Tonkon Torp partner Haley Morrison was a featured guest on Boiled Down, a podcast hosted by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA). Haley and Anne Hasenstab from Ward Insurance joined ORLA's Greg Astley and Lori Little for a wide-ranging conversation about the intersection of labor and employment practices with current issues such as the pandemic, politics, and protests.
Discussing the pandemic, Haley and Anne helped unpack the nuances of state and federal leave laws, ADA considerations for face coverings, and preventing workplace violence against employees tasked with enforcing mask rules. They also shared insight into the importance of having good insurance and maintaining a financial reserve in preparation for possible litigation related to COVID-19 employment actions. Even though compliance with ever-changing pandemic guidance looms over all issues, Haley made a point to note that longstanding L&E rules still apply, and that new significant laws, including the Workplace Fairness and Oregon Paid Family Leave acts, will soon be in effect.
The conversation touched on helping employers navigate political expression in the workplace and address employee safety concerns for workplaces located in protest areas. The episode wrapped with a look at risk mitigation strategies and resources available to help a company minimize employment practices exposure during these turbulent times.
Haley is a partner in the Tonkon Torp's Labor & Employment Practice Group. Her primary focus is employment litigation in California and Oregon, in both single plaintiff and class action contexts.
