“Vexations” and Uncertainty in Workplace COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently stayed application of OSHA's vaccine, testing, and mask mandate for private employers having more than 100 employees. However, the future for those mandates remains uncertain.

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Religious Accommodations Required for COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

The Biden Administration is mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for many private-sector employees. When employees object to vaccination on religious grounds, employers must determine whether the employee's objection is based upon religion, rather than on political, social, or personal preferences. This article discusses the EEOC’s latest guidance on employer responses to requests for religious accommodations from vaccine mandates.

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Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid – A Labor Law Case That Could Affect Eviction Moratoriums

In Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid, the U.S. Supreme Court held that California's law requiring agricultural land owners to permit union organizers onto their land for up to 360 hours per year is unconstitutional. This labor law case may support similar claims that the CDC eviction moratorium was not just beyond the CDC's statutory authority but also was unconstitutional. Although the CDC eviction moratorium is over, Cedar Point serves as a cautionary tale for states and local governments wanted to impose similar moratoriums.

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It’s the End of the CDC Eviction Moratorium–What’s Next?

Many people are concerned about a flood of evictions in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court order that ended the CDC eviction moratorium. While some evictions are likely to happen, on the eve of that order, the Department of Treasury relaxed requirements to qualify for Emergency Rental Assistance, which should help some landlords and tenants who can't pay rent. And it's likely that state and local governments will react with their own eviction moratoriums to prevent an eviction crisis in their communities.

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Pros and Cons of Equity Crowdfunding for Real Estate Investments

Equity crowdfunding has become more popular due to recent increases in the annual fundraising limit in Regulation CF. However, due to other limitations in Regulation CF, Rule 506(c) usually is a better option for a real estate sponsor who wants to advertise its securities offering.

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Victims of the CDC Eviction Moratorium

The CDC Eviction Moratorium protected tenants from eviction until the U.S. Supreme Court ended it on August 26, 2021. However, the Moratorium's requirements didn’t protect tenants from rent increases. And because the Moratorium lacked standards to determine what tenants can afford and doesn't require them to provide financial documents, some tenants may have falsely claimed eligibility. This article serves as a cautionary tale about loopholes and pitfalls of COVID-19 eviction moratoriums generally.

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Interpreting Laws–Why It’s Harder Than It Looks

Clients frequently ask their attorney to tell them what the law says about a situation. They view the attorney as little more than a translator from legalese into English. However, rarely is it adequate merely to change a law’s language to "plain English.” The attorney also needs to interpret the law’s intent and how it applies to the client’s circumstances.

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