News

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.

Beginning Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, the minimum wage in Arkansas will increase to $11 per hour. In 2018, Arkansas voters approved a ballot initiative to incrementally raise the minimum wage to $11 an hour by 2021. The increase in minimum wage offers employers an opportunity to evaluate their pay practices.

After several rounds of discussion, congressional leaders reached a deal on a new COVID-related stimulus bill. The bill passed both houses of Congress on Monday, Dec. 21 and was signed into law by the President Trump on Sunday, Dec 27. The stimulus package, which totals nearly $900 billion, provides aid for workers and businesses and includes expansions and revisions of existing COVID relief programs.

On Wednesday, Dec. 16, the EEOC released new guidance for employers regarding how the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) will impact administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. That guidance, which came in the form of frequently asked questions, recognizes the complex legal questions that arise with administering a COVID-19 vaccine in an employment context.

On Friday, December 4, the CDC issued new guidance for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. That guidance recognizes the high levels of community transmission in recent weeks and the need to adopt more stringent measures to slow the spread of the disease.