News from Ollis/Akers/Arney Human Resources Consulting

Court Reinstates OSHA Vaccination Mandate

for Private Employers

On Friday Dec. 17, 2021 the 6th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals reinstated the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) federal emergency temporary standard (ETS) for COVID-19. The 6th Circuit decision reverses the stay ordered in November by the 5th Circuit and allows OSHA to resume ETS implementation and enforcement nationwide.

The ETS establishes a mandatory vaccination policy requirement for private employers with 100 or more employees. ETS opponents have already filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the 6th Circuit’s decision.

Read the full article here

Supreme Court to Hear Challenges

on Federal Vaccine Mandates

Late on Wednesday, December 22, the United States Supreme Court announced that it will hear oral arguments on January 7, 2022, on several consolidated cases challenging the Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) issued by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requiring that employers with 100 or more employees adopt vaccine mandate and testing policies, as well as the vaccine mandate imposed on certain health care facilities under the Interim Rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

As we explained earlier this week, the OSHA ETS for large employers abruptly became effective last Friday night when the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals dissolved an injunction blocking its implementation and enforcement. OSHA then quickly announced that it would begin imposing penalties for non-compliance beginning on January 10, 2022, affording employers very little time to adopt the required policies, obtain the required vaccination records from employees, and otherwise come into compliance.

Read Spencer Fane's article here

Employee Handbook Updates

Now is an ideal time to review your employee handbook to ensure it is current with recent employment law policies and best practices. For 2022, we recommend the addition of the following policies, if not already included in your current handbook:

Domestic Violence Leave Policy (new for Missouri!)
Communicable Diseases Policy
Telecommuting Policy
Vaccination Policy (if applicable)

Please contact us if you would like to receive the recommended new policies or have us incorporate these policies into your handbook.

HR Services We Offer

Quarantines and Isolations -

What You Need to Know

On Monday, December 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided new guidance [1] regarding quarantine and isolation periods for those who test positive for COVID-19 and those who have been exposed to COVID-19. The guidance comes at a time when COVID-19 cases are rising across the country, likely because of the new highly-transmissible Omicron variant. The CDC’s guidance is not a “mandate” of any sort, but rather, serves as a recommendation that can be used by employers when addressing staffing shortages and determining when to safely permit or require employees who have been infected or exposed to return to work.

Article can be found here

Place Your Order for

2022 Labor Law Posters!

Federal and state law requires the posting of labor law notices in a conspicuous place for employees and applicants to view at each facility. We are currently placing orders for the updated 2022 Labor Law Posters scheduled to ship in January.

To ensure federal and state compliance for 2022, place your poster order today by contacting Holly Loven at holly.loven@ollisaa.com.

OSHA'S ETS - What Now?

Clearly, the latest information coming out regarding OSHA’s emergency temporary standard (ETS) is a little overwhelming and somewhat confusing. While employers who have 100+ employees are being immediately impacted, we believe that every employer should have a plan up to and including how to communicate their plan to their employees.

We Can Help! Here's how...

EEOC Issues New Guidance on

COVID-19 and ADA Disability

On Dec. 14, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued 14 new answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about what employers may or may not do to comply with federal fair employment laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new FAQs specifically address the definition of “disability” and how to determine whether an individual with COVID-19 meets it under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Read the Legal Update here

Our 2 Most Popular Training Sessions

Navigating the HR Jungle: HR Current Legal Issues

Thursday - February 3, 2022

This course is designed to enhance the knowledge of managers in basic HR regulations and best practices. It will also develop skills related to preventing sexual harassment, coaching and counseling, progressive disciplinary action, performance management and involuntary terminations.

Targeted Selection Behavioral-Based Interviewing

Thursday/Friday - February 17 & 18, 2022

Specific interviewing techniques, particularly behavior-based interviewing, have been found to have a substantial impact on the results of hiring. Interviewing for motivational fit, related to organizational culture and core values, further increases the likelihood of successfully aligning talent to the needs of your organization.