Page 35 - Healthcare News Nov_Dec, 2020

BRIAN THOMPSON
ARMBROOK VILLAGE................................... 19
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK.................. 10
EAST LONGMEADOW
SKILLED NURSING CENTER ...................... 16
ENCOMPASS HEALTH .................................. 21 FLORENCE HEARING CENTER ....................... 16
HEALTHCARE NEWS EDITORIAL CALENDAR .. 18 HEALTHCARE NEWS RESOURCE GUIDE........ 28 HOLYOKE MEDICAL CENTER........................... 2 LOUIS & CLARK MEDICAL SUPPLY ................ 15
MERCY MEDICAL CENTER/TRINITY HEALTH OF NEW ENGLAND ....................... BACK COVER
MEYERS BROTHERS KALICKA ......................... 7 ON CALL HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM .......... 10 PEOPLESBANK ............................................... 5 RIVER VALLEY COUNSELING CENTER ........... 11 WESTMASS ELDERCARE ............................... 17
NOV./DEC. 2020 WWW.HEALTHCARENEWS.COM 35
Law
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migrants in the U.S. who lack legal permanent status, as well as some of those currently work- ing illegally. Biden also proposes eliminating country-based caps on immigration and increas- ing the number of employment-based visas awarded each year, such as the H-1B, although those may come with stricter regulation.
Workplace Discrimination and Harassment
Biden supports the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which was passed by the House in September, but has yet to be approved by the Senate. Under the PWFA, employers would be required to reasonably accommodate pregnant workers and employees with pregnan- cy-related conditions and would prohibit them from (1) requiring a qualified employee to accept an accommodation other than any reasonable accommodation arrived at through the interac-
Pulse
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was selected by his peers from a list of nominees that represented Division I, II, and III colleges and universities from throughout the country.
The NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award
is given to one outstand- ing certified strength and conditioning specialist, recognizing his or her dedi- cation to improving athletic performance with safe and
effective science-based programs.
Since 1998, Thompson has served many roles
at the college, including associate director of Strength and Conditioning, head Strength and Conditioning coach, professor of Exercise Sci- ence, and the graduate Strength and Condition- ing program director. In addition to teaching
tive process; (2) denying employment oppor- tunities to a qualified employee for the known limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions of a qualified employee; (3) requiring a qualified employee to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided; and (4) taking adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against a qualified employee on account of the employee requesting or using a reasonable accommodation.
The Biden-Harris agenda also includes support of the BE HEARD (Bringing an End to Harass- ment by Enhancing Accountability and Reject- ing Discrimination in the Workplace) Act, which would establish a national harassment-preven- tion task force and includes several mandates for covered employers, including mandatory non- discrimination training and limitations on the use of non-disclosure and non-disparagement clauses in settlement agreements.
Federal Agencies
Employers will likely see a return to the pro-la- bor days of the Obama administration’s National
in the Applied Exercise Science program, he
is responsible for the Strength and Condition- ing program design and implementation for 26 sport programs at Springfield College, as well as teaching and advising in the graduate Strength and Conditioning program.
In 2016, Thompson received an official ap- pointment as an expert technical consultant to the Chinese National Fitness Trainers Assoc. by the Chinese Sports Bureau, the only non-Chinese citizen ever to receive this status.
State Announces New Trustees at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home
BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker announced the appointment of Maj. Gen. Gary Keefe and Lt. Col. Mark Bigda to the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home board of trustees. Brig. Gen. Sean Collins was ap- pointed to the board last July.
Keefe is currently assigned as adjutant general for the Massachusetts National Guard. In 1992, he joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard with the 104th Fighter Wing, and has held nu-
Labor Relations Board, which is the agency that enforces U.S. labor law in relation to collective bargaining and suspected unfair labor practices. President-elect Biden will take office and have the ability to shift the board to Democratic con- trol within the first year of his taking office.
In addition, the administration has affirmed
a strong support for the Protecting the Right
to Organize (PRO) Act, a substantial piece of legislation that would provide sweeping reforms, including the imposition of substantial financial penalties on companies that violate labor laws. The Biden-Harris campaign page also promises to “go beyond the PRO Act by enacting legisla- tion to impose even stiffer penalties on corpora- tions and to hold company executives person- ally liable when they interfere with organizing efforts, including criminally liable when their interference is intentional.”
All in all, employers should be ready for much more employee-friendly changes over the course of the next four (or eight) years. v
Andrew Adams is an attorney at the law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. in Springfield; (413) 737- 4753; aadams@skoler-abbott.com
merous assignments with the Massachusetts Na- tional Guard, having been appointed as adjutant general in May 2016.
Bigda serves in the Massachusetts Air National Guard as a flight surgeon for the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, and has practiced as a physician for 30 years at his private practice, Manhan Internal Medicine, and also served as facility physician for 28 years at Hampshire County House of Cor- rection. Bigda founded a nonprofit organization called Mustard Seed Missions and, since 2004, has led twice-yearly mission trips to remote vil- lages in Haiti.
Collins, a board-certified nurse practitioner, currently serves as the Air National Guard as- sistant to the deputy surgeon general, assisting in the overall operation of the Air Force Medical Service, a 44,000-person, integrated healthcare- delivery system across the U.S. and overseas. He is also currently an assistant professor at UMass Medical School.
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