How high is too high? For the longest time, the answer was easy: “Come to work high and you will be disciplined up to and including termination!” Now the landscape for Virginia workplaces is changing… Read more
Recent Posts
Public Sector Unions Are Coming to a Town Near You
Guidance for Local Governments on Collective Bargaining with Public Employees Local governments across Virginia soon will be able to authorize collective bargaining with public sector unions. House Bill 582 legalized public sector bargaining in 2020… Read more
Virginia’s COVID-19 Emergency Standards Are Now Permanent
Virginia’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards Are Now Permanent The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) has enacted a Permanent Standard to replace the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) (pdf) that became law for Virginia employers… Read more
Storming the U.S. Capitol! Can you fire an employee for rioting?
The World Has Turned Upside Down, But Your Business Should Not! Last week a mob assaulted our democracy and the rule of law in this country. American citizens angry about the results of the 2020… Read more
Can Employers Require Employees to be Vaccinated Against COVID-19? (Coronavirus and the Law)
Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the FDA last Friday and distribution has already begun. Yet in a November Gallup Poll, only 58 percent of Americans said they would get a COVID-19 vaccine, up from… Read more
Retaliation: “I know it when I see it!” But do you really?
Retaliation or, at least, the perception of retaliation is on the rise. Has a manager approached you saying an employee should be fired because that employee is abusing COVID leave? Has an employee claimed he… Read more
Collective Bargaining for Public Employees Arrives in the Commonwealth—Virginia HB 582
Public school teachers, firefighters, police officers, and most other local government employees will gain new rights next year. In May 2021, Virginia will permit local governing bodies to engage in collective bargaining with its employees…. Read more
DOL Revises FFCRA Regulations – Here we go again! (Coronavirus and the Law)
Just as we were getting used to COVID-related paid sick and family medical leave under the FFCRA, the DOL announced its revised regulations. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires all public employers and… Read more
Parents Not Eligible for FFCRA Leave for Remote Learning if In-Person Learning is Offered (Coronavirus and the Law)
The Department of Labor (DOL) issued long-awaited guidance on paid family leave and jobless benefits when schools are open for in-person, virtual, or hybrid learning. Workers, DOL says, are ineligible for virus-related paid family leave… Read more
What Happens When Employees Are Afraid of the Workplace? (Coronavirus and the Law)
An employee said he’s not coming to work because COVID-19 makes him “feel unsafe.” Do Virginia’s workplace safety standards really say he can do that? There is good reason to take precautions to protect your… Read more