On June 2nd, 2021, Decree No.930 of the Ministry of Finance (hereinafter, the “Decree”) was published in the Official Gazette, which extends the enforcement of the benefits established in title I of Law No.21,227 (“Employment Protection Act”) and in Law No.21,263 (that temporarily amends the requirements to access and increases the amounts of the benefits of the unemployment insurance), granting new provisions with charge to the unemployment mutual aid fund ...
In Notice 2021-31, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides broad guidance in a question-and-answer format on the application of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) regarding premium assistance under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) continuation coverage provisions ...
By: Alexandra Shulman The Oregon Legislature recently passed a new bill (SB 169) that will have a major impact on the use of noncompetition agreements in Oregon. These amendments to Oregon’s existing noncompetition statute, ORS 653.295, will become effective on January 1, 2022, and will apply to all Oregon noncompetition agreements entered into on or after that date. The most significant changes to the statute are described below. Reduced Term ...
Last year, we published a blog about things an employer should do before they terminate the employment of an employee. In recent years, employers are facing increasing claims for aggravated damages arising out of the manner in which the employer has carried out the termination of an employee’s employment. In order to minimize the possibility that aggravated damages will be awarded, here are our Do’s and Don’ts for employment termination meetings ...
Our latest article in the series looking at the impact of the pandemic on different groups focuses on how COVID-19 has affected those within ethnic minorities, what this has meant for the BLM movement and what employers can do to better support employees. Impact of COVID-19 The latest statistics all point to the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected those within ethnic minorities ...
Starting around October 26, 2020, the Small Business Administrations (the “SBA”) asked Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) lenders to provide certain questionnaires to PPP borrowers with loans of $2 million or greater. There are two questionnaire forms on the Treasury: Form 3509 for for-profit borrowers and Form 3510 for non-profit borrowers ...
On March 18, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 (HR 1603) (FWMA).1 The proposed FWMA would streamline the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program, providing a path to legal immigration status for undocumented farmworkers and their family members. The FWMA would also require all agricultural employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their workers ...
Key Points Employers have the right to mandate vaccines subject to religious and disability-related employee exemptions. Asking if an employee has been vaccinated is not a prohibited medical inquiry. Incentive programs to encourage vaccinations are permissible. Introduction Previously, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued Guidance permitting employers to implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates, subject to certain exemptions ...
Introduction The Covid-19 vaccine is currently being rolled out, and according to the authorities’ vaccination-plan, a large part of the population will receive their first dose during the summer months. As a rule, one must take the vaccine in one’s own home municipality, and not in the municipality where one has a summer house etc. In addition, the authorities are working on a corona certificate ...
The EEOC updated its very clearly titled, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws,” last week to provide some much needed guidance on COVID-19 vaccine issues. While the EEOC’s guidance is helpful, not surprisingly, it leaves open some questions. Section K of the guidance addresses vaccines, so the references below are to the specific questions and answers in that section. Employers can mandate vaccines ...
Whilst we all live in a much more progressive society than we ever have before, there is still a danger of misgendering someone’s identity. The use of gender pronouns in the workplace can therefore help and is an important part of LGBT+ inclusion. Background The Oxford Dictionary defines a pronoun as ‘a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase, for example ‘he, it, hers, me, them, etc.’ ...
On June 1st, 2021, the Law No. 21,342 (hereinafter, the “Law”) was published in the Official Gazette, establishing protocols for occupational health safety and a mandatory health insurance for safe, gradual return to presential work. The above, in the context of the health alert caused by the Covid-19 disease in Chile ...
The Ministry of Security, through theExecutive Decree No. 199 of May 7th, 2021(hereinafter the “Decree”), adjusts the requirements for obtaining atemporary residence permitand apermanent residence permitas a Forest Investor, as follows: The forest investor residence permit may be requested in the following modalities: (i) temporary residence permit, (ii) permanent residence permit in 2 stages, and (iii) permanent residence permit in 1 stage ...
In the recent case of A1 & ANOR V R2 & ORS [2021] HKCFI 650, the Applicants are pursuing proceedings in the Cayman Islands and other jurisdictions in relation to an alleged fraud committed against a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, involving alleged misappropriation of over US$100 million ...
The Government of the Republic of Panama, in response to the new modalities of work worldwide, among these, remote working, considered it appropriate to create this subcategory within the Non-Resident Visas. Executive Decree No. 198 of May 7th, 2021 (hereinafter, the “Decree”), published in the electronic Official Gazette on May 20th, 2021, creates the Short Stay Visa as a Remote Worker. Panama, May 21, 2021 ...
The Ministry of Public Security modifies the requirements to request the residence permit for foreigners from specific countries who maintain friendly professional, economic and investment relationship with the Republic of Panama. Panama, May 24, 2021. The Ministry of Public Security through Executive Decree No ...
Effective March 15th, 2021, the Electronic Remuneration Book (hereinafter "ERB") is available on the Labor Board's platform. The ERB is intended for employers to report, in a standardized and monthly manner, the payment of remunerations made to their employees. The regulation of the new ERB is contained mainly in the Labor Board’s Ruling No ...
COVID-19 cases are down and vaccinations are up, but 2021’s developments continue at a fast and furious pace. With a new administration in place, new legislation taking effect, and the ever-changing considerations of a pandemic-era workplace, employers may find their heads spinning with where to focus and how to build priorities. Below are some of the top areas that are requiring additional thought and focus these days. 1 ...
Below are 10 important things to know about the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) Loan Forgiveness Applications and the detailed instructions for the revised and updated applications posted on May 24, 2021, as well as other forgiveness procedures as updated by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (the “Economic Aid Act” or “PPP2 Act”) ...
On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released updated and expanded guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic’s interactions with federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. The majority of the new guidance is directed at inquiries regarding vaccination status, vaccine incentives, and accommodations ...
Electronic registration The Norwegian Maritime Authority («NMA«) has developed a new system for electronic ship registration and has proposed certain amendments to the Norwegian Maritime Code and appurtenant regulations. The amendments are currently circulated in a memo subject to public hearing ...
Flexible working is not a new concept in the UK, and it exists in a number of forms, both formal and informal. However, in the UK as with the rest of Europe, the sudden emergence of the coronavirus pandemic flipped the way many people worked across the EU as governments put in place social distancing and isolation measures ...
More than a year after the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, many citizens have adopted a lax approach to mask wearing, social distancing and sanitisation. However, a recent Labour Court judgment in South Africa indicates that employers may, within reason, be able to fairly dismiss employees for not adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols ...
In light of the continuing COVID-19 outbreak in Cambodia and the various regulations issued by the Royal Government of Cambodia (“RGC”), there are certain key considerations with respect to employee entitlements that employers will need to be prepared and address, as outlined below. 1 ...
