislative Updates

Since 1996, when Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), employers have been struggling with whether and to what extent they could offer incentives to employees to participate in certain “wellness programs.” On Jan. 7, the EEOC proposed a new approach that may provide employers some certainty, particularly as many employers are wondering about incentives to encourage employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

EEOC Issues Guidance on Opioid Addiction in Employment

Tasha PattersonLegislative Updates

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued two technical assistance documents on Aug. 5, 2020, addressing accommodation issues under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for employees who use opioid medications or may be addicted to opioids.

EEOC Opines on COVID-19 Testing by Employers

Tasha PattersonLegislative Updates

The EEOC’s most recent update provides an answer to the following question: “May an employer administer a COVID-19 test (a test to detect the presence of the COVID-19 virus) before permitting employees to enter the workplace?”

EEOC Releases Recorded Webinar Addressing Important Questions

Tasha PattersonLegislative Updates

The EEOC published a webinar to address common employer questions regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, including: taking employees temperatures, appropriate and inappropriate disclosure of information related to an employee’s COVID-19 diagnosis, and managing employee accommodation requests including requests from employees in the high risk categories identified by the CDC.

EEOC Revises Wellness Plan Regulations

Tasha PattersonLegislative Updates

On Dec. 20, the EEOC revised wellness plan regulations by removing the section that permitted incentives. In doing so, the EEOC left employers back in the quandary they were in before. Neither the law, nor the remaining regulations, expressly prohibit (or permit) incentives.