The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has supplemented its Initial Fall Reopening Guidance with special considerations and guidance for services and instruction for students who qualify for special education. While DESE has asked all districts to develop plans that prioritize in-person learning, this new specialized guidance suggests that the focus on in-person is [...]
We have been hearing from a number of clients who are facing new challenges related to employee travel/vacations and an increase in requests for FFCRA leave related to a lack of child care. If you have been focused on these issues as well, you are not alone. On June 26, 2020, the U.S. Department of [...]
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ISSUES GUIDANCE ON CHILD LABOR; PAID SICK AND EXPANDED FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE AMID SCHOOL AND CAMP CLOSURES On June 26, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor issued two Field Assistance Bulletins to clarify issues relevant to the pandemic’s effects on the workplace. Of particular interest to employers is Field Assistance [...]
[Message from Commissioner's Weekly Update, June 29, 2020] On Thursday, June 25, DESE released initial fall school reopening guidance [download] following weeks of collaboration with stakeholders and the medical community. The guidance calls for schools to reopen this fall while meeting safety requirements, including the use of masks for all but the youngest students and [...]
This week’s advisor addresses the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the right of gay and transgender people to be free from discrimination in the workplace, as well as the EEOC’s prohibition of antibody testing for employees returning to work and COVID-19 waivers and releases in the [...]
In a landmark opinion issued on June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court in Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U.S. __ (2020), addressed the question of whether sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 includes an employee’s sexual orientation and gender identity. In a 6-3 opinion, the majority concluded that [...]
It’s week 2 of Phase 2 and in this week’s Advisor we address revised guidance from the EEOC, as well as some FAQs from OSHA regarding face coverings. We also look at the requirements for the new Emergency Educator License. COVID-19 advisor vol 11 (June 15, 2020)
Updated EEOC Technical Assistance
As Massachusetts moves into Phase 2 of its reopening plan and details start to emerge about plans for reopening schools in the fall, we resume our weekly Advisors for clients and friends. This week we address some FAQs, OSHA COVID-19 reporting requirements, safety supplies for schools, and the recent passage of Chapter 92 of the [...]
Guidance regarding Massachusetts Summer Services for Students with Disabilities