By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD With mental health awareness month just around the corner, if you have not already begun to think about action steps to support your employees, it is time to start that conversation. The last twelve months were arguably the most stressful months that most of us will see in our lifetime. …
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#STOPTHESTIGMA: Reintroducing The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act as Mental Health Awareness Month approaches
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Last August, Campanella Law Office highlighted the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (S. 610 and HR 1667) and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation . While the full content of that post can be found here, we are motivated to revisit this critical piece of legislation in anticipation of…
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New Jersey Employers should continue adherence to safety protocols despite the existence of fully vaccinated employees
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD As we celebrate the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, to say that people are eager to resume “normal life” would be an understatement. Yet, employers should not hastily cast away workplace restrictions despite an increasing population of fully vaccinated employees. Instead, according to the newest guidance issued by the Centers…
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New Jersey Division of Civil Rights introduces amendments to Family Leave Act
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD With several of the current rules enforcing New Jersey’s Family Leave Act (NJFLA) set to expire this July, the Division of Civil Rights (DCR) recently announced proposed rules that would broaden family leave protection and build-in the re-adoption of important provisions from 2014, 2019 and 2020, before they lapse. Published…
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Case Law Alert: The New Jersey Supreme Court issues a strong reminder that broken promises can lead to costly consequences
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Last month, the New Jersey Supreme Court reasoned that an oral promise of employment could give rise to a valid claim for reliance damages. Specifically focusing on the legal theory of promissory estoppel, the court emphasized that if evidence existed that a promise had been made with the knowledge that…
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P.L. 2021, c. 16, 19 & 25: With the swipe of a pen, Governor Murphy ushers in a new chapter for a legal weed industry in NJ and closes the book on certain criminal penalties
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Earlier this week, New Jersey joined a dozen other states in legalizing marijuana for recreational use when Governor Murphy signed three new bills into law. Altogether, the new legislation concerns the legalization and decriminalization of adult use cannabis. The bills allow for purchase and sale at state-licensed dispensaries and ease…
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Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals: Navigating accommodation requests under the Fair Housing Act.
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Last winter, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released updated guidance to clarify housing providers’ obligations under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) when asked to accommodate an animal intended to provide assistance with a disability. There are two types of animals that fit this description: service…
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HIPAA Safe Harbor Bill Signed Into Law: OCR to consider mitigation efforts when evaluating HIPAA violations
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD On January 5, 2021, the President signed H.R. 7898 – the HIPAA Safe Harbor Bill – into law. The new legislation amends the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act; addressing health information technology as it relates to security practices. The full text of the new public law…
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EEOC Guidance Update: Employers can require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
By Cristina N. Hyde, J.D. Last month the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released guidance stating that employers can require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Knowing that the vaccine’s arrival would raise questions related to the applicability of various Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws, the EEOC guidance states very clearly that EEO laws “do…
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NY Permanent Paid Sick Leave Reminder: Employees may now begin to use accrued leave
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Last April, New York State took steps to permanently bolster existing paid leave laws in recognition of the crises caused by COVID-19 and in anticipation of future public health emergencies. Senate Bill S7506B, which took effect on September 30, 2020, included modifications to New York’s Labor Law; establishing specific leave…