HSB Blog
The SECURE Act 2.0 Makes Major Changes to Retirement Plan Law
March 14, 2023
In late December of 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (the “Act”), which was part of the larger Securing a Strong Retirement Act, became law. Approximately ninety provisions in the Act affect qualified retirement plans. The Act has been commonly referred to as the SECURE Act 2.0 because it is intended to augment previous changes in the 2019 SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act. A few of the highlights of note to employers are as follows:Navigating Pregnancy and Postpartum Employment Laws in the Workplace: A Guide for Employers
November 08, 2023
In a recent employment law webinar, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Chris Gantt-Sorenson discussed the federal and state laws applicable to pregnant, postpartum and nursing employees. It is important for employers to understand the requirements of these laws to ensure they provide the necessary accommodations and support for pregnant and postpartum workers. In this blog post, we will highlight the key takeaways from the webinar for employers regarding the Pregnancy Workplace Fairness Act (PWFA), South Carolina Pregnancy Accommodations Act (SCPAA), South Carolina Lactation Support Act, PUMP Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Update on the Status of OSHA's Vaccine Mandate
November 16, 2021
As of today, OSHA announced that it “has suspended activities related to the implementation and enforcement of the ETS [Emergency Temporary Standard] pending future developments in the litigation.” A link to the announcement can be found here. The announcement came in response to the decision from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ordering OSHA to essentially stand down for the time being.CMS Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccinations for Health Care Staff
November 05, 2021
On November 4, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an emergency regulation requiring COVID-19 vaccination of eligible staff at health care facilities that participate in the CMS reimbursement programs. This regulation applies to the following facilities that accept Medicare and/or Medicaid:President Biden Asks OSHA to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines
September 10, 2021
By: Perry MacLennan
On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced a new COVID-19 Action Plan. The Plan states the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing a rule (also known as temporary standard or regulation) requiring all employers with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccinations. For any workers not vaccinated, they must produce a negative test result at least weekly before coming to work.
South Carolina Enacts COVID-19 Liability Safe Harbor Act
April 29, 2021
By: Perry MacLennan
On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, Governor McMaster signed into law the COVID-19 Liability Safe Harbor Act. South Carolina became the 23rd state to pass similar legislation and many others are considering it. We have previously discussed on our webinars the importance of this bill and this is welcome news for South Carolina businesses.
Employers Are Legally Permitted to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccinations, But Should They?
April 23, 2021
Employers considering mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for their employee population may decide the practical issues giving rise to such a mandate would not be worth it, at least at this time. Many reasons justify a mandatory vaccination policy, such as a vulnerable client population, protecting other employees, and, frankly, removing the need for quarantining during a possible COVID-19 exposure or addressing other staffing issues that all employers have been experiencing since the onset of the pandemic. While an employer is legally permitted in certain circumstances to require its employees to have a COVID-19 vaccination, should the employer do so?HSB August COVID-19 Update for Employers
August 17, 2020
On August 25, HSB’s Employment Law team provided an update via webinar on COVID-19’s continued impact on SC employers.