Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 1, 2021, Massachusetts
Governor Charlie Baker signed a new law
that,
among other issues, addresses the solvency of the
Commonwealth s unemployment compensation fund by imposing an
excise on wages and permitting the Commonwealth to issue bonds to
fund unemployment. The law also includes tax relief provisions for
employers and employees, including gross income exclusions for
employers who received certain COVID-19 relief benefits and a tax
deduction for some individuals who received unemployment
compensation in 2020 or 2021. While the unemployment and tax relief
provisions of the bill are now law, the Governor exercised his
line-item veto power to send the section of the bill mandating
To print this article, all you need is to be registered or login on Mondaq.com.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC )
has updated its Technical Assistance Questions and
Answers to help employers navigate the latest pandemic
related challenges.
1 This article discusses highlights
of the guidance, and offers practical advice for employers
considering rolling out a mandatory vaccination program for their
employees.
Before jumping on the mandatory vaccination bandwagon, employers
should consider these important questions:
Does your company need a mandatory
vaccination program? Should you leave it to your employees to make
their own decisions?
If you decide to implement a
Seyfarth Synopsis:
This announcement
extends the flexibilities in rules relating to Form I-9 compliance
that was initially granted last year. It also expands the scope of
the in-person exemption benefit to certain employees,
and offers flexibility for companies that are phasing back in
employees, as doing so will no longer trigger the in-person
requirement for all new hires. While an improvement in the
overall dialogue, the guidance leaves uncertainty regarding the end
of I-9 virtual flexibility, and as such, employers should consider
moving away from the virtual completion model while continuing to
heavily document current practices.
With employers impatiently waiting, the U.S. Immigration and
For more than a year, the world has reacted to and adjusted for COVID-19. Now, with the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, there is light at the end of the tunnel and individuals and companies can start.