FEATURE
WHILE YOU WERE
Quarantining
While employers have been pressed to adjust to pandemic-related changes to employment law, there have also been other important employment law developments By Joe Rivera
T
he COVID-19 pandemic brought about a number of changes in the law relevant to employers. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) created a regime of paid leave employees could take for certain COVID-19 related reasons. Not only that, the FFCRA applied to small employers, many of which had little to no experience dealing with paid sick leave. Employers had to navigate the rules on obtaining a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program, on proper use of the loaned funds and on obtaining forgiveness of the loan.
30 Texas Society of CPAs
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 included a second or renewed period to opt in to health coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) for certain employees whose employment was involuntarily terminated. This Act also provides for premium relief for employees opting in to COBRA coverage.
and their advisors might have overlooked. The following are my top four developments that employers should know.
With all this and more, employers have had a lot to deal with during the pandemic. But with COVID-19 being the hot topic for over a year now, there have been other important developments in the area of employment law that employers
Any lawyer who advises employers has asked new employer clients “How many employees do you have?” Why? The fact that the size of the client impacts various practical aspects of the attorney-client relationship and advice relevant to
1. Even Small Employers Are Now Subject to the Texas Prohibition Against Sexual Harassment and Management
