LaborSphere, Author at Laborsphere

The Final Countdown: The Clock Is Ticking for Brexit

After years of negotiation and preparation, free movement between the United Kingdom and the European Union will end from 31 December 2020. In this episode, Faegre Drinker’s Hodon Anastasi provides a high-level overview of how post-Brexit immigration control policies will impact those accustomed to traveling between the U.K. and the European Economic Area (EEA), including:

What will U.K. nationals need in order to travel to EU Member States and the Schengen travel area? What restrictions and border requirements will they face?
What does the end of free movement mean to EEA nationals traveling to or residing in the U.K.? Does Brexit impact citizens with Settled or Pre-Settled Status?

The Faegre Drinker Immigration Law Podcast is a podcast all about immigration and only about immigration. Each episode will tackle a timely topic in immigration law, with the aim of making these complicated and often misunderstood issues less daunting, more accessible, and maybe even a little fun. Tune in for future episodes on the latest news, developments and challenges in the world of immigration law — and thank you for listening!

Will Remote Work Outlast COVID-19?

In the last eight months, we’ve all become used to working from home, and remote work is likely to remain prevalent for many workers moving forward. The media keeps reporting that some firms have no plans to return to the office. Some companies are planning not to renew their leases and move to full-time remote working.

Continue reading “Will Remote Work Outlast COVID-19?”

EU Nationals Beware! Time Away From the U.K. Can Jeopardize Your Pre-Settled Status

For most people, the EU Settlement Scheme has largely lived up to the government’s promise of being generous and straightforward, but confusion over permitted absences is likely to cause some trouble. In particular, EU nationals who hold Pre-settled Status should be aware of the absence rules, particularly if they want to remain in the U.K. and plan to apply for Settled Status after five years.

Under current rules, if an EU national with Pre-settled Status is outside the U.K. for more than six months in any 12-month period during the five years it takes to qualify for Settled Status, they will generally have to start the five years all over again. And if they return after 31 December 2020, they may lose the right to upgrade to settled status entirely. Which means that these individuals will need to apply for a visa after 1 January 2021 under the new immigration rules.

Continue reading “EU Nationals Beware! Time Away From the U.K. Can Jeopardize Your Pre-Settled Status”

State & Local Employment Law Developments: Q3 2020

State and local governments are increasingly regulating the workplace. Although it is not possible to discuss all state and local laws, this update provides an overview of recent and upcoming legislative developments to help you and your organization stay in compliance. (Please note that developments specifically related to COVID-19 are not included.) This quarter, state and local legislatures were particularly active in passing laws addressing employee classification, sexual harassment training, lactation accommodation, criminal background inquiries and a variety of unpaid and paid leaves.

For the full alert, visit the Faegre Drinker website.

Revised DOL FFCRA Rules Narrow Health Care Provider Exemption, Ease Advance Notice Requirements

The Department of Labor (DOL) issued revisions to its Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) paid leave rules on Friday, in response to a New York federal court ruling that struck down portions of the original rule issued in April. FFCRA, enacted by Congress in March as a stimulus measure, provides eligible workers for up to two weeks of paid leave, subject to caps, for certain coronavirus-related absences, and up to an additional 10 weeks of paid leave to care for children who are at home due to school or day care closures. The rule updates are scheduled to go into effect September 16.

For the full alert, visit the Faegre Drinker website.

U.K. Government Releases Details on Post-Brexit Immigration System

On 13 July, the U.K. government released further details about the U.K.’s future immigration system, which will apply to EU and non-EU nationals from January 2021. Under normal circumstances, such a significant change would be top of mind for companies operating in the U.K., but it has slipped off the business world’s radar as leaders grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic challenges.

But the immigration system in the U.K is going to change, regardless of how prepared the business world is for the new system. The U.K. government has made clear that it is still committed to roll out this new system first thing next year.

Continue reading “U.K. Government Releases Details on Post-Brexit Immigration System”