Missteps Employers Must Avoid to Ensure Legal Compliance in the Age of COVID-19

5 Min Read By Anandhi Rajan, Crystal McElrath

As the COVID-19 pandemic  rages on with no relief in sight, employers need to tread carefully in managing their employees to avoid legal scrutiny by federal law enforcement agencies, such as the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), so that an epidemic of litigation does not ensue following the mitigation of the novel coronavirus. The following addresses missteps employers must avoid to manage their workforce in these challenging and unprecedented times.

Do Not Allow Discrimination Against Employee Based on Race or National OriginIt is imperative to remember that all federal non-discrimination and other worker protection statutes, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), are in full force and effect in spite…