On March 17, 2020, Puerto Rico’s Transportation and Other Public Services Bureau issued guidance on Executive Order EO-2020-23 (EO) and the operations allowed during the lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 emergency crisis.
In light of the State of Emergency declared by Puerto Rico Governor Hon. Wanda Vázquez-Garced, and the closing of most government agencies as a result of Executive Order 2020-023, several employment-related agencies have extended upcoming deadlines.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced in a televised address and corresponding press release that he was superseding his prior March 16 Order closing “non-essential” businesses for 14 days because state officials were not seeing full compliance.
On March 18, 2020, the FMCSA issued an Expanded Emergency Declaration broadening federal exemptions from compliance with certain driver safety regulations for interstate commerce, including the federal Hours of Service regulations.
On March 16, 2020, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics’ new Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards Order Number 36 officially went into effect.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Federal Government of Canada has made changes to Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Benefits and its Work-Sharing Program to assist eligible employers and employees.
Brazil declared a state of public disaster (Legislative Decree # 88/2020) on March 18, 2020, which will allow the government to spend beyond the annual budget to assist with health needs and to support employment.
New York State adopted new legislation on March 18, 2020 that provides employees, who are subject to a COVID-19 mandatory or precautionary quarantine or isolation order, with immediate paid or unpaid time off specific to the current crisis.
On March 17, 2020, the District of Columbia City Council unanimously approved, and the mayor signed, the COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.