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The federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) provides job protections for employees who are absent from work due to service in uniformed services. Among those protections is the entitlement to rights and benefits generally provided to employees with similar seniority, status and pay who are on furlough or leave of absence. In…

President Joe Biden’s administration is continuing its efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of the deadly coronavirus Delta variant. Recently, the White House ordered all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Now, the government is imposing a similar requirement on private employers. The move is estimated to affect over…

COVID-19 vaccinations are a highly contentious topic in America. Many U.S. adults still haven’t gotten the shot despite the Food and Drug Administration’s recent (FDA) full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. This reluctance is seen as a problem by health experts, who contest that vaccination is the most effective way to control the widespread coronavirus…

The COVID-19 pandemic put many people out of work in early 2020, particularly in the restaurant industry. Businesses were forced to shutter overnight, giving workers little time to adapt to their circumstances. Layoffs were so rampant that the federal government needed to step in and offer more generous unemployment benefits (an extra $300 per week…

As the highly contagious and transmissible Delta variant spreads across the United States and the numbers of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations rise, many organizations are taking action to protect employees. In some cases, they are mandating that employees get vaccinated before returning to the workplace or encouraging them to do so. For some employers, these…

When an on-the-job injury or illness results in permanent work restrictions, you are required to provide the injured worker a position that fits medically determined specifications. If you are unable to accommodate the permanent work restrictions, vocational rehabilitation benefits are available to the injured employee. These benefits may include job placement services, retraining or a…

Returning to in-person work is a top priority for many workplaces. As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lessens, employers are eager to get employees back in their buildings. But that comes with a series of complications. The most significant complication is the fact that every workplace decision in the immediate future will be viewed…

Employers now have some extra time to submit equal employment opportunity (EEO-1) workforce data from 2019 and 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on June 28, 2021. These reports were previously due by July 19, 2021. Employers now have until Aug. 23, 2021, to complete their submissions. The EEOC’s collection of this…

What Is Re-entry Anxiety? Re-entry anxiety is an overall uneasiness or uncertainty about returning to the way things were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Why Is It Happening? Re-entry anxiety can come in many different forms. Mental health experts report there are generally two groups of people who experience re-entry anxiety: Those who worry they will…

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on many industries—and the hospitality industry is no exception. Now, as lockdowns disappear and restrictions loosen, more restaurants are resuming normal business operations. As the demand for dining increases, the hiring scramble is on for restaurants. In addition to employee and customer health and safety, employee attraction is…