Compliance Stuff

The U.S. is currently facing the worst flu season since 2009, and employers can’t afford to ignore it . Beyond the personal toll, flu outbreaks wreak havoc on businesses through lost productivity and absenteeism – and they can even present legal risks . The good news? A few strategic moves can help keep your workforce healthy and your operations running smoothly. Here is your five-step plan for handling the 2025 flu storm. Quick Background The United States is currently experiencing its most severe flu season since the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic . As of early February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  estimates  there have been at least 29 million flu cases, at least 370,000 hospitalizations, and at least 16,000 deaths this flu season . This surge in flu-related hospitalizations has significantly strained healthcare systems nationwide, with certain regions, such as New York and California, reporting unprecedented levels of flu activity. Health officials attrib...

  Effective November 21, Massachusetts employees will be permitted to use their sick time to “address the employee’s own physical and mental health needs, and those of their spouse, if the employee or the employee’s spouse experiences pregnancy loss or a failed assisted reproduction, adoption or surrogacy.” The  enacting bill  also restates existing law allowing employees to use sick time to attend routine medical appointments for the employee or their child, spouse, parent, or parent of their spouse and to address the psychological, physical, or legal effects of domestic violence. The Earned Sick Leave laws in Massachusetts state that employers must allow employees to accrue a minimum of 1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to at least 40 hours per year.  Source(s): ArentFox Schiff LLP , received on October 21, 2024.