As Warner recently summarized in detail in an eAlert on July 12, Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently signed three bills that remove certain protections for businesses, employers, and employees.
Rob Dubault and Anne Steen recently discussed these changes with MiBiz.
“There’s a recognition on the part of the Legislature and the governor’s office that it’s two-plus years into the COVID pandemic, we have many people who have not only gotten COVID but recovered, and I think – to put it very bluntly – we can’t live like this forever. We have to move forward,” said Robert Dubault, partner at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP’s Muskegon office.
“Employees no longer have the option to sue their employer if they are disciplined for, say, isolating after a close contact or something like that. But on the other hand, employers no longer have immunity from lawsuits by employees who believe they contracted COVID in the workplace and feel they can show that,” said Anne Steen, a Labor and Employment Practice Group associate in Warner’s Grand Rapids Office.
Although the changes present some uncertainty, Warner advises clients to still consider their policies to minimize the risk for COVID-19 exposures at work and remain cognizant of their obligations under other laws related to workplace safety and leave entitlements.
Read the full MiBiz article here.
Dubault is a labor and employment attorney who counsels and represents public and private sector employers in a wide variety of labor and employment matters, such as hiring, discipline, termination, leaves of absence, employment discrimination, workplace harassment, ADA/FMLA, wage and hour compliance, collective bargaining, labor arbitration, NLRB and MERC proceedings and most recently, COVID-19-related matters. He is the executive partner for Warner’s Muskegon office. Learn more about his practice here.
Steen is a labor and employment attorney who counsels employers on a wide variety of labor and employment matters and works diligently to serve clients in an area that has ramped up significantly in the pandemic era. She also works with employers in a wide variety of labor and employment matters, such as hiring, discipline, termination, leaves of absence, employment discrimination, workplace harassment, ADA/FMLA, wage and hour compliance, collective bargaining, labor arbitration, NLRB proceedings and more. Learn more about her practice here.
About Warner
By providing discerning and proactive legal advice, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP builds a better partnership with our clients. One of Michigan’s largest law firms, we’re focused on providing the best legal solutions and exceptional client service to organizations throughout the world. Connect with us on wnj.com, LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.
# # #
