Carmody @ Work

Updates for Employers on Important Workplace Issues

Blog Authors

All Authors

Alan H. Bowie Jr.

Stephanie E. Cummings Vincent Farisello

Stephanie E. Cummings

Vincent Farisello

Romania Jawahir

Timothy S. Klimpl

Holly Wheeler

Mark Williams

Nick Zaino

Latest from Carmody @ Work

Carmody @ Work

Governor Lamont’s Order Mandating Vaccines for Certain Workers

By Stephanie E. Cummings

September 22, 2021

Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont recently issued a new Executive Order (EO 13G) that requires certain employees be vaccinated for COVID-19 by September 27, 2021. The mandate applies to: current and future state employees, state hospital employees, public and non-public pre-K to grade 12 school system employees and child care center, group child care home, family child care home, or youth camp employees, as well as certain contractors conducting business in state, school, or child care…

Carmody @ Work

Employer Guidance on Biden’s “Path Out of the Pandemic”

By Vincent Farisello, Stephanie E. Cummings & Romania Jawahir

September 14, 2021

On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced a series of proposals to combat the uptick in the COVID-19 pandemic more aggressively. The Plan outlines six main components, some of which will impose new requirements on employers. Included is a plan for “Vaccinating the Unvaccinated,” a rule that will require private employers with 100 or more employees to mandate that their workers be vaccinated (subject to medical and religious exemptions) or undergo weekly testing. The new…

Carmody @ Work

New OSHA and DOJ Guidance Permit Mandatory Workplace Vaccination Policies

By Stephanie E. Cummings Vincent Farisello & Romania Jawahir

August 17, 2021

As the Delta variant has caused another wave of COVID cases and hospitalizations, employers are again asking whether they can mandate that their employees become vaccinated against COVID-19 and what other steps should be taken to protect those who are immunocompromised or who remain unvaccinated. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued guidance on these issues. As most employers are aware, in May 2021, the Equal…

Carmody @ Work

New Employment Laws in Connecticut

By Nick Zaino

August 5, 2021

On July 1, 2021, nearly 100 new laws took effect in Connecticut. Below is a summary of some key new laws that will affect employers and the workplace. Minimum Wage Increase—Effective August 1, 2021, Connecticut’s minimum wage increased from $12 per hour to $13 per hour. The minimum wage will increase to $14 per hour on July 1, 2022 and to $15 per hour on June 1, 2023. Beginning January 1, 2024, the minimum wage…

Carmody @ Work

CDC Announces Revised Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

By Nick Zaino

August 3, 2021

As a result of a spike in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant, the CDC now recommends that everyone, including individuals who are fully vaccinated, wear face coverings when indoors in places of substantial or high community transmission. According to the CDC, infections happen only in a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, and the same is true with the Delta variant. However, preliminary evidence indicates that fully vaccinated people who…

Carmody @ Work

Incentives for COVID-19 Vaccines and Extra Time for FSAs

By Timothy S. Klimpl

March 17, 2021

As the economy and public health situation gradually move to a more hopeful phase in Connecticut, employers and HR administrators will benefit from staying on top of current legal developments and trends in employee benefits. Let’s discuss two timely topics in employee benefits: (1) incentives for getting COVID-19 vaccines; and (2) extended time for employees to use balances in their health FSA and dependent care assistance program accounts. Incentives for COVID-19 Vaccines: How Much Is…

Carmody @ Work

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021-Retirement Plan Provisions

By Mark Williams

February 22, 2021

Partial Plan Termination Relief Many employers may be facing what the IRS guidance refers to as a partial plan termination. Generally, this occurs when the number of employees participating in a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, decreases by 20% or more during the Plan Year. This is calculated by dividing all employer initiated severances by the number of active participants, including employees who became participants during the year. If there is a…

Carmody @ Work

COVID-19 Vaccines Go to Work

By Mark Williams & Timothy S. Klimpl

February 11, 2021

We have been getting questions about the extent to which employers may encourage their employees to obtain COVID-19 vaccines when they become eligible. There are a couple of thorny legal issues that may arise when employers offer incentives in connection with a voluntary employer-sponsored COVID-19 vaccination program. We are aware that several large employers are currently offering incentives for employees to get vaccinated. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) strictly limits medical examinations and disability-related…

Carmody @ Work

Voluntary FFCRA and Other Worker Benefits Under the Continued Assistance to Unemployed Workers Act

By Stephanie E. Cummings

January 7, 2021

On December 28, 2020, President Trump signed into law a $2.3 trillion dollar Omnibus Spending Bill. The massive Omnibus Spending Bill contains several Acts, including the Continued Assistance to Unemployed Workers Act (“CAUWA”), mainly focusing on the expansion of federal unemployment relief and worker entitlements. One of the highlights of CAUWA is the extension of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) tax credit for employers through March 2021, without a corresponding extension of the…

Carmody @ Work

COVID-19 Relief

By Mark Williams & Stephanie E. Cummings

December 30, 2020

On Sunday night, President Trump signed into law the $2.3 trillion Omnibus Spending Bill, which includes $900 billion in funding for COVID-19 relief. The massive bill encompasses various Acts including (1) the Continued Assistance to Unemployed Workers Act, (2) the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, (3) the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020, and (4) the No Surprises Act. These Acts are summarized below. The Continued Assistance…