Welcome to the first in a series of blogs examining often overlooked or misunderstood provisions of common employment law topics. Today we will be covering four pitfalls that employers may inadvertently encounter when navigating the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). The FMLA applies, with limited exception, to employers with 50 or more employees … Continue Reading
The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Insurance has announced that the Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“MEPSL”) will expire on March 15, 2022, and employers have until April 29, 2022 to file their applications for reimbursements. This means employees may continue to take leave under the program through March 15th, but employers then have until … Continue Reading
For Massachusetts employers, or employers with Massachusetts-based employees, Paid Family and Medical Leave (“PFML”) has been on the horizon for nearly two years. By now, you have notified your workforce about benefits and contributions, displayed a poster informing them of the same, determined the size of your workforce and who is a “covered individual,” begun … Continue Reading
As we have previously reported, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which remains in effect through December 31, 2020, provides, among other things, that eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave if the employee is unable to work (or telework) due to a need for leave to care for their … Continue Reading
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (“DFML”) has posted the much-anticipated final regulations regarding Massachusetts’ Paid Family and Medical Leave law (“PFML”). The final regulations come on the heels of Massachusetts lawmakers’ recent extension of key PFML compliance dates. While the final regulations are materially unchanged from the previous draft issued March 29th, … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, in February 2018, the city of Austin, Texas passed a paid sick and safe leave ordinance (the “Ordinance”) that would have required companies to provide paid sick and safe leave to their employees. The Ordinance obligated companies with 15 or more employees to provide eight days of paid leave, and companies … Continue Reading
Duluth, Minnesota has become the latest jurisdiction to enact a law providing eligible employees with paid leave for their own medical needs, those of a family member, or other covered reasons. The Ordinance will take effect on January 1, 2020. The Ordinance will apply to employers with five or more employees nationwide. Covered workers in … Continue Reading
The Austin, Texas City Council has enacted a paid sick and safe leave ordinance, becoming the first southern city to pass such a law for private sector employees. The ordinance will take effect on October 1, 2018 for employers with five or more employees; coverage for smaller employers begins on October 1, 2020. Employees who work … Continue Reading
In a recent decision in Severson v. Heartland Woodcraft, Inc. (Sept. 20, 2017), the Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s ruling that an employer did not violate the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide an employee with a long-term medical leave of absence. Indeed, the court found that “a long-term leave of absence … Continue Reading
In this edition of The Proskauer Brief, senior counsel Harris Mufson and associate Laura Fant discuss the challenges and pitfalls surrounding requests for multiple medical leaves of absence. We will talk about the obligation of employers to provide reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and related laws. We will also discuss a recent decision from the Seventh … Continue Reading
Unfortunately, disaster scenarios have become all too common and can cause significant disruption for employers, employees and their affected family members. In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, Paul Hamburger, co-chair of Proskauer’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group, explores the unique issues that employers must consider when preparing their employee benefits disaster … Continue Reading
On September 19, 2017, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed The Health and Safe Families and Workplace Act (the “Act”), House Bill 5413B and Senate Bill 0290B, respectively, guaranteeing roughly 90 percent of the state’s workforce the opportunity to earn paid sick and safe leave. The Governor has already indicated that she will sign the … Continue Reading
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has issued official guidance on several taxability issues relating to the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”), which goes into effect on January 1, 2018. Among other details addressed, employee contributions under the PFLL shall be made on an after-tax basis, and benefits paid to … Continue Reading
Proskauer senior counsel Harris Mufson and associate Laura Fant provide an overview of New York State’s Paid Family Leave law and give some tips on how to prepare for its implementation. Many of our clients have been inquiring about this new law, set to go into effect in New York on January 1, 2018. The law will … Continue Reading
The New York Workers Compensation Board (the “Board”) has adopted final regulations for implementation of the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”). The final regulations are effectively immediately. Long awaited by New York employers, the final regulations make several changes to the prior proposed regulations, which were issued by the Board in May and … Continue Reading
On July 5, 2017, Washington became the latest state to enact a paid family and medical leave law, with benefits to go into effect beginning on January 1, 2020. The new law will provide eligible workers with up to 12 weeks per year of paid medical leave for an employee’s own serious health condition, as … Continue Reading
As we have previously reported, on May 24, 2017, the New York Workers Compensation Board issued revisions to its proposed rules for implementation of the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”). While the public comment period for the proposed revisions closed on June 23, we are still awaiting publication of the final regulations. The … Continue Reading
As we recently reported, the New York Workers Compensation Board has issued revisions to its proposed rules for implementation of the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”). Subsequently, on June 1, 2017, the New York State Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) issued a statement setting forth the maximum employee contribution rate for PFLL coverage … Continue Reading
The New York Workers Compensation Board has issued revisions to its proposed rules for implementation of the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”). As we previously reported, the Board issued initial proposed rules for implementation of the PFLL in February 2017. The current revisions, which were issued on May 24, 2017 following the Board’s … Continue Reading
The New York Workers Compensation Board has issued a proposed rule for implementation of the statewide Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”), which goes into effect on January 1, 2018. As we previously reported, the PFLL will require employers to provide all eligible full- and part-time employees with paid, job-protected leave to: (i) care for a … Continue Reading
Yesterday (December 20, 2016), the District of Columbia Council passed a bill that would create one of the country’s most generous paid family leave programs. If it becomes law, the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 (the “Act”) will provide all full and part time private sector workers in Washington, D.C. with eight weeks … Continue Reading
This Election Day, voters in Arizona and Washington approved measures requiring employers to provide eligible employees with paid sick leave. These states are the latest to join the ever-expanding patchwork of jurisdictions around the country entitling employees to paid leave for their own medical needs and those of certain family members, among other covered purposes. … Continue Reading
On July 29, 2016, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law the Illinois Child Bereavement Leave Act (the “Act”). The Act, which became effective upon signing, provides certain Illinois employees up to ten workdays of unpaid leave to grieve the death of a child. Employees who have been employed for twelve months or longer and worked … Continue Reading
Effective January 1, 2017, the Illinois Employee Sick Leave Act (the “Act”) will allow employees to use employer-provided personal sick leave benefits to care for an ill or injured family member or attend a medical appointment with a family member. The Act defines an eligible family member—i.e., an individual the employee is taking leave to … Continue Reading
This website uses third party cookies, over which we have no control. To deactivate the use of third party advertising cookies, you should alter the settings in your browser.