The COVID-19 vaccine toolkit, issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, has been updated and now includes a list of vaccines and boosters that are required to be covered without cost-sharing. This chronological list contains COVID-19 vaccines and boosters approved and authorized by the Food and Drug Administration …
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious-disease expert, stated the United States is “out of the pandemic phase.” The statement does not mean the COVID-19 pandemic is over, rather the level of hospitalizations and deaths has declined to a manageable point within the country. Fauci advises caution as the virus …
Massachusetts’ COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave program expired March 15, 2022. This law required employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave for certain COVID-19-related reasons. In late February, the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance alerted employers that reimbursements for the program were reaching their …
Mask-wearing recommendations have been loosened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, with 70% of the nation residing in low- or medium-risk counties, only individuals in high-risk areas are recommended to wear masks in indoor settings. COVID-19 Community Levels can be used to determine the risk level …
Since the free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 testing kits were offered, over 50 million have received them. For those that obtained the free kits but have not used them yet, it is important to know these tests have a limited shelf life. Luckily, the Food and Drug Administration has stated …
Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens are no longer limiting customers on the maximum number of rapid over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests that may be purchased at one time. Previously, CVS only allowed six tests to be purchased at once and at Walgreens, only four. Due to an increase in supply, these …
Offering extra perks helps to satisfy unique employee needs. More organizations are recognizing how beneficial voluntary benefits are to employees and their families while many of these benefits come at little to no cost for the employer. Holistic Benefits Offerings A recent Willis Towers Watson survey saw a 58% increase …
Effective January 26, 2022, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it is withdrawing its COVID-19 vaccination and weekly testing emergency temporary standard (ETS). Once the notice is published in the Federal Register, the withdrawal will be official. When the ETS was published, OSHA confirmed it was using the ETS …
The Department of Justice (DOJ) released answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to businesses under specific circumstances related to the pandemic. These FAQs highlight compliance with Titles II and III of the ADA relating to state and local governments and businesses …
As a result of the Biden administration, at-home COVID-19 tests are now available to most Americans for no upfront cost or for reimbursement. These tests can be purchased online or in-store, without talking to your doctor, and with all or some of the cost covered by private insurance. Limitations and …
The Supreme Court ruled to stay the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) testing and vaccination emergency temporary standard (ETS) on January 13, 2022. The ETS would have established a mandatory vaccination policy for private employers with 100 or more employees. According to the majority of the Supreme Court, OSHA …
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued 14 additional answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding what employers can and cannot do to comply with federal fair employment laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new answers address the definition of “disability” and how to determine whether an individual with COVID-19 …
On October 20, 2021, the plan to vaccinate children between the ages of 5 and 11 was released by the White House. The Biden administration is currently awaiting authorization from the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this age group. However, in anticipation of the impending approval, vaccines have been obtained …
At the start of the pandemic, much about COVID-19 was unknown: how to treat the virus, when would a vaccine be developed, and the costs of effectively treating the virus. Previously, insurers waived the costs of specified COVID-19 related services (i.e., emergency room copayments, testing charges, and hospital stay deductibles). However, …
Throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge of women in the United States have left the workforce due to multiple service-industry setbacks and childcare needs following school and daycare facility closures. A Census Bureau report indicated that approximately 1.4 million mothers remained out of the workforce in January, …
