CDC Updates Guidance
Throughout the COVID pandemic, Lake Effect has encouraged employers to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance regarding COVID isolation and return to work protocols to ensure individuals do not return to work prematurely or jeopardize the health and safety of others. On March 1, 2024, the CDC updated the isolation guidance for those […]
Review Your Handbooks Now
In the fall of 2023, we encouraged organizations to review their handbooks based on recent NLRB decisions focused on employees’ rights to engage in protected activity even in non-union settings. We are renewing that call – as several states have implemented new laws that could have a significant impact on handbooks and employment policies. For […]
Coaching Employees Through Interpersonal Differences
Since the pandemic, many employers have experienced a rise in the number of interpersonal disputes among employees. These conflicts may reflect long-standing friction that went dormant during COVID, employees out-of-practice at making small talk by the proverbial water cooler, or employees no longer willing to tolerate an aggravating co-worker or demanding boss. Lake Effect has […]
Employers Face New Challenges Under Colorado’s Revised Non-Compete Law
Effective August 10, 2022, employers who aim to protect business interests by requiring employees in Colorado to sign non-compete and customer non-solicit agreements will face new challenges under amendments to Colorado’s restrictive covenant law. Key provisions include the following: Post-employment non-compete agreements, including customer non-solicitation agreements, are presumed void unless all of the following are […]
Share the Love with Your Employees
It’s Valentine’s Day, the day we show a little extra love to those who are special to us. After the last two years, we all need a few more candy conversation hearts. Take a few moments today to take care of yourself and encourage your team to do the same. As we move through 2022, […]
Update on OSHA’s Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard
On December 17, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted the stay placed by the Fifth Circuit and cleared the way for OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to proceed. A coalition of trade groups quickly appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court for final determination. Almost immediately, OSHA updated its […]
Maintaining a Respectful Workplace Post-COVID
While some organizations have been on site through the pandemic, others have returned in recent months. Many others are planning a more robust employee return to office in the coming weeks. As more employees return to work in the office, employers may need to reestablish and remind employees about expectations of workplace conduct to foster […]
Twelve Months Later: How Has Your Organization Evolved?
The past 12 months have been a time like no other, forcing organizations to pivot quickly to accommodate a new reality. Now is the time to review handbook policies and internal processes that may have been revised on the fly in response to changing circumstances. You can start by reviewing the ways your organization has […]
Learning To Build A Stronger Teams In A Virtual World
Many of us are starting to think about what our workspaces will look like when we are able to return more consistently or completely to the workplace. These options include returning full time to the office, continuing to work remotely, or a blend of the two. No matter which option your organization chooses for its […]
State Employment Laws to Consider with Remote Workers
Employers across the country – from small nonprofits to multi-national corporations – are grappling with whether and how to maintain a remote workforce with employees in multiple states. There are distinct advantages to allowing employees to work from their home, wherever that may be, and opening the applicant pool to a remote workforce. (See our […]
