UI Notice Required at Time of Separation of Employment
Beginning November 2, 2020, Wisconsin employers must notify employees at the time of separation from employment of the availability of Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. Notice of unemployment rights can be given to employees by email, text message, letter, or by providing the DWD printed poster in person or by mail. The content of the notice […]
Wisconsin Judge Reinstates Emergency Order Restricting Indoor Gatherings
Update 11/06/2020 The Governor’s Emergency Order #3, which limited indoor gatherings throughout Wisconsin, expired on November 6, 2020. On the same day, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a lower court should have issued an injunction blocking enforcement of the Emergency Order. Update 10/26/2020 The statewide indoor capacity restrictions in Emergency Order #3 are not […]
Statewide Limits on Indoor Public Gatherings
On October 14, 2020, a Sawyer County district court temporarily blocked Governor Evers administration’s Emergency Order #3, which limits indoor public gatherings statewide. The Court will hear arguments on Monday, October 19, to decide whether to issue a permanent injunction that would permanently block enforcement of Emergency Order #3, unless a higher court overrules that […]
Review Employee Voting Rights As Elections Near
As we near the end of October, federal, state, and local elections are right around the corner. It is a good time for employers to review relevant policies and legal obligations towards employees who seek time off to vote or otherwise participate in the election process. Under Wisconsin law, an employee who is entitled to […]
WI Emergency Order #3 – Statewide Limits on Indoor Public Gatherings
Indoor public gatherings are limited statewide starting on October 8, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. and ending on November 6, 2020 under Emergency Order #3. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm issued the order on October 6, 2020. Emergency Order #3 restricts “public gatherings” to 25% or less of the established indoor […]
Career Coaching Services
In response to continuing financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, employers may be compelled to consider layoffs, furloughs, or terminations. Even when faced with such difficult decisions, employers can take steps to care for their workers and help them transition to new opportunities. Organizations might consider offering career coaching and outplacement advisory services to […]
DOL Announces Proposed Rule on Independent Contractor Status under the FLSA
On September 22, 2020, the US Department of Labor proposed a new rule to clarify whether a worker will be classified as an independent contractor or an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The proposed rule will be available for review and public comments for 30 days after it is published in the […]
Governor Evers Extends Statewide Mask Mandate and Public Health Emergency
On September 22, 2020 Governor Evers released two orders. Emergency Order #1 amends his earlier order to extend the statewide face mask mandate to November 21, 2020. This emergency order does not change the face mask requirements that were included in the previous mandate. Lake Effect’s summary of the requirements can be found here. Dane […]
DOL Issues Revised FFCRA Regulations
On September 11, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division posted revised regulations to clarify certain rights and responsibilities under the paid leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). DOL’s actions are in direct response to an August 2020 New York Federal District Court ruling that invalidated parts of […]
EEOC Updates Guidance on COVID-19 and the Workplace
On September 8, 2020, the EEOC updated its technical assistance document, What You Should Know about COVID-19 and the ADA, Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws (“WYSK”). The updated document revises two pre-existing Q&As that address employer testing and employee requests for accommodation in advance of a return to work. It also incorporates information that […]
