The federal court that issued a nationwide injunction of Executive Order (EO) 14042, “Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors,” has issued a new Order stating that it enjoined only the vaccine requirement of the EO’s implementing tool: the Safer Federal Taskforce (Safer Taskforce) Guidance.
In 2021, wage and hour laws continued to change and develop, expanding in some areas and contracting in others. In “2021 Wage & Hour Developments: A Year in Review,” we look back on significant wage and hour developments at both the federal and state level.
Click here to download the 2021 Wage & Hour Developments: A Year in Review.
A Georgia federal district court judge has issued a preliminary nationwide injunction halting enforcement of Executive Order (EO) 14042, “Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors.” Georgia v. Biden, No. 1:21-cv-163 (S.D. Ga. Dec. 7, 2021).
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) (H.R. 5376) by a vote of 220–213. Supported by the Biden Administration and congressional Democrats, the controversial bill heads to the Senate for a vote.
- The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), its Regions 2 (New York), 22 (Newark), and 29 (Brooklyn) and the Consulate General of México in New York have signed an agreement formalizing the relationship between the NLRB and the Mexican government. The agreement creates a relationship that will involve outreach and educational events conducted by the Regions’ personnel and Consulate staff for the benefit of the Mexican population they serve, according to the NLRB’s press release.
One day after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) titled “COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing; Emergency Temporary Standard” (Mandate) (see 86 Fed. Reg., 61,402), a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a nationwide stay of the OSHA ETS.
On October 28, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Final Rule establishing limits on the amount of time tipped employees can spend performing work that is not “tip-producing work” and still be paid at the reduced cash wage applicable to tipped employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Many states have Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-approved workplace safety and health programs (OSHA State Plans) and enjoy enforcement autonomy over workplace safety and health in those states, particularly with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel (GC) Jennifer Abruzzo mandated the seeking of more aggressive remedies in unfair labor practice (ULP) cases. Office of General Counsel Memorandum GC 21-06, Seeking Full Remedies (issued Sept. 8, 2021). In a memorandum issued to NLRB field offices, Abruzzo directed staff to seek a variety of new remedies in ULP cases.