Blog Posts: Taking Care of HR Business
Visit the Full BlogHuman resource professionals, supervisors, and company executives alike face a constantly changing and evolving legal landscape. Verrill's Taking Care of HR Business blog is here to keep you up to date on the newest and most important legal developments for employers.
This Week's Show: COVID-19 and Return to Work
On Saturday, July 10, Tawny interviewed Emily Waddell, Associate Attorney in Verrill's Employment & Labor Group, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Tawny and Emily discuss returning to work and COVID-19. Emily provides tailored legal solutions to support her client’s human capital and organizational objectives...
This Week's Show: Wellness for Modern Teams
On Saturday, June 26, Tawny interviewed Mike Vien, CEO and Co-founder of Wallit, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Tawny and Mike discuss wellness for modern teams. Mike Vien is the CEO and co-founder of Wallit, an enterprise wellness platform for modern teams. For more...
OSHA Issues Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare Settings
Earlier today (June 10, 2021), OSHA issued COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) Subpart U applicable to healthcare settings. While OSHA has indicated that future guidance may be provided for other industries, today’s guidance is limited to the healthcare setting. The first question: Does the ETS apply to your organization...
Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Forms
As many readers know, on May 28, 2021, An Act Providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave was passed. The Act creates a fund for the Commonwealth to reimburse eligible employers who provide employees with COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave. This statute provides that between May 28, 2021...
This Week's Show: Change Leadership
On Saturday, June 5, Tawny interviewed Mary Axelsen, WeMaax Consulting Founder & CEO, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Tawny and Mary discuss CARE Change Framework and the work that WeMaax Consulting does in the Change Leadership arena. Mary comes with 20 years of experience...
Public Accommodation Laws and Vaccination Inquiries
Last week, the EEOC provided updated COVID-19 guidance to employers on vaccines and vaccine incentives in the employment realm. One area, however, in which the agencies has been silent is in the public accommodation space and what organizations can/must/should do to protect themselves and their employees from claims of...
ICE Extends I-9 Compliance Flexibility
Those responsible for employee onboarding can breathe a sigh of relief after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week announced that they would extend flexibilities that were instituted last year as a result of COVID-19. Specifically, the announcement extends the agency’s previous rules until August 31, 2021. The rule...
This Week's Show: Identifying Impairment in the Workforce
On Saturday, May 29, Tawny interviewed Scot Mattox, CEO of Dirigo Safety, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Tawny and Scot discuss identifying impairment in the workforce. Scot Mattox retired in September 2013 as a Sergeant with the Portland Police Department after 26 years in...
This Week's Show: What is Covering?
On Saturday, May 15, Tawny interviewed Elizabeth Johnston, Associate in Verrill's Employment & Labor Group, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Liz and Tawny discuss what it means to cover in the workplace, as well as HR best practices for diversity and inclusion. A regular...
COVID-19 Vaccination Policies: Top 4 Legal Concerns
There are many unresolved legal questions to consider when it comes to COVID vaccination employee policies. Employment and labor attorney Tawny Alvarez and MP’s HR consulting team have compiled key advice for reducing legal risk when it comes to COVID vaccination. To learn about four major areas of legal...
Are You Paying Attention to your Classifications?
DOL Scraps Trump-era Interpretative Letters and 60,000 U.K. Uber Drivers Entitled to Worker Benefits It has been a big day for changes on the worker classification front. In the last 24 hours, Britain’s highest court found that Uber drivers are entitled to minimum wage and overtime and the U.S...
This Week's Show: Why Location Matters in DEI Initiatives
On Saturday, February 6, Tawny interviewed James Dinkle, Executive Director of Kennebec Regional Development Authority, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Tawny and Jim discuss why location matters in DEI initiatives. Jim Dinkle is the Executive Director of the Kennebec Regional Development Authority in Oakland...
This Week's Show: Maintaining Mental Health at Work
On Saturday, November 21, Tawny interviewed Lindy Graham, LCSW and Founder of Wellspace Maine, and Celine Frueh, Human Resources Director of Allagash Brewing Co., for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Lindy, Celine, and Tawny discuss maintaining mental health for your employees, especially during this time...
This Week's Show: COVID 19 and Workers’ Compensation
On Saturday, January 16, Tawny interviewed Elizabeth Smith, Counsel in Verrill's Employment and Labor Group, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Beth and Tawny discuss what COVID-19 means for workers' compensation Beth has litigated numerous employment and labor law matters in the course of her...
This Week's Show: Helping Employees Meet New Year’s Resolutions
On Saturday, January 9, Tawny interviewed Shelby Turcotte, Author and Personal Trainer of Shelby Trained, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Shelby and Tawny discuss how employees can meet New Year's resolutions. Shelby is an author, performance consultant, and owner of Shelby Trained – a...
