Federal Alerts

Chicago has published rules and enacted two ordinances that will expand coverage under the city's paid sick leave law, create new notice and recordkeeping requirements, and prohibit adverse action against employees because of COVID-19. The changes take effect on July 1, 2020.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled 6-3 that federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees because they are gay or transgender.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued updated guidance on recording occupational illnesses related to COVID-19. The guidance took effect May 26, 2020 and remains in effect until further notice.

The DOL has issued a final rule that allows employers to offer bonuses or other incentive pay to employees who are paid overtime under the fluctuating workweek method of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final rule takes effect August 7, 2020.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a temporary policy regarding expired documents used for Form I-9 purposes. The Form I-9 is used to verify a new hire's identity and work authorization.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a final rule for determining whether employers qualify as "retail or service" establishments for purposes of an overtime exemption for commission-based employees. The final rule takes effect immediately.

The Department of Labor (DOL) has released a temporary rule implementing the leave provisions of the FFCRA. This temporary rule was released on April 1 and is effective immediately. It defines key terms and makes important clarifications regarding the leave requirements.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has published a final rule that amends and clarifies the test for determining whether a joint-employer relationship exists for purposes of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The final rule takes effect April 27, 2020.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a revised version of the Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification). Employers must begin using the new version by May 1, 2020.