HR Q&A: May 2021

​Q:  We are re-opening the office and have some employees who are vaccinated while others are not. Do we have to implement any different procedures or policies?A: Our best recommendation is to follow the current guidelines established by the CDC, OSHA, and other health & safety experts. Right now, their guidance includes maintaining most of the safety procedures implemented last year: social distancing (possibly with barriers), wearing masks when walking through the workplace or within 6’ of others, limited use of common areas, hand washing / sanitizing, and regular disinfecting of the workplace. This guidance is the same for vaccinated and unvaccinated people so you…

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​Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion: LGBTQ+ Employees

Federal and in some instances state and local law protects several groups of people in the workplace based on their sexual or gender identity.  Given the newness of these protections, as well as the diversity of characteristics and people within this group, some employers are finding it difficult to know how to react to and accommodate the needs of this group.Definitions:LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer with the “+” representing the numerous other sexualities and gender identities covered by this broad term. While employers are not required to know all of the terms, they are required to be accepting, treat an employee…

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Industry Roundup: May 13th

​Does Government Seizure of Prop​​erty Constitute a 'Theft' Claim?Question: We have an insured with a homeowners insurance (HO3) policy, and she recently filed a theft claim for 350 pounds of hemp that she had stored in her home. She claims that the state's Department of Agriculture, state police, and the local sheriff conspired to steal her hemp worth a large amount of money that she had been growing to sell. How do you think the policy would respond?  Workers' Compensation N​​umbers Indicate Strong Performance During 2020 PandemicBecause of job losses and shrinking payrolls during the pandemic recession, the workers' compensation industry's net written premium dropped…

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