This Week's Show: Maine Election Results’ Impact on Business
On Saturday, November 21, Tawny interviewed Mike Saxl, Counsel at Verrill and Managing Principal of Maine Street Solutions, and Robert Reynolds, Government Relations Specialist of Maine Street Solutions, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Mike, Robert, and Tawny discuss Maine's election results and its impact...
Support for the Black Lives Matter Movement: Deciphering Between Diversity Inclusion and Equity (Part 8 of 12)
This is the eighth post in a 12-part series on how companies can show support for the Black Lives Matter movement by changing company policies and practices. This post focuses on educating senior leadership about the differences between diversity, equity, and inclusion. If someone were to ask how your...
Support for the Black Lives Matter Movement: Affinity Groups at Work (Part 7 of 12)
This is the seventh post in a 12-part series on how companies can show support for the Black Lives Matter movement by changing company policies and practices. This post focuses on creating effective affinity groups to assist in attracting applicants and maintaining productive employees. An affinity group is an...
This Week's Show: Employment Law and Elections
On Saturday, October 31, Tawny interviewed Liz Johnston, Associate in Verrill's Employment & Labor Group, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Liz and Tawny discuss employment law and how it applies to the upcoming election. A regular contributor to Verrill’s Taking Care of HR Business...
What Employers Need to Know About The Families First Coronavirus Response Act - An Animation
Navigating the ins and outs of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) can be difficult for employers. This animation seeks to illustrate some of the most important takeaways. Transcript: Hi, I'm Tawny, a partner in Verrill's Labor & Employment Practice Group. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides...
This Week's Show: Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping
On Saturday, October 17, Tawny interviewed Benjamin Ford, Partner in Verrill's Employment & Labor Group, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Ben and Tawny discuss combating race and sex stereotyping. Ben learned firsthand that the best product in the world means nothing unless you have...
Flu Season is Coming, but Can I Require My Employees to Vaccinate?
As flu season approaches, employers are searching for answers on how to deal with viruses spreading throughout the workplace. The question is, “Can I mandate employees receive the flu vaccine?” Are there standards in place? How does COVID-19 come into play? Some concerns to be mindful of and risks...
This Week's Show: Personal Branding and Staying Relevant During COVID-19
On Saturday, October 3, Tawny interviewed Nancy Marshall, Founder and CEO of The PR Maven, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Nancy and Tawny discuss personal branding and staying relevant during COVID-19 . In 1991, Nancy Marshall Communications (now Marshall Communications) was born, a life-changing...
This Week's Show: Why Diversity and Inclusion Programs Fail
On Saturday, September 19, Tawny interviewed Asker Saeed, Principal of Saeed Consulting LLC, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Asker and Tawny discuss why diversity and inclusion programs fail . Asker A. Saeed is Principal of Saeed Consulting LLC, a full-service consulting firm for law...
Action Item & FAQ: New Maine Paid Leave Rules Address Business Concerns
On January 1, 2021, LD 369, An Act Authorizing Earned Employee Leave takes effect for Maine employers. Passed by the Legislature in 2019, Maine employers have been patiently waiting for clarification as to the responsibilities accompanying 26 MRSA § 637. The statute itself provides that “An employer that employs...
School is Back in Session, But Are Employees? Navigating the FFCRA in the Midst of Schools Reopening
Summer is coming to end, but not all students are heading back to the classroom. Many parents are facing the decision of whether to send their children to school in-person, enroll them in remote classes, change to a home-schooling model, and/or figure out how to balance limited school schedules...
This Week's Show: Small Acts of Leadership
On Saturday, August 22, Tawny interviewed G. Shawn Hunter, President and Founder of Mindscaling, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Shawn and Tawny discuss his new book, Small Acts of Leadership: 12 Intentional Behaviors That Lead to Big Impact. Shawn is a dynamic, practical, entertaining...
Support for the Black Lives Matter Movement: Include Hair Style and Texture In Anti-Discrimination Policies (Part 6 of 12)
This is the sixth post in a 12-part series on how companies can show support for the Black Lives Matter movement by changing company policies and practices. This post focuses on the importance of updating grooming/personal appearance policies and EEO/anti-discrimination policies to include language that forbids discrimination based on...
This Week's Show: Cause Marketing and Employee Engagement
On Saturday, August 8, Tawny interviewed Rob Laplaca, Partner in Verrill's Litigation & Trial group and Chair of the Promotions group, for this segment of HR Power Hour. For this episode, Rob and Tawny discuss cause marketing and employee engagement. Rob practices in two primary areas: promotion law and...
Support for the Black Lives Matter Movement: Third-Party Intervention Training (Part 5 of 12)
This is the fifth post in a 12-part series on how companies can show support for the Black Lives Matter movement by changing company policies and practices. This post focuses on the importance of third-party intervention training for employees and managers so that they have tools and resources to...
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