Rojgar Job News

The news late Friday was not unexpected. The Governor is shutting down the offices of non-essential businesses including non-profits. But if I had told you two weeks ago that Connecticut would be issuing an order telling non-essential businesses that their offices would have to close, I’m not sure I would’ve had many believers. And yet, here we are. Executive Order 7H has been something I’ve been trying to get employers to prepare for, particularly in a prior post. Here’s the key text: All businesses and not-for-profit entities in the state shall employ, to the maximum extent possible, any telecommuting or work from home procedures that they can safely employ. Non-essential businesses or not-for-profit entities shall reduce their in-person workforces at any workplace locations by 100% not later than March 23, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Any essential business or entity providing essential goods, services or functions shall not be subject to these in-person restrictions....

Wednesday was supposed to be the first day of vacation for me and my family in Florida. Instead, I spent it at home helping clients run from one crisis to another. It’s pretty amazing how quickly all of our lives have changed so dramatically. Also amazing: Congress passed major legislation on leave related to COVID-19.  In record time. Normally, I would recap those types of things here but everyone (including, to be fair, my lawfirm) has already recapped it so I have little to add.  That said, you can and should read my firm’s recap here.  What else transpired on Wednesday that Connecticut employers need to be aware of? Another day, another executive order — this one titled “7F” (quick question: What happens after 7Z? Let’s hope we don’t have to get there). This one closed recreational facilities such as bowling alleys and zoos.  Expect more closures in the coming days. Access Health CT announced that it was having a special ...

Wednesday evening is the first night of Passover — one of my favorite Jewish holidays. (And, not surprisingly, not the first time I’ve written about it.) Why? Traditionally, it is one of the few times the entire extended family gets together and celebrates with great homemade food. Think matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, hard-boiled eggs, latkes (yes, my family eats them for Passover too) and, of course, my mother’s meatballs (made with my late-grandmother’s recipe, of course). But this year will be different. No family seder. At least not in person. Instead, we are using the 2020 technology instead – a video conference. Call it the Year of the Zoom Seder. Will it work? Well it won’t be the same, but it’ll be different. And that’s just fine by me.  At least we’re together. And what about the food? Well, as it turns out, my mother lives nearby and we did a distanced tradeoff.  I received a fresh batch of matzo ball soup and mea...

Let’s face it: Trying to keep up with all the pandemic-related employment rules released by the state only to see them modified again and again, is challenging to say the least. And yet, the Safe Workplace Rules for Essential Employers have been modified yet again Tuesday night by the Department of Economic and Community Development, just two business days after they were already updated to ask masks as a requirement. The modifications don’t just fix a typo, but significantly change what had been put in place over the weekend by reducing the need for employees to wear a mask at all times. Effective immediately, in workplace settings where employees are working alone in segregated spaces (i.e. cubicles with walls, private offices, etc.), employees may remove their masks . But, workers need to wear masks or face coverings “from the time they enter the building until the time they arrive at their cubicle/work station and at any time they are leaving their work station an...

What do you think of masks? Strangely, it seems a loaded question of late.  How masks became a political hot potato is something that historians will debate. Yesterday, Connecticut tried out a new slogan encouraging common-sense use of masks. The new slogan? “If you have to ask, wear a mask”. But that’s not the full story of course. In all of the state’s reopening rules, masks (and face coverings) are a key component — in stores, restaurants, offices, even amusement parks. OSHA has chimed in as well with a new FAQ purporting to recap existing regulations on the subject. If you read that, though, you might think that employers in Connecticut are exempt from provide masks to their workers now. Cloth face coverings are not considered personal protective equipment (PPE) and are not intended to be used when workers need PPE for protection against exposure to occupational hazards. As such, OSHA’s PPE standards do not require employers to provide them. ...