Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Employers and Ebola

By Bennett Pine and Diana Shafter Gliedman
December 31, 2014

While relatively few U.S. or global businesses are directly affected by the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, or by the handful of cases in the U.S., organizations of all sizes are well-advised to do some contingency planning should the disease spread to other regions of the globe, including in the U.S. While examining appropriate control strategies to be followed in the workplace, U.S. employers must also take into account legal limitations in employment laws regarding employee privacy and attendant matters that may prohibit certain inquiries, medical exams and other employer actions. They should also make sure that they remain abreast of workers' compensation law in the states in which they operate.

With respect to workplace precautions, common questions include whether an employer may: 1) Request health information from an employee who has traveled to West Africa and may be infected or exposed; 2) Take the temperature of an employee; 3) Require an employee to stay home from work; and 4) Require an employee to provide a doctor's note certifying fitness to return to work.

As a general proposition, other than permissible preemployment physical exams, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits an employer from making disability-related inquiries or requiring employees to undergo medical examinations once they have been hired. A significant exception to this prohibition on employers exists where there is a “direct threat” of an employee posing “a significant risk of substantial harm to the health and safety” of the individual or others, which cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York Image

In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?

Fresh Filings Image

Notable recent court filings in entertainment law.