Texas Employment Law Update
A Resource for Texas Employers
Texas Employees Can Reject Suitable Work and Maintain Unemployment Benefits
A day after reporting that Texas employees rejecting a return to suitable work for fear of contracting COVID-19 could lose unemployment benefits, Govenor Abbott announced that the TWC has promulgated rules allowing employees to continue receipt of benefits even if rejecting a return to suitable work. According to the Governor’s press release: Each unemployment insurance...
Texas Employees Who Refuse to Return to Work May Lose Unemployment Benefits
When Congress was drafting the enhanced unemployment benefits available under the FFCRA some lawmakers opposed the additional $600 per week benefit because it could incentivize workers to remain on unemployment rather than returning to work. As Texas prepares to return to work, those lawmakers concerns are coming to fruition. There are anecdotal reports that some...
Employer Considerations for Returning Employees After COVID-19 Shutdowns
The President and governors of individual states are discussing plans to reopen businesses in the coming weeks. Some of the measures employers will be required to take will be dictated by governmental agencies and for particular industries. A few of the most commonly discussed steps include: temperature checks, use of PPE, heightened hygiene maintenance, return...
DOL Issues Temporary Regulations on Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency FMLA Expansion Acts
On April 1, 2020, the DOL issued its regulations on the paid leave provision of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (i.e., the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act). While there is a lot to digest in the rule, the most significant aspect is the definition of and...
IRS Issues Guidance on Documents Employers to Maintain to Substantiate Claim to Tax Credits for FFCRA Paid Leave
As the paid leave provisions of the FFCRA take effect today, many employers are asking what information they should maintain so they can claim the tax credits that are available to pay for this leave. Luckily, the IRS has come to the rescue describing the information that should be maintained. The Service’s guidance explains that: FAQ...