The United States Supreme Court has issued a decision that blocks a federal OSHA emergency temporary standard (ETS) that would require employers with 100 or more employees to ensure that employees either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or produce a weekly negative test. Separately, the court upheld a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Interim Final Rule (CMS Rule), requiring vaccinations among certain healthcare workers.
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On Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, the Biden Administration announced a requirement to expand access to free at-home COVID tests.
The proposed regulation, if finalized, would generally be effective beginning in 2022, but the IRS stated that entities may rely on the regulations now for the 2021 reporting submissions.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a final rule establishing limits on the amount of time tipped employees can spend performing work that isn’t “tip-producing work” and still be paid at the reduced cash wage for tipped employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final rule becomes effective on December 28, 2021.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that it won’t enforce an emergency rule regarding vaccination of healthcare workers while there are injunctions in place that block the implementation of it.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance (Notice 2021-65) regarding the retroactive termination of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). The recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act terminated the ERTC with retroactive effect to Sept. 30, 2021 (i.e., wages paid after that date do not qualify for the ERTC, unless the employer is a recovery startup business).
A federal judge in Georgia has temporarily blocked a Biden Administration rule that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to ensure that all covered employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
President Biden has announced that federal contractors and subcontractors will have until January 18, 2022 to ensure that all covered employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued an emergency rule that requires COVID-19 vaccination for workers at healthcare facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
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New York City has enacted an Order that establishes worker COVID-19 vaccination requirements, creates recordkeeping obligations, and includes a posting requirement. The Order took effect on December 27, 2021.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is requiring the use of face masks indoors for the next four weeks, regardless of the individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status.
Tucson, Arizona voters have approved a ballot measure (Proposition 206) that will increase the city’s minimum wage. Employers must pay employees at least the city's minimum wage rate for work done within Tucson.
North Dakota has enacted legislation (HB 1511) that requires private employers to allow certain employee exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. The law is effective from Nov.15, 2021 to Aug.1, 2023, unless extended.
The minimum wage in California and in many local jurisdictions in the state will increase on January 1, 2022.