In the waning days of the Trump Administration, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new final regulation about classifying workers as either employees or independent contractors. The announcement indicated the regulation would take effect on March 8, 2021.

On April 27, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order requiring Federal Government contractors to pay at least $15 an hour to certain employees. The order will go into effect on January 30, 2022.

On February 12, 2021, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill to provide immunity from lawsuits related to COVID-19. The Alabama Senate passed the bill on February 4. The Alabama House of Representatives passed the bill on February 11. We have found no changes that the House made to the Senate version of the bill. Formerly known as Senate Bill 30, it is now Alabama Act 2021-4 as a result of the governor’s signature and went into effect as soon as the governor signed the bill.

Well, did you like paid sick leave or did you not? I imagine that depends on your perspective. Workers will point to the fact that the government fully reimbursed private employers for the mandatory sick leave.

As employers are well aware, the Families First Act Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was enacted earlier this year to provide paid and partially paid leave to a massive swath of eligible employees working for businesses with fewer than 500 workers. The law provides for up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for employees who are diagnosed with COVID-19, experiencing symptoms and seeking a diagnosis, or advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine.