As COVID-19 cases surge, going to work has become a risky proposition, especially for employees of labs, hospitals and other health care facilities. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration … [Read more...]
Lab Safety
Statistics Suggest OSHA Has Been Lax in Enforcing Workplace COVID-19 Safety
February 7, 2021
Enforcement Trends: Has OSHA Done Enough to Enforce COVID-19 Workplace Safety Rules?
February 4, 2021
Even after the election and swearing in of the new President, federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic remains a politically charged issue. One bone of contention involves whether OSHA has … [Read more...]
EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE
The Workplace in 2020: Political Talk, COVID-19 Violence, Executive Order
October 19, 2020
By Mike O’Brien bio Don’t forget labor relations rules when employees talk politics at work During this month’s contentious election season—with a highly polarized American electorate—many employers … [Read more...]
Compliance Perspectives
What, If Anything, Does OSHA Require You to Do to Protect Telecommuters?
October 13, 2020
While telecommuting is nothing new, the imperative for using it has never been greater. In addition to all the cost-saving, work-life balance, recruiting and hiring advantages, letting employees work … [Read more...]
Labs In Court
A roundup of recent cases and enforcement actions involving the diagnostics industry
October 8, 2020
Referral Arrangement Violates Kickback Laws Even If Even Only Purpose Is to Generate Illegal Referrals Case: The U.S. Attorney accused a Kentucky physician of taking a $105 per beneficiary payment … [Read more...]
Tool
Telecommuter Home Office Hazard Assessment & Inspection Checklist
September 8, 2020
While not an OSHA obligation, it’s highly advisable to take measures to protect the health and safety of telecommuting lab employees who work from home. How? By having employees seeking approval to … [Read more...]
Compliance Perspectives
How to Create a COVID-19 Exposure Control Plan
June 1, 2020
For as long as COVID-19 remains a threat, businesses—both essential and nonessential—won’t be allowed to re-open and remain open unless they implement a plan to control workplace infection risks. … [Read more...]
Model COVID-19 Medical Screening Policy
April 28, 2020
Regulators have made it clear that given the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers may implement pre-screening measures to ensure that people who have or may have the virus don’t … [Read more...]
OSHA
Do Lab Employees Who Fear COVID-19 Infection Have the Right to Refuse Work?
April 27, 2020
In normal times, failure to show up for work or refusing to carry out work assignments is a form of insubordination subject to discipline. But in times of pandemic, work refusals by employees due to … [Read more...]
Compliance Perspectives
How to Create a Legally Sound COVID-19 Medical Screening Policy
April 27, 2020
As essential workplaces, testing labs need to remain open and operating during the pandemic. At the same time, they need to ensure that employees practice social distancing and keep the infected and … [Read more...]
