As predicted by our law firm, the word is getting out that workplace wellness programs are a hot target for employment-based lawsuits. In the past week, legal activity in two separate workplace wellness programs located in Illinois has ramped up. This blog will give a summary of both pending cases. AARP v. Austin Industries The […]
As a lawyer, of course you would think my answer to the question “Do health coaches need a lawyer” to be “Yes, of course they do!” But even my pro-lawyer bias gives way to interpreting the words on the page (a skill lawyers tend to master). No, coaches do not “need” a lawyer. Need implies […]
On December 27, 2020, in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA). The “No Surprises Act” was contained in that new law and took effect on January 1, 2022. The No Surprises Act attempts to accomplish a number of things, most notably requiring health plans to cover […]
In a very quick turnaround decision, the U.S. Supreme Court stopped the enforcement of the OSHA vaccine mandate rules in an opinion issued on Thursday, January 13th. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments about the OSHA rules last Friday, January 7th, so to issue a decision in less than a week is quite spectacular. Six […]
If you are a fan of our blogs, then you know we have previously written about the legal aspects of spiritual coaching. In that blog, we discuss how practicing spiritual coaching can be legally protected under state law as well as under the U.S. Constitution. Our blog states: “Thus, to avoid scope of practice and licensure […]
In a surprise ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued an opinion lifting the stay imposed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals relating to the OSHA employer vaccine mandate. Contrary to the Fifth Circuit’s opinion issued in November, the Sixth Circuit states that OSHA does have authority under the OSH […]
There. I said it. The federal government’s attempt at instituting a COVID19 vaccine mandate is a debacle. President Biden’s announcement on September 9, 2021 of a vaccine mandate has turned into legal and political chaos. Ever since the release of the COVID19 vaccine mandate rules from OSHA (covering employers with 100 or more employees), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid […]
On November 5, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) in the Federal Register. These were the long awaited emergency rules that President Biden referenced in his September 9, 2021 press conference. These rules take effect immediately (although there are two different deadlines, discussed below) and apply to employers with 100 […]
As a wellness lawyer, one thing I have witnessed surge as of late is interest in starting a health and wellness coaching business. Many budding health and wellness coaches find my law firm in search of legal guidance so they can start their business in the most ethical and legal manner possible. Of course, I […]
Many wellness providers and programs want to take advantage of the increasing availability of virtual platforms to deliver health and wellness services to patients and clients across the United States. This is particularly true for companies that have employees scattered in multiple states. It is easier for those companies to contract with one vendor to […]