The EEOC has encouraged employers to voluntarily modify employment practices and systems which create barriers to equal employment opportunity, without waiting for litigation or formal government action. The EEOC has said that the principle of nondiscrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex or national origin and the principle that each employer should take
Diversity Training Now a Construction Conundrum
The construction world is changing rapidly like everything else. Tech is making its way ever deeper into the construction industry. The shortage of labor has become chronic since the Great Recession. Covid-19 has only made that problem worse. At the same time, the pool of potential new hires is inexorably growing more diverse.
Diversity is
Who’s Paying the Price for Gov. Walz’s Eviction Moratorium?
We are nearly 9 months into the so-called COVID-19 global pandemic. While not without historical precedent, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the physical and economic health of millions both within the United States and around the world. In Minnesota and across the country, governors and their public health departments have exercised “peacetime” emergency powers designed
New Developments in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Employers in real estate and construction with fewer than 500 employees are required to provide leave to employees who are unable to work because of the pandemic under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Final Rule effective April 6, 2020 expanding on the requirements of the
Still No Deal after Second Special Session; Legislature Looks Towards August Primary
This week Margaret Vesel and Matthew Bergeron recap the Minnesota legislature‘s second special session and the ongoing negotiations over a capital investment bill, a tax bill, and a supplemental appropriations package. They also turn their attention towards the August 11 primary election and discuss a number of key races to watch.
Our Team
The
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A Summer of Special Sessions: Is July’s Special Session the Last Chance for a Deal on Bonding, COVID-19 Relief & Police Reform?
Margaret Vesel and Matthew Bergeron recap the Minnesota Legislature’s week-long June special session and preview the special session beginning on July 13, 2020. They discuss the ongoing negotiations over law enforcement reform, capital investment, and bonding and examine how the seemingly unrelated issues are interconnected when it comes to finding a “comprehensive deal”.
Preparedness Plan Requirements Guidance for Construction Revised with Little Real Change
This post is co-written by Phyllis Karasov and Mike Schechter.
On Wednesday, June 24, we wrote an article on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s guidance that requires a preparedness plan for the construction industry. The guidance was confusing and placed onerous responsibilities on contractors, owners and public entities, including ensuring that plans among
How Far Can the Governor Go On His Own? Part 2
Recently I commented on a growing level of concern regarding Gov. Tim Walz’s use of his statutory public safety “emergency” authority to promulgate wide-ranging and consequential executive orders affecting the state’s economy and citizens. While many groups, including health care and service organizations, were required to suspend their operations for at least two months, the
How Far Can the Governor Go On His Own?
Minnesota businesses and citizens have been operating under a Peacetime Declaration of Emergency, Executive Order 20-01, since March 16, 2020. The impetus for the Declaration was the rapidly-emerging Coronavirus as a global health crisis with far-reaching implications. Since the original Declaration, the governor has issued 75 Executive Orders addressing various COVID-related topics from health
Larkin Hoffman’s Government Relations Team Launches Podcast Series
Introducing our new CapWatch podcast series which is an extension of the Larkin Hoffman Podcast Briefing series. In this series, we discuss the end of Minnesota’s 2020 legislative session and the special session in June. The CapWatch podcasts cover the political dynamics at the Minnesota Capitol and give an overview of the policy and spending