As more businesses reopen during the easing of coronavirus restrictions, they'll find themselves dealing with new human resources issues.
The Coronavirus Families First Act requires employers to offer broader family and medical leave -- for example, if a working parent says they can't come to work because of a school closure.
Attorney Greg Rouchell of Adams and Reese says this is something that has potential to be abused.
"Don't be afraid to ask questions of your employees if they make these sort of requests," Rouchell counseled, "but I would caution anybody to being too inflexible with regards to granting those requests.
"The Department of Labor has taken a very generous and liberal view," Rouchell said. "They're going to be auditing folks, and you don't want to get in trouble with the Department of Labor."
In a conference call with Jefferson Economic Development, Rouchell said social distancing in the workplace can also present problems employers might not immediately suspect.
Safe social distancing rules will probably shut down the common areas of many workplaces -- which means a lot of employees will have to eat at their desk. Rouchell says for non-exempt employees, this creates the potential that they may end up working when they're supposed to be on break.
"They should be instructed not to answer the phone, not to be looking at emails, and if someone asks them to work while they're clocked out and on their lunch break, they need to let human resources know immediately so that you can nip that in the bud," said Rouchell.
