Last week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued an “emergency declaration” expanding and clarifying eligibility for unemployment benefits during the current COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) pandemic. Specifically, unemployment benefits are now available for eligible individuals who are requested by a medical professional, local health authority, or employer to be isolated or quarantined as a consequence of coronavirus, even if they are not actually diagnosed with coronavirus. In addition, the standard one-week waiting period for unemployed individuals seeking unemployment benefits is being waived for this situation. If an employer discharges employees due to a loss of production caused by the coronavirus, employees will be …
Ohio Health Director Issues “Stay at Home Order” Dated March 22, 2020
On Sunday, March 22, 2020, Governor DeWine announced a new “Stay at Home Order” issued by Ohio Health Director Amy Acton, MD, MPH (the “Order”). In addition to severely restricting the ability of individuals in Ohio to leave their residences for two weeks, the Order contains specific and dramatic instructions to Ohio employers on managing their workforces. The employment-related restriction in the Order includes numerous exceptions. Below are details concerning the Order and its impact on essentially all private businesses in the state. Effective date: March 23, 2020 at 11:59 PM. End date: April 6, 2020 at 11:59 PM (unless …
New Law: Families First Coronavirus Response Act
On the evening of March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law a significant legislative response affecting employers and workers coping with the COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Act”) contains two separate but related provisions. First, the Act provides for Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“EPSL”) to be provided to employees and paid for by employers in certain situations. Second, it provides for an Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion (“EFMLE”), which expands coverage of the existing FMLA to specific situations related to the pandemic. Both provisions are subsidized through certain reimbursements available to employers (including …
COVID-19: What Employers Need to Know For Now
The outbreak of COVID-19 has reached pandemic levels, prompting public and private action. Governments at all levels nationwide have issued emergency orders and resolutions establishing public health strategies and guidance for employers, communities and individuals to abide by during this time. Businesses are designing and implementing plans to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace with the hope that business operations can continue with minimal disruption. Even in the face of a pandemic, employers must pay attention to and comply with federal and state employment laws while making decisions that impact the health and wellbeing of their …
Electric Scooters: Regulation, Litigation and Consternation
Electric scooters are likely already in your city and if not, the chances are good that they will be soon. In cities across Ohio, the United States and the world, one often does not have to go far before stumbling upon, perhaps quite literally, a huddling mass of scooters on a corner or sidewalk. Ohio Cities Regulate Scooters with Local Ordinances: Will Statewide Regulation Be Next? Despite whatever differences exist between the Ohio cities and the scooter companies, local legislatures have found commonality in how they regulate the product and its use. All Ohio cities with scooters regulate their use, …
New Associate Ben Mazer Joins Coolidge Wall
Coolidge Wall Co., L.P.A. is pleased to announce that Benjamin A. Mazer has joined the firm as an associate in its Labor & Employment Department. Prior to joining Coolidge Wall, Ben served as Assistant Prosecutor with the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, where he focused primarily on civil litigation in the areas of management-side employment defense and public sector defense on behalf of the county. Ben has served as lead counsel in dozens of cases in both federal and state courts and administrative agencies, while providing legal advice to county boards, agencies, elected officials, and commissions. “Ben brings a unique blend …