The proposed penalty increase is part of a $707 million OSHA budget increase through 2026 that is contained in President Biden’s $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package. President Biden has repeatedly expressed his intent to ramp up staffing levels at OSHA to facility increased inspections and investigations. This budget increase will allow OSHA to do just that.
Continue reading “Democrats Propose Bill to Increase Maximum Penalty for OSHA “Willful” Violations to $700,000 as Part of $3.5 Trillion Budget Reconciliation Package”Month: September 2021
OSHA is Tripling Down on Heat-Related Hazards
Today the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a Press Release announcing OSHA’s intention to take aggressive action to “combat the hazards associated with extreme heat exposure…” Given our climate, these actions will necessarily impact a great many of us.
Continue reading “OSHA is Tripling Down on Heat-Related Hazards”President Biden Outlines New Vaccination Plan
On September 9th President Biden outlined his multi-prong plan to combat the COVID-19 epidemic.
Most significantly to employers, the President directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring all employers with 100 or more employees require that employees either be fully vaccinated or produce a negative COVID-19 test result on at least a weekly basis. Then ETS will include language requiring employers to provide paid time off for employees to be vaccinated or recover from being vaccinated. It is unclear whether or not the ETS will contain a similar mandate for employees to obtain a COVID-19 test. Under some circumstances, an ETS can become effective immediately upon publication.
Continue reading “President Biden Outlines New Vaccination Plan”The ARPA COBRA Notice Deadline is Just Around the Corner
You may recall that under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), group health plans that are subject to COBRA must provide coverage to assist eligible individuals (AEI) at no cost between April 1, 2021, and September 30, 2021 (the Subsidy Period). In addition, plan sponsors must notify affected AEIs within a window (45 to 15 days) before the premium assistance will end. So, plan sponsors must issue notices to AEI’s whose continuation coverage runs through September 30 no later than next Wednesday, September 15, 2021.
Continue reading “The ARPA COBRA Notice Deadline is Just Around the Corner”
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