The issue of whether business owners can have vaccine mandates or mask mandates for their employees has become one of the most hotly debated, shape-shifting, and often confusing topics for employers in 2021. On this episode, I will distill the many changed federal, NY State, and NYC laws, regulations, and guidelines, and will present the most updated, direct answers for employers on this topic.
We will discuss liability issues and how to minimize the chances that different employees can sue you for different reasons. A must-see show for business owners!
By Segment
5:27 – 17:57 – Eric starts the show introducing his topics and talking about his background and experience in labor law. Eric started practicing law in January 1999 and began his own practice by spring of 2001. His firm mainly focuses on labor law issues. Eirc discusses the Covid-19 relief; workplace safety. He goes over the requirements for employers and their responsibility in creating a safety plan following Covid-19. Eric discusses the does and don’t required by NY state and Federal Law.
20:14 – 33:54 – Coming back from the show Eric continues discussing what employers can do to keep their employees safe. He talks about how NY state delayed their mandates until October 12th. Eric mentions the requirements that will force employees to either get vaccinated or submit a test that shows they’ve tested negative for COVID-19. He also talks about the pros and cons of having a mandate and how there’s possibilities of getting sued whether you’re on top of safety regulation or not. Before the best, Eric gave some concrete examples of how to handle vaccination exemptions. He talks about the employer and employee’s rights pertaining to the situation.
36:32 – 46:59 – Coming back from the break, Eric glosses over the first two segments to reiterate covid safety requirements for employers. He discusses the different possibilities of how to deal with federal mandates and not letting it affect your business. Eric mentioned that though employees are able to request for exemptions for health or religious reasons, employers are not required to keep you employed if not getting vaccinated keeps you from doing your job. He also talked about the lack of responsibility an employer has for generalized fear surrounding COVID-19.
49:03 – 1:00:58 – In the last segment Eric gave another recap of the previous segments. He talked about mask mandates, vaccination requirements, employers rights, and safety protocols that have to be followed. He also discussed workers compensation policies and how employers can be liable for injuries of their employees working from home. Eric ended the segment with tips for employers post COVID-19 and how to prepare to bring their workers back to work.
About Employment Law Today
Helping Business With Employment Law Issues.
For many business owners, it can be overwhelming to keep up and comply with the federal and state labor and employment laws that govern how they run their business. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there are new laws and regulations regarding hiring, firing, and workplace practices and protocols — all of which can increase business owners’ anxieties about regaining traction or thriving again. On my weekly show, we will be discussing the most common employment law related questions and challenges that business owners have been facing in these uncertain times.
The show will have three main goals: (1) to inform businesses about employment law updates, (2) to inspire businesses by giving them the tools to move forward, and (3) to demonstrate how some business owners have overcome their employment law problems, walked through the challenges imposed by this pandemic, and have taken steps to regain traction during the reopening phases of this pandemic.
Our guests will include professionals who advise businesses from an H.R., legal, and financial perspective, along with thriving business owners who will share their experiences and insights into running a successful company while complying with labor and employment law mandates during COVID-19.