News

The Georgia Supreme Court recently addressed the application of the “scheduled break” and “ingress/egress” doctrines in the
case of Frett v. State Farm, No. S19G0447, 2020 Ga. LEXIS 458 (June 16, 2020). Eighty-five years of prior case law on the
“scheduled break” defense established an accident does not arise out of employment when it occurs on a regularly scheduled
break and the employee has “freedom of action.” Whereas prior case law on the “ingress/egress” doctrine established an accident
does arise out of employment when the employee is injured during a reasonable period of ingress or egress from his or her place
of employment. The Frett case addressed the question of compensability when an accident occurs while an employee is within a
period of ingress or egress during a scheduled break.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued joint guidelines for meat and poultry processing facilities as part of the CDC’s Critical Infrastructure Guidance. In this OSHA Hour, members of Ogletree Deakins’ Workplace Safety and Health Practice Group will focus on what this guidance means for meat and poultry processors, as well as the rest of the manufacturing world. Are any of the concepts or recommendations transferrable to other industries—and is OSHA likely to apply them more broadly? Join our first session of OSHA Hour in what will be an ongoing weekly series designed to provide employers with practical guidance and insights on the latest developments in workplace safety and health. 

Set out below are frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the FFCRA), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), and other health coverage issues related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). These FAQs have been prepared jointly by the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments). Similar to previously issued FAQs (available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-andregulations/laws/affordable-care-act/for-employers-and-advisers/aca-implementation-faqs and www.cms.gov/cciio/resources/fact-sheets-and-faqs/index.html), these FAQs answer questions from stakeholders to help individuals understand the law and benefit from it, as intended.

Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) announced its first round of published guidance to provide information to employees and employers about how each will be able to take advantage of the protections and relief offered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when it takes effect on April 1, 2020.

The recent spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States has caused employers to be increasingly concerned and uncertain regarding the future of their workforces. Below are some answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the latest developments on the virus and guidance from federal agencies.

The US Health and Human Services (HHS) Department allegedly fell victim to a cyberattack on Sunday night (March 15), according to a Bloomberg report. The hack, which comes as the US fights an ever-increasing coronavirus outbreak, involved the spreading of misinformation about a “national quarantine” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this podcast, Ruthie Goodboe discusses the coronavirus (COVID-19) as it relates to labor law. She covers the key obligations and prohibitions under the National Labor Relations Act, including managing employees who refuse to work, union information requests, and other potential protected, concerted activity.

In this podcast, Ruthie Goodboe discusses the coronavirus (COVID-19) as it relates to labor law. She covers the key obligations and prohibitions under the National Labor Relations Act, including managing employees who refuse to work, union information requests, and other potential protected, concerted activity