In this week’s highlights we’ll cover how the latest infrastructure bill could cut the Employee Retention Tax Credit Short, OSHA’s latest updates on Covid-19 prevention in the workplace and changes employers can make to assist working mothers

Infrastructure Bill Would Cut the Employee Retention Tax Credit Short

The legislation also eases requirements for pension funding

A $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Senate last week includes a provision for an earlier end to the COVID-19-related Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). The legislation now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives following its 69-30 passage by the Senate on Aug. 10.

Ending the ERTC

The bill would move the deadline for the ERTC to Sept. 30 instead of Dec. 31, 2021, ending eligible employers’ ability to claim the credit a quarter early. “This would effectively reduce the maximum credit available to employers from $28,000 to $21,000,” according to the Society for Human Resource Management’s legislative analysis.

To view the entire article by SHRM click here.

OSHA Issues Updated Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued updated guidance on mitigating and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. The updated guidance largely aligns with the latest information from the Centers for Disease and Prevention regarding protecting workers who are unvaccinated or otherwise at-risk from COVID-19.

OSHA’s guidance recommends that fully vaccinated workers in areas of substantial or high community transmission wear masks in order to protect unvaccinated workers and that fully vaccinated workers who have close contacts with someone with COVID-19 wear a mask for up to 14 days unless they have a negative COVID test at least 3-5 days after the contact. The guidance also suggests that employers “consider adopting policies that require workers to get vaccinated or to undergo regular COVID-19 testing – in addition to mask wearing and physical distancing – if they remain unvaccinated.”

To view the entire article by National Law Review click here.

Why working women need a ‘culture of inclusion’ right now

With more childcare uncertainty looming, employers can make changes to help their female workforces, says Randstad’s Rebecca Henderson.

The massive shift to remote work that occurred during the pandemic has been hailed by some as the future workplace brought to life nearly overnight. But the shift wasn’t been good for everyone–especially for female employees. “The pandemic has resulted in women spending approximately 7.7 more hours per week on childcare than men,” says Rebecca Henderson, CEO, Global Businesses, and Executive Board Member at Randstad. And this second shift is adding up to 31.5 hours per week on household obligations for women—nearly equivalent to an extra full-time job, she says.

In fact, a study by McKinsey at the height of the pandemic found that one in three mothers were considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers in order to better handle childcare responsibilities as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

To view the entire article by HR Executive click here.

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