Insight
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July 12, 2021

Employment Highlights from Oregon’s Active 2021 Legislative Session

June 2021 culminated in the elimination of COVID-19 restrictions in Oregon and significant changes to the state’s employment laws during the 2021 legislative session.

ASAP
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July 12, 2021

Ontario, Canada Moving to Step Three of its Roadmap to Reopen Ahead of Schedule

Ontario announced that with improvements in key indicators relating to public health and health care, and the provincewide vaccination rate surpassing targets, it will be moving all Ontario regional health units to Stage Three of its Roadmap to Reopen.

Insight
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July 12, 2021

Tightening the Vise: N.J. Further Expands Power to Thwart Employee Misclassification

N.J. Governor Murphy signed a package of bills expanding the power of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to enforce state wage, benefit and tax laws, and enhancing penalties for employers that misclassify workers as independent contractors.

Insight
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July 12, 2021

Pennsylvania Repeals Rule Increasing Salary Threshold for White Collar Exemption and Restores State Law Exemptions to 1968 FLSA Standards

As a result of a compromise reached during recent budget negotiations, Pennsylvania repealed an administrative rule that would have substantially increased the salary threshold needed to qualify as an exempt EAP employee under the state minimum wage act.

ASAP
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July 12, 2021

Oregon OSHA Issues Temporary Heat Standard

On July 8, 2021, Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) adopted emergency Heat Illness Prevention rules to establish workplace heat safety requirements that apply when temperatures in a work area reach or exceed 80 degrees.

ASAP
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July 9, 2021

President Biden Seeks to Regulate (and Potentially Ban) Non-Competes

On July 9, 2021, President Biden issued his Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy.

Insight
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July 9, 2021

PBGC Issues Interim Final Rule on the American Rescue Plan Act’s Special Financial Assistance Program

On July 9, 2021, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation issued its interim final rule implementing the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) program passed in March 2021 as part of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Insight
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July 9, 2021

Employers Must Collect Employee Premiums under the New “Washington Cares” Program Starting 1/1/2022; Employee Window to Obtain Alternate Coverage Closes on 11/1/2021

Washington enacted the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act, making it the first state in the country to adopt a mandatory, public long-term care insurance program for workers. This article highlights key aspects of the “WA Cares Fund.”

ASAP
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July 8, 2021

Maine’s Highest Court Finds Portland Hazard Pay Ordinance Constitutional, But Not Effective Until 2022

Employers in Portland, Maine received long-awaited clarity Tuesday regarding a November 2020 voter referendum raising the city’s minimum wage and instituting hazard pay during states of emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear Littler
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July 8, 2021

Dear Littler: What is so Taxing about our Wandering Workers?

Dear Littler: You alerted us to wage & hour and leaves & benefits issues stemming from our “wandering workers” who have scattered across the country during the pandemic, yet continue to work for our Texas-based company. We have some tax questions for you.

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