Returning to work: What are your rights?

(CNN) — Some employees can’t wait to go back to work. Others might be dreading their return over fears of getting sick, having to take public transportation or not having childcare.

I have mixed emotions about a possible return. Heading back to the office hopefully means the worst is behind us, but I worry about being packed into the subway and then taking an elevator and crowding into a high-rise building and being indoors all day long.

So what rights do employees have when it comes to going back to work? I spoke with employment attorneys to find out. Here’s what they had to say:

What if I don’t feel comfortable returning to work?

Fearing that you might contract Covid-19 is not a legal reason to refuse to come to work.

However, if you have a disability or pre-existing health condition, it might fall under protections from the Americans with Disabilities Act that require employers to discuss potential accommodations.

Do I have to wear a face mask?

Yes, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has said that an employer can require employees to wear personal protective equipment, including face masks, during a pandemic.

If you don’t comply with your employers’ PPE requirements, you can be sent home.

However, an employee who has a disability or health condition that would make it difficult to wear PPE needs to have reasonable accommodation under the ADA.

What if I don’t want my temperature checked?

Employers can check workers’ temperatures, but the results are subject to confidentiality requirements. If you refuse one, you can be prevented from entering the building.

Does an employer have to notify staff if an employee is diagnosed with Covid-19?

No, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t — and many are. If they do disclose a positive case, an employer cannot reveal the person’s identity without consent.

Gen Z’s rough entry into the job market
It’s a tough job market out there for anyone right now.

But Generation Z is getting a very unfriendly welcome to the working world.

Just a few months ago, the oldest members of Generation Z were likely thinking that getting a job would be pretty easy. Now they are graduating into a pandemic-ravaged job market.

There are fewer jobs and internships, especially in fields like hospitality, travel and retail, which typically provide large numbers of entry level roles, reports CNN’s Zamira Rahim.

And this rough start could have long-lasting effects on future pay and job prospects.

Click here to read more about the burden of entering the workforce amid a global pandemic.

Tired of your home office? Try your car
Wishing you had some quiet space to retreat to when working from home?

Some people have been working from their cars — whether it’s for a change of scenery, to take a long conference call, to get better cell and internet service, or just to find some quiet respite from your home/work/school/daycare.

It makes sense that a car might not be a bad place to get some work done. Cars are made to have quieter interiors and the seats are designed for long periods of sitting, one car designer explained.

If you are looking to turn your car into a mobile office, connecting to the car’s Bluetooth to take calls can help minimize any ambient noise, like cars on the road or wind. You can even set up a standing desk in some cars.

Check out this story on how people are making their office on wheels work and read more tips on how to best work out of your own car.

Remember: Never keep a running car in a garage or any other enclosed space.

Some relief for student loan borrowers
Interest rates on federal student loans are falling. Fast.

Bond yields are sinking — which means the government can borrow money cheaper — and Uncle Sam is passing the savings onto students.

Here’s what you can expect:

Federal Direct Stafford loans: Undergraduate borrowers can expect a 2.75% interest rate this academic year. That’s down from 4.53% during the past school year.

Federal graduate loans: 4.3% interest rates, down from 6.08%.

PLUS loans: Parents and graduate students can expect to see a rate of 5.3%, down from 7.08%.

The average total savings on interest charges will range from $669 for undergraduates to $2,797 for graduate students taking out larger federal PLUS loans at higher rates, based on a 10-year term, according to Credible, a credit comparison website.

Click here to read the full story from CNN’s Anna Bahney.

Therapy sessions through TikTok
In-person therapy sessions aren’t happening, but that hasn’t stopped some professionals from finding new ways to help people through this crisis … in very short bursts.

Psychologists and therapists are using TikTok, an app that allows people to create and share short-form videos, to discuss mental health, combat Covid-19 myths and offer help on how to manage worry and anxiety.

“It’s important to meet the public where they’re at and help dispel some of the myths or decrease some of the fears or conspiracies out there,” said Dr. David Puder, a psychiatrist who joined TikTok in January. He now has more than 100,000 followers.

Read the full story from CNN’s Kaya Yurieff here.

Coffee break
Remember those days when you tried to get in 10,000 steps? Seems pretty impossible these days when we are spending so much time at home sitting at our makeshift work desks, taking (yet another) Zoom call or settling in for a Netflix marathon.

All that sitting isn’t good for our health.

It can be a risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic disease and also lead to depression, chronic pain and increased risk for physical injury, writes Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and registered yoga teacher.