Q: I work for a private doctor's office. The Dr. is requiring the staff to get tested for covid weekly on our own time.
Now they are requiring covid test results twice a week and we are not being compensated for the time we are taking to drive to test site, wait in line, take the covid test and wait for results. Is this legal?
A:
In light of the moment-by-moment changes being made to federal, state and local laws as all the governments try to handle all aspects of the Corona virus pandemic sweeping the world I have decided not even to try to give definitive answers to the scores of questions being posted by askers about the pandemic as it relates to their employment.
However, I will tell you this: The pandemic has NOT changed Florida employment law as it relates to you keeping your job. Here is the unchanged law:
Florida is an “at will” state, which means private employers are free to hire, transfer, promote, demote, suspend, reinstate, fire and rehire employees for any reason at any time, i.e., “at will.” The only thing employers cannot do is make any of these adverse employment decisions based upon the employee’s race, gender, age, handicap, disability, religion, marital status or national origin.
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