Effective February 6, 2024, all private employers in Texas will be prohibited from imposing or enforcing COVID-19 vaccine mandates as a condition of employment. While the practical impact of this new law may be limited, employers should still take note.
Newly-enacted SB 7 prohibits employers from adopting or enforcing a mandate requiring an employee
This document identifies the relevant state-wide shelter-in-place orders and their related expiration dates as well as the state-wide reopening plans, and whether local (county/municipal) orders also apply, in each of the 50 United States.
Please check back for updates throughout the pandemic.
On April 27, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced details of his plan to reopen Texas businesses in phases, so long as the COVID-19 outbreak can be sufficiently contained in the process. In conjunction with the release of the “Open Texas” strategic plan, Governor Abbott also issued three executive orders on April 27, 2020, each aimed at balancing measures to reopen sectors of the state while maintaining sufficient protections. Below are key provisions of the Open Texas strategic plan and the related executive orders. Please use the following links to access the full text of the Open Texas strategic plan and each of Governor Abbott’s executive orders.
Continue Reading Texas Reopens: What Businesses Need To Know
Are They Right For You?
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the global economy, United States employers are continuing to examine ways to reduce costs while at the same time both limiting the financial impact on employees and preserving their ability to ramp back up when circumstances allow. State short time compensation programs, also known as work share programs, provide one avenue for cost savings that may be appropriate for some employers.
Where available, these programs provide pro-rated unemployment compensation benefits to groups of workers whose hours are reduced by their employer on a temporary basis in lieu of layoffs. In addition, the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) provides a federally-funded $600 per week unemployment compensation supplement to those who participate in such programs through July 31, 2020.
This Alert provides additional details about state short time compensation programs and answers frequently asked questions about the pros and cons of participation.
Where are short time compensation programs available?
Currently, the following 27 jurisdictions have short time compensation programs in place: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. The CARES Act provided federal funding for other states to enact short time compensation programs, so additional states may do so in the near term.Continue Reading Short Time Compensation (Work Share) Programs
In jurisdictions across the country — especially COVID-19 “hot spots” — courts have entered emergency orders suspending trials and hearings, tolling the statute of limitations, and shuttering their doors to conducting anything but the most essential business. Non-essential hearings — including hearings related to non-emergency civil matters — are being conducted through Zoom and Skype to continue court proceedings without violating shelter-in-place orders and social distancing guidelines. In jurisdictions where shelter-in-place orders consider certain “legal services” as essential businesses which must remain open, those partaking must still abide by social-distancing guidelines (including six-foot spacing, and not gathering in groups of more than a minimal number such as 5 or 10), which can make something as routine as taking in-person depositions impossible. At the same time, businesses are reeling from the economic impact of COVID-19, and may find it beneficial to slow the pace of pending litigation. Responding to interrogatories, culling through thousands of emails to find responsive documents, and taking the time to prepare for depositions may not be front-of-mind for businesses simply trying to focus on retaining employees and staying afloat.
Continue Reading Emergency Court Rules for COVID-19 Slows Litigation and Provides Choices for Businesses
A Statewide Executive Order and comprehensive list of Texas counties and cities with shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders has been complied.
Note that this does not cover counties that may have less restrictive orders in place, similar to the restaurant and bar bans that were prevalent last week (i.e., a county or city’s absence
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued a “Stay Home, Work Safe” Order taking effect at 11:59 p.m. on March 24, 2020. The order requires residents to remain inside except for “Essential Activities,”
