News

On April 13, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Liberty Tax Service of Lynn, Massachusetts for prohibiting its employees and customers from wearing masks, failing to ensure employees and customers practiced social distancing and refusing to implement other safeguards against the coronavirus. The Massachusetts-based business now faces $136,532 in penalties.

Governor Asa Hutchinson announced today the statewide mask mandate will be lifted effective immediately. Our labor and employment attorneys have put together some much needed guidance in the form of frequently asked questions to help business owners understand how this affects their place of business and current requirements set for employees and customers.

Welcome back after last month’s snowstorm. While last month’s weather events temporarily changed employers’ focus, we cannot understate the importance of continuing to follow COVID-19 guidance in the workplace particularly with the recent announcement by Governor Hutchinson. The general trend of infections and active cases in Arkansas is headed in the right direction, but employers should continue to remain vigilant to limit risk for their employees and client. Our newsletter this month focuses on updates to COVID-related mandates and guidance at the State and Federal levels.

Attorneys Michael S. Moore and Julio Olaya, Jr. discuss vaccines in the workplace and other covid-related issues important for employers right now in the firm's monthly Lunch and Learn Webinar Series. (February 3, 2021)

Yesterday the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services issued a Press Release (see below) notifying employers that their annual statements regarding unemployment contribution rates would reflect non-charges for the Second Quarter of 2020, pursuant to the Executive Order issued by the Governor in late 2020.

Over the past year, the news from our group has come in the form of alerts addressing recent changes in the law, mostly due to the pandemic. These are designed to keep employers apprised of legal changes and armed with knowledge to address issues that might arise. COVID-19 came about suddenly, and legislation and executive orders quickly followed. Our legal and business landscapes changed as a result, as did how we operate day to day. From the beginning of the pandemic to today, our labor and employment group has grappled with novel challenges, immersed ourselves in the new laws and regulations, and brainstormed together solutions to the new challenges employers are facing, both COVID-related and non-COVID related.

On Tuesday, Dec. 29, Governor Hutchinson issued Executive Order (EO 20-54) which grants relief to employers whose unemployment rates might have been adversely affected by the economic effects of COVID-19.