Springfield Business Journal_2021-02-22

FEB. 22-28, 2021 Concerns around the virus may lead to new legal issues and state legislation by Emily Cole · ecole@sbj.net A year dubbed unprecedented in many ways has led to a new concern for employers, employees and customers alike – exposure to the corona- virus at places of business. In turn, the issue has led to new reason for litigation and even potential state-level legislation. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the United States around March 2020, businesses have been juggling the ever-changing environ- ment of what it means to protect their employees and customers from exposure to the virus while they continue to operate. “We’ve had to focus on a lot of COVID-related issues for employers because that’s been a hot focus for our clients,” said Paul Satterwhite, attorney with Spencer Fane LLP and head of the firm’s national labor and employment practice group. “That’s been our last 11 months – just dealing with and addressing on a daily or every other day basis.” Satterwhite said businesses have been dealing with myriad issues during the pandemic: There’s the face mask protocols, employees working remote- ly possibly for the first time and complying with state and federal mandates, such as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which requires certain employers to provide paid sick leave if family members have COVID-19. No issue in Satterwhite’s practice experience has been so disruptive for employers, he said, in part because of continuous changes in the rules. “At the beginning, it was like drinking out of a firehose – there was some sort of new guidance coming out every day it seemed,” Satterwhite said. One concern is the possibility of a lawsuit or other legal action against a business if an employee or customer is exposed to COVID-19. Trademarks are brands, and it’s important for businesses to understand why they’re important assets.” —Corey Kilburn A Conversation With ... Page 10 IN DEFENSE of COVID LAW SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9 See DEFENSE on page 16