Since December 2020, the federal government, beginning with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s initial guidance on the subject, has made clear that mandatory employer vaccine requirements were permissible and did not violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, or the American with Disabilities Act, which we wrote about previously The ability of employer mandatory vaccine requirements has consistently been reinforced since that time.
COVID-19 Updates
The Latest on the Ability of Employers to Mandate Vaccinations
Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies by private employers are here, and more are coming.
Attorneys Beware: Zoom Depositions Are Likely Inadmissible
You get a notice of deposition via email. The notice provides that the deposition will be taken remotely through a Zoom videoconference.
The day of the deposition arrives and as your witness is testifying, you notice the red blinking light in the upper left corner of the screen designating that the deposition is being recorded.
M&A Transactions Involving PPP Loans: A Path Forward
Paycheck Protection Program loans, commonly referred to as PPP loans, have been a godsend for millions of small businesses and their employees. As originally envisioned, the purpose of the PPP loans was to provide low interest, forgivable loans to small businesses that have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic to cover payroll and other expenses including interest, rent and utilities.
Can Employers Require Workers to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine as a Condition of Employment?
Those who remain skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccine or are refusing to get inoculated against the virus will soon discover that, in most cases, their employer can require vaccination as a condition of continued employment.
EEOC Guidance Allows Employers to Require Employees to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination
On December 16, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued new guidance for employers regarding the recently approved COVID-19 vaccines and the implications under applicable equal employment opportunity laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (the “ADA”) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (“Title VII”).
Governor Pritzker Extends Modified Moratorium on Residential Evictions Through January 9, 2021
On December 11, 2020, Governor Pritzker extended the moratorium on residential evictions, but only as to a “Covered Person” which is defined as a person who (1) expects to earn no more than $99,000 in annual income for 2020 (or no more than $198,000 if filing a joint tax return) or was not required to report any income in 2019 to the Internal Revenue Service or received an Economic Impact Payment pursuant to the Federal Cares Act…
Home Office Deductions During Covid
Question: I have been working from home since the onset of Covid in March of 2020. Am I entitled to an income tax deduction for the business use of my home office?
Trial in the Time of Covid
Fresh off a four-week bench trial with my partner, Norm Finkel – conducted entirely on Zoom – I want to share some of my impressions that will hopefully help inform clients’ decisions as we navigate our way through this new COVID-era legal environment.
Deferring Payroll Taxes on Earned Income
Question: I own and operate a small business. Is it true that the new tax law enables me to defer all of the payroll taxes incurred on the wages I pay to my employees?