Colorado clients, it’s time to familiarize yourselves with the new 2023 Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance (“FAMLI”) program.  Way back on November 3, 2020, Colorado voters approved a measure creating the FAMLI program, which requires that contributions to the program begin on January 1, 2023 for benefits that will begin paying out in 2024.  All Colorado employers will default into the program, and contributions will be required following the end of the first quarter.

• Deductions from Employee Wages start […]
  

Dear Client,

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday struck down the Biden Administration’s OSHA-based vaccine mandate for employers of 100 or more employees.  The majority ruled that OSHA had exceeded its authority when it issued the vaccine mandate, concluding that OSHA has authority only “to set workplace safety standards, not broad public health measures.”  This decision from the Supreme Court stays (i.e., puts on hold) implementation of the OSHA mandate, pending further review by those lower courts. But, given the 6-3 decision, […]

UPDATE – 12/21/2021

Just over a week ago we sent you an update regarding the Washington Long-Term Care Tax, also called the Washington Cares Fund (the “Fund”), which was set to go into effect on January 1st. The Fund is a program that provides long-term care benefits to eligible employees from a trust fund into which employees pay. Well, on Friday, Governor Inslee and legislative leaders decided to delay implementation of the law so that the legislature could make […]

In yesterday’s Vaccine Mandate Litigation update, I noted that another hearing filed in a federal court in Louisiana was scheduled for December 3^rd.  It appears that, rather than waiting for that hearing to take place, the court decided to enter its order ahead of time, ruling that the Biden Administration’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (the “CMS”) federal vaccine mandate be put on hold with an injunction that applies to the whole country.

So, for now, the CMS vaccine mandate […]

Dear Client:

On Monday, November 29^th, a federal district court in Missouri granted an injunction against the Biden Administration’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (the “CMS”) federal vaccine mandate, which was to apply only to Medicare- and Medicaid-certified facilities (i.e., all facilities over which the CMS has regulatory authority and are therefore subject to the CMS’s health and safety regulations).  Consequently, if your medical practice or facility is not subject to the CMS’s health and safety regulations, then the CMS […]

Dear Client,

There appears to be just a slight amount of confusion about exactly what medical facilities are covered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”).  In short, it applies only to Medicare- and Medicaid-certified facilities, i.e., all facilities over which the CMS has regulatory authority and are therefore subject to the CMS’s health and safety regulations.  Consequently, if your medical practice or facility is not subject to the CMS’s health and safety regulations, then the CMS vaccine mandate […]

Dear Client:

We just wanted to update you on the most recent developments in the COVID-19 vaccination world.  First up, you should know that OSHA has suspended enforcement of its recently announced vaccine mandate, which would have applied to employers with at least 100 employees.  OSHA has suspended the mandate because OSHA was sued by several states, and the case is currently in front of the U.S. 6^th Circuit Court of Appeals, which will decide whether the current stay on the […]

Dear Client,

As you likely have heard, last week OSHA implemented its long-awaited Emergency Temporary Standard (the “ETS”) regarding vaccine mandates for the workplace).  It would have required employers with at least 100 employees to either require their employees to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing (at the employee’s expense) beginning on January 4, 2022.

Well, as we’ve also anticipated, many employers and states have filed lawsuits objecting to the ETS.  As a result, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals […]

Dear RMI Client,

As you’re likely aware by now, the new Washington Long-Term Care Tax mandates a tax on employee’s wages ($0.58 on every $100 of wages ) to pay for long-term care benefits for Washington residents.  The tax and premium collections will start January 1, 2022.

What Is The Washington Long-Term Care Program?

The Washington Long-Term Care Program is the first state-operated long term care insurance program in the country. Employers must collect the employee premiums through after-tax payroll contributions and […]

Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced its boldest effort yet in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic:  that federal workplace safety officials will soon issue a rule that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to either ensure that their workers are vaccinated or require unvaccinated employees to produce a weekly negative test result before coming to work. As part of the emergency rule that OSHA is expected to create, businesses will also be required to give workers paid […]