Like many U.S. states, Pennsylvania has experienced a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. On November 17, 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Health took aggressive steps targeted at mitigating spread of the virus within the Commonwealth by issuing new orders that impose stricter face mask requirements and introduce new requirements for testing and quarantine following out-of-state travel. For more information on the newly implemented travel requirements and how employers may be impacted, see Part II of this article, available here.
Continue Reading Pennsylvania employers and employees receive the gift of new face covering requirements for the holiday season (Part I)
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Update: Pennsylvania order mandates telework, but to what extent?
By James A. Holt & Marguerite Goglia on
This is an update to our July 17, 2020 article addressing the July 15, 2020 orders issued by Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health “directing mitigation measures” in response to a reported rise in COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania.
As explained in that prior article, both orders included the following mandate requiring telework: “Unless not possible, all business are required to conduct their operations in whole or in part remotely through individual teleworking of their employees[.]”
The plain text of these orders generated confusion for many Pennsylvania employers as the scope of the teleworking mandate was unclear. Accordingly, in our article, we called for Pennsylvania leadership to provide necessary guidance to resolve that confusion and enable Pennsylvania employers to understand whether they were being ordered to utilize telework arrangements “in whole” to the extent possible, or whether reducing the number of workers through “in part” telework arrangements would suffice.
Continue Reading Update: Pennsylvania order mandates telework, but to what extent?
New Pennsylvania order mandates telework, but to what extent?
By James A. Holt & Raeann Burgo on
On July 15, 2020, Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued orders “directing mitigation measures” in response to a reported rise in COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania. Both orders included the following mandate requiring telework: “Unless not possible, all business are required to conduct their operations in whole or in part remotely through individual teleworking of their employees[.]”
Continue Reading New Pennsylvania order mandates telework, but to what extent?
Latest challenge for essential businesses in Pennsylvania: Immediate compliance with new workplace requirements mandated by the Department of Health
By James A. Holt, Raeann Burgo & Jay Glunt on
On April 15, 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued an Order that mandates numerous workplace obligations on nearly all businesses permitted to maintain in-person operations in the Commonwealth. The Order became effective immediately upon its issuance, with enforcement scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. on April 19, 2020.
Even if not immediately applicable to businesses that have temporarily suspended operations or have been operating in a remote environment, such businesses nevertheless should heed the Order because the new requirements could remain in place when the Commonwealth turns to “reopening” all Pennsylvania businesses.Continue Reading Latest challenge for essential businesses in Pennsylvania: Immediate compliance with new workplace requirements mandated by the Department of Health
Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act
This post was also written by Andrew T. Quesnelle.
On June 13, 2008, Gov. Ed Rendell signed into law the Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act (S.B. 246) (the “Clean Indoor Air Act” or the “Act”). The Clean Indoor Air Act will take effect on September 11, 2008.
The Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits individuals…