Compliance Stuff

Baseball is often referred to as “America’s pastime,” but for some baseball fans, it may double as worktime. While employers have long known that workers occasionally play hooky to attend afternoon ballgames, viral videos and photos now show employees openly using laptops in the stands, raising legal and compliance questions for employers managing remote work. Quick Hits Employers face challenges regarding employee productivity and efficiency when remote workers choose unconventional work settings, such as sports stadiums, which can be distracting and complicate compliance with labor laws. Security risks may arise from using public Wi-Fi networks at sports venues, exposing sensitive company and client information to potential breaches. Clear remote-work policies and security measures can help employers manage the complexities of hybrid work arrangements. Why Employees Are Working Remotely From Stadiums Baseball, perhaps more than any other professional sport, features matinée games dur...

As employers increasingly require remote workers to return to the office, many aren’t sure how to handle telework accommodation requests – but new federal guidance could start providing welcome clarity for employers. The guidance is meant to help agencies determine whether remote work is a reasonable accommodation in light of President Trump’s directive for federal employees to return to the office. Although the guidance is directed toward the federal workforce, the principles align with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which applies to private employers. Here is what employers can learn from the new guidance – and five steps you can take to strengthen your disability accommodation practices related to remote work. What Happened? The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a  joint technical assistance document  on February 11 with FAQs addressing telework as a disability-related accommodation for federal workers...

  According to recent study by the   U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , 1 in 5 workers teleworked or worked from home for pay, with a variety of consumer polls indicating up to 90% of individuals in the workforce would prefer the option to work from home (at least in part). This demand for remote work, in conjunction with difficulty hiring in smaller local labor pools, has led employers to search for qualified applicants beyond state lines. However, employers   must   be cognizant that hiring remote employees in other jurisdictions may impact their business and employment practices.  A big factor for multi-jurisdictional employers is complying with various pay transparency legislation in other states.   Pay transparency laws are state (and sometimes municipal) level legislation that may require employers to disclose compensation-related information regarding job positions to applicants and potentially current employees. Pay transparency legislation varies w...

  In January 2024, in an attempt to address concerns with regards to working remotely in Puerto Rico, the US territory enacted Law 27-2027.  This Law exempts certain employees and employers* from being subject to Puerto Rico's employment obligations, and allows them to govern employment relationship by the laws of another state.   *With regards to the entities we serve, this Law does not apply to us as the employees that may work remote in Puerto Rico report to the fixed place of business we have in Puerto Rico.   This law might apply to us if we have non-exempt employees that work for (our) entity that currently does not do business in Puerto Rico and the employee temporarily performs work remotely in Puerto Rico.   Our Compliance Department will update as new information becomes available.   Source:  Ogletree Deakins , received on February 7, 2024.