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SBAM | Unexpected Effect of the Pandemic?

SBAM logo-1This is a busy week in the Michigan Legislature as they take up two extremely important bills for the Michigan small business community. Please contact your elected officials today to urge them to support both pieces of legislation!

 

Liability Assurance Act (HB 6030-6032)

As Michigan’s businesses continue to reopen, the state must provide assurance that they will not be subject to frivolous lawsuits and excessive liability, particularly in fragile economic times. The proposed legislation will also make necessary changes to the MI Occupational Safety and Health Act (MIOSHA) and codify employment protections for workers. Click here to Take Action

Stop Unemployment Rate Increase (HB 6123)

Small businesses did not cause the increased use of the unemployment system during this pandemic, and their taxes should not be raised to pay for it. This legislation prevents an increase to the taxable wage limit your unemployment assessment is applied to when the fund dips below $2.5 billion during the pandemic. Click here to Take Action

 
 

An Unexpected Effect of the Pandemic – Improved Employee Experience?

According to a second pulse survey by KPMG LLP, 79% of U.S. workers from organizations with more than 1,000 employees indicate that over the last four months, the quality of their work has improved, 70% say that their productivity has increased, and 67% indicate their work-life balance has improved. 84% are satisfied with their employer’s response to the pandemic.

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EO 2020-172 Provides Clarification on COVID Symptoms

 

Watch last Thursday’s briefing for news on a revision of EO 166 (now EO 2020-172), hear Mike Burns from ASE share use rules of FFCRA, and listen to CPA Jamie Lopiccolo talk about new PPP loan forgiveness rules.

 

And make sure to tune in today at 3 pm either live on Facebook or via Zoom to hear Rob Fowler and Brian Calley talk about the latest news!

 

 
EO 2020-172 Provides Clarification on COVID Symptoms
As we had anticipated, the Governor has issued a new executive order to replace EO 2020-166, an order that gave us many concerns. While the main purpose of that EO focused on worker employment protection measures, our primary concerns were centered around an expansion of the definition of symptoms that required an employee to quarantine. Those primary concerns have been addressed.
 
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Can Employers Require Employees to be Vaccinated for COVID-19 Before Returning to Work?
The short answer is yes. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) both support this position.
 
OSHA said that “although OSHA does not specifically require employees to take the vaccines, an employer may do so.
 

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We’re doing the best we can.
So, 2020 has been a bit of a challenge. I believe the word tossed around frequently is “unprecedented.”
 
I’ve been talking to my small biz friends and we are all feeling a bit overwhelmed, now this isn’t a new feeling for any of us, but we are in uncharted waters and making decisions we thought we would never be presented with.
 

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Focus on Business

This week’s show focuses on how social and political movements are translating to the workplace. We sit down with Jocelyn Giangrande, a nationally known Cornell certified diversity and inclusion expert to discuss the new world we live in and how diversity in the workplace is changing.

“Focus on Business” airs Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on WLAJ, or you can catch the episode here after the show airs.

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