The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency responsible for enforcement of the employment discrimination laws. The Commission has issued two publications to assist employers and employees in interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the context of  dealing with pandemics.

On March 17, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-31-20, which temporarily suspends Cal-WARN’s 60-day notice requirement for covered employers conducting mass layoffs, plant closures or terminations during this emergency crisis.

On March 20, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court issued its greatly anticipated decision in Richards v. State Farm Lloyds, the case that examined whether an exception to the eight-corners rule existed. As most insurance practitioners expected, the answer was a resounding “No.”

Recently, the federal Centers for Medical & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new guidance to further protect those working in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, dialysis centers, and other healthcare facilities, in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is precipitating an unprecedented federal response as Congress and the Administration grapple with how to address the economic downturn resulting from efforts to contain the spread of the virus. Numerous industries have been adversely affected, with even stronger impacts on small businesses. In response, Congress and the Executive Branch are negotiating a large financial stimulus package to ease the economic pain.

In response to possible exposure to COVID-19, the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued guidance for employers on how to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA’s guidelines rely in large part on previously issued guidance from the Center for Disease Control .

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was approved by the U.S. Senate and signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020. The Act requires that covered employers grant up to 12 weeks of emergency family medical leave and 80 hours of sick leave to employees impacted by the coronavirus.