Dane County Public Health Emergency Order #15

Lake Effect HR Law

Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) has issued a new public health order, Emergency Order #15, effective April 7, 2021. The new order includes significant changes to the face covering requirements, capacity limits for outdoor gatherings, and the requirements applicable to several industries including schools and childcare centers, gyms, and grocery stores. The new […]

Leave for Employees to Donate Bone Marrow or an Organ

Lake Effect employment law

Wisconsin employers with 50 or more employees are required to provide up to six weeks of leave for employees who choose to donate their bone marrow or an organ under the Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Leave Act. The law counts employees nationwide, meaning the leave requirement covers, for example, employers with one employee in […]

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 […]

Dane County Public Health Emergency Order #14

Lake Effect Blog

Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) has issued a new public health order, Emergency Order #14, effective March 10, 2021. The new order includes significant changes to the indoor and outdoor capacity limits for gatherings, restaurants, taverns, and sporting events. The order also modifies the protective measure policy required for schools. The primary changes […]

Biden Administration Impact on the Workplace

Just one week into his administration, President Biden has signaled that he will take a fresh look at current issues affecting American workers and workplaces. His recent executive orders and memoranda include the following actions: Halt Final Rules governing tip pools and independent contractors: This Executive memorandum stays pending final rules that have been published […]

New CDC Guidance Requires Informed Consent for Workplace COVID-19 Testing

On January 21, 2021, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued new guidance for non-healthcare employers who conduct workplace COVID-19 testing. While the CDC previously confirmed that workplace testing is permissible as part of a comprehensive approach to reducing virus transmission, the new guidance clarifies that it should not be conducted without employees’ informed […]

DOL provides additional guidance on tipped employees

***Update, January 27, 2021*** UPDATED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER – CLICK HERE FOR UPDATED INFORMATION **** On January 15, 2021, the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued two opinion letters relating to tipped employees. In FLSA2021-4, the WHD considered whether a restaurant may institute a tip pool that includes both servers (for […]

DOL clarifies FLSA’s “amusement or recreational establishment” exemption

lake-pier-woman

On January 15, 2021, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the US Department of Labor issued opinion letter FLSA2021-3. The letter explores the scope of Section 13 (a)(3) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which creates an exemption from the minimum wage and overtime provisions for “an employee employed by an establishment which […]

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 […]