Alexis Barkis

Q: Can I terminate an agreement allowing an employee to work remotely? A: Generally speaking, you may terminate a remote work agreement. The EEOC has made clear that employers do not have to permit employees to work remotely simply because they worked remotely during the pandemic. However, if an employee has a disability, you will need to ensure that termination of a remote work agreement does not violate the ADA.

Following a special legislative session requested by the Governor to address COVID-19 related matters, on November 18, 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation aimed at dismantling COVID-19 vaccine mandates imposed by private employers in Florida, among other things. Florida’s legislation follows a minority of other states which are also legislating against or restricting employers’ use of vaccine mandates in the workplace.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) latest update to its Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace arrived on August 13, 2021. Quarles & Brady previously reported on the initial guidance here. The August 13 updates largely reiterate and adopt the CDC’s latest Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People, which Quarles & Brady also covered in a prior article.