HR Works: COVID-19 Update on Avoiding COVID Related Employee Lawsuits

Now more than months into the pandemic, we are starting to see the first COVID-related employee lawsuits. Last week we began to discuss which employee policies need to be updated or created to handle new legal challenges surrounding the coronavirus. For example, we recently saw a wrongful death and survival action for the coronavirus related fatality of an employee who worked in a Pennsylvania meat processing plat for the world’s largest beef processing company. We are pleased have back with us for this episode attorney Andrew B. Zelman (https://www.bergersingerman.com/team/andrew-b-zelman), Partner at Berger Singerman, a business law firm out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In this episode, we will discuss what happens when an employee refuses to return to work as well as what Andrew is seeing in terms of new lawsuits surrounding COVID-19. Andrew Zelman is a member of the Dispute Resolution Team based in Berger Singerman’s Fort Lauderdale office. He represents businesses and individuals in a variety of complex commercial disputes, including intellectual property, class action, and general liability cases in both state and federal courts. Andrew also has an established practice devoted to counseling and defending employers in employment litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Andrew spent years handling a wide range of cases at a full-service AmLaw 100 firm. Andrew currently serves as the Chair of the Grievance Committee of The Florida Bar and is a Member of the Federal Court Practice Committee, a standing committee of The Florida Bar.