Employees who experience a “COBRA-qualifying event” and would otherwise lose group health coverage are entitled to elect to continue their group health coverage under federal law – COBRA. For those employers not covered by COBRA (who have fewer than 20 employees), Louisiana has a group health insurance continuation statute that also allows employees to continue
Coronavirus Paid Leave Bill Passes House
After midnight on March 14, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6201, a 110 page, bipartisan coronavirus response bill. The House approved the bill on a 363-40 vote and has President Trump’s support. Included in the bill are comprehensive mandated paid leave provisions related to the coronavirus outbreak. The Senate is expected to
Congress Responds to the Coronavirus
Responses to the coronavirus that directly impact employers are making their way through Congress. CBS and other news outlets are reporting on Congressional leaders’ negotiations regarding various measures that will directly impact employers. These measures include paid emergency sick leave and disaster unemployment assistance. See the attached link from CBS News regarding the Congressional response
Act Now
From New York to Hollywood and now New Orleans, well-publicized allegations of sexual harassment have dominated the news. Click here for a recent CNN article on a recent issue. Sexual harassment is unlawful and can lead to much bigger issues than bad press. Click here for information on sex-based discrimination from the U.S. Equal Employment
Employers Respond to “A Day Without Immigrants”
Last week, thousands of employees throughout the county skipped work as part of “a day without immigrants” demonstration. The employees were protesting the Trump administration’s recent actions regarding immigration. The stated intent was to negatively impact the nation’s economy in an effort to highlight the contributions of immigrant labor. Restaurants were the primary target. Businesses
ADA Access: “Drive By” or “Google” Lawsuits and the Americans with Disabilities Act?
Disability access lawsuits have become a cottage industry and they have found their way into Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. Most are brought by the serial litigants working with same law firm. These plaintiffs visit a business for the primary purpose of discovering an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility violation and then file a federal
EEOC Issues Updated Enforcement Guidance on Pregnancy Discrimination
On July 14, 2014, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued an updated “Enforcement Guidance on Pregnancy Discrimination and Related Issues” (Notice No. 915.003), along with a question and answer document about the guidance and a fact sheet for small businesses. The Enforcement Guidance, Q&A document, and Fact Sheet are available on the EEOC’s
New Model COBRA Notices
The U.S. Department of Labor, in conjunction with the IRS and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued new model COBRA notices. The revised notices provide information to qualified beneficiaries regarding other coverage options, including marketplace exchanges, Medicaid and other group health plans.
The revisions also direct individuals with questions about marketplace exchange
President Obama Signs Executive Order Increasing the Federal Contractor Minimum Wage
On February 12, 2014, President Obama followed up on comments made during his State of the Union address and signed an Executive Order increasing the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors. The Order, which increases the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour, covers all employees who perform services or construction work under