While generally employees do not have the right to refuse to come to work unless they believe they are in imminent danger, it may be advisable to allow employees to use sick leave and other paid time off as well as allow remote work where possible.As the threat of COVID-19 grows, employees – particularly those at high risk of developing complications – are more likely to successfully assert their right to refuse to come into work.

Further, Family and Medical Leave Act-eligible employees will be able to take unpaid leave, and several states (and cities) offer paid or unpaid leave through their own pre-existing programs that certain employees may be eligible to use if they have (or a family member has) COVID-19.Whether employees will be able to use employer-provided leaves is generally determined by the specific policies of that employer. Employers are encouraged to support these and other community mitigation strategies and should consider flexible leave policies for their employees.The FMLA protects eligible employees who are incapacitated by a serious health condition, as may be the case with COVID-19 where complications arise, or who are needed to care for covered family members who are incapacitated by a serious health condition. (See the U.S. Department of Labor An employee who is sick or whose family members are sick may be entitled to leave under the FMLA under certain circumstances.

Live smarter, look better,​ and live your life to the absolute fullest.Enter your email address to get the best tips and advice. Interviewers also cannot ask what kind of discharge you received from the military, unless it is to ask whether or not it was an honorable or general discharge, writes the According to Betterteam, employers are not allowed to ask the following questions related to a potential employee's living situation:They are, however, allowed to ask how long you've been at your current address, what that address is, and how long you lived at your previous address.Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 and the Consumer Credit Reporting Reform Act of 1996, there are protections that exist to keep your credit history confidential. Leave taken by an employee for the purpose of avoiding exposure to COVID-19 would not be protected under the FMLA.

To find out the law in your state, check out this Just like employers are not allowed to ask where you're from, they're also not permitted to ask what your native language is—even if you're applying to a job that requires you to be Because it's illegal for an employer to make a hiring decision based on your marital status, the subject of marriage should never come up. However, you are not protected from actions that would have affected you if you were not on FMLA leave. We are closely monitoring these developments. You're a highly adaptable person. If you will please step outside, I will bring you the food.”While neither attorney was aware of a legal obligation to personally inform people that you have been tested positive, they observed that health departments ask every person infected to list all the people they have been in close contact with.And while I do not know of a legal duty in the United States of self-reporting to others, it is not much of a stretch to compare their silence now with that of people who have been jailed for knowingly spreading herpes and AIDS.To me, knowingly exposing those around you to the virus could be seen as an assault and battery. If the interviewer continues to push on this issue, respond with something like "I can assure you that my personal life will not interfere with my professional responsibilities," writes the This question can bring up a ton of loaded emotions and should never be asked. In other states, employers are only allowed to ask about convictions that relate directly to the job you're applying for (for example, the interviewer for a driving position could ask if you've ever been convicted of driving under the influence). Expect Lower Social Security BenefitsThe Finances of Homeschooling Your Kids: What It Costs, Tax Breaks, MoreThe Finances of Homeschooling Your Kids: What It Costs, Tax Breaks, MoreSecond Stimulus Check Update: HEALS Act vs. CARES ActSecond Stimulus Check Update: HEALS Act vs. CARES ActFormer Baseball Player Doug Glanville Opens Up About Race, Sports During a Pandemic, and His Transition to a New CareerFormer Baseball Player Doug Glanville Opens Up About Race, Sports During a Pandemic, and His Transition to a New CareerAnswers to PPP Loan FAQs (Now That There's Fresh Funding for the Loans)Answers to PPP Loan FAQs (Now That There's Fresh Funding for the Loans)This Olympian Has a New Goal: Closing the Wealth GapThis Olympian Has a New Goal: Closing the Wealth Gap As of March 20, the CDC has recommended regular health screenings of temperature and respiratory symptom screening upon arrival each day in Seattle, New Rochelle, and Santa Clara.

Additionally, employers can't ask what you will do (or already do) for childcare and whether or not you already have children.On a similar note, potential employers cannot ask where your spouse is currently employed.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s In situations in which an employee’s leave is covered by the FMLA, the employer may have a uniformly-applied policy or practice that requires all similarly-situated employees to obtain and present certification from the employee’s health care provider that the employee is able to resume work. Copyright © 2020 ALM Media Properties, LLC. Whether the interviewer made you feel uncomfortable by crossing a line or had some malicious intent with their far-reaching inquiries, there comes a point when you decide you wouldn't take the job no matter what they offered you.Fortunately, there are laws in place to prevent that from happening (or at least No matter what, it's illegal for a potential employer to ask about your national origin and whether or not you're a U.S. citizen.