The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) establishing the COVID-19 vaccination requirements for staff employed at Medicare and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers. Read more.
The Pandemic Continues, but ACA Reporting Relief Does Not
As employers with 50 or more full-time (or full-time equivalent) employees are well aware, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (”ACA”) requires annual submission of Forms 1094-C and 1095-C with the Internal Revenue Service, and distribution of Forms 1095-C. These submissions and distributions are generally due:
| Furnishing of Forms 1095-C to employees: | January 31 |
Fifth Circuit Hits Pause on OSHA COVID-19 Vaccine or Testing Emergency Standard
One day after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released the ETS, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a nationwide stay. Read more.
New Federal Contractor COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate FAQs Provide Additional Guidance, Including Expanded Scope of Requirements to Affiliated Companies
As instructed, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force has modified and updated its guidance on implementation of Executive Order 14042: Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors. Most recently, the Task Force released new FAQs providing additional guidance for contractors working to implement the requirements of the Executive Order. A number of the
EEO-1 Reporting Portal to Close November 15, 2021
The EEOC has announced that the EEO-1 reporting portal will not accept 2019 or 2020 EEO-1 reports after November 15, 2021. The deadline to file was October 25, 2021. Despite a year filled with challenges and delays brought on by COVID-19 and the complexities of filling two years worth of reporting at the same
Nov. 8 Marks Lifting of Some U.S. COVID-19 International Travel Restrictions
As of 12:01 a.m. ET on November 8, 2021, the United States’ country-specific 14-day COVID-19 travel restrictions that have been so troublesome and disruptive for individuals and businesses will be eliminated. Instead, protecting the country from COVID-19 will focus on vaccination status.
President Joe Biden’s “A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global
DHS Seeks Comments on I-9 Process
The decades-old I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification process may be in for some changes. The Department of Homeland Security is requesting “public input” regarding the document examination process.
Employers interested in the permanent continuation of Form I-9 flexibility might be encouraged by the agency’s official announcement on October 26, 2021. While the request is for “information
Cal/OSHA Proposes to Expand COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards Through April 2022
Since the drama in passing the amended COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) in June, the Cal/OSHA Board has been relatively quiet, though discussing a more permanent COVID-19 Standard. In the meantime, federal OSHA took the spotlight with President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan.
Currently, the Cal/OSHA ETS is set to expire on January
Motion Dismissed: At-Will Employee, Laid-Off During COVID-19 Shutdown, Cannot Recover Commissions
Relying on the parties’ written employment agreement and compensation plans, a California federal district court held that an at-will employee who was laid off due to COVID-19 could not recover commissions that were not fully earned prior to his termination. Peak v. TigerGraph, Case no. 21-cv-02603 (Sept. 7, 2021).
Background
The employee, a sales
COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Set to Relax for Fully Vaccinated
As long as they can show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, foreign travelers will be allowed to visit the United States beginning November 8, 2021, according to the Biden Administration.
Until now, we knew only that the 14-day travel restrictions and the northern and southern border restrictions would be lifted sometime in November.