At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers allowed some of their employees to work from home (i.e., “telecommute” or “telework”) in the interest of public health. We are now entering our tenth month of the pandemic, and working from home has become “the new normal” for many employers and employees. Now, as vaccines
Danny Y. Yoo
Back to School – Educating Employers on Leave Under the FFCRA as Their Employees’ Children Return to Classes
As students return to school this fall, parents find themselves learning new vocabulary terms, such as “remote learning,” “distance learning,” “synchronous or asynchronous instruction,” and “learning pods.” Parents are also learning how to juggle their own work, either from home or onsite, and their children’s instruction. Employers have probably been receiving requests from employees to…
Can California Public Employers Take a Break From Certain State Labor Law Requirements?
It might surprise many California public employers that there is no law that requires them to provide meal and rest breaks to most of their employees. Similarly, there is no law that requires California public employers to pay overtime to most of their employees for working over eight hours in a day or pay “double…
Hiring a Retiree Seems Appealing Until it Leads to an Appeal
Many CalPERS agencies hire CalPERS retirees for limited post-retirement work to help with overflow or special projects. Often times, these retirees are the agency’s former employees who are familiar with the agency and the work to be performed. CalPERS can review these arrangements and determine that the retiree was engaging in unlawful post-retirement work either…
Public Employers Dealing with Employees with Disabilities Can Feel Like Being Stuck on the California Freeways
Fans of the late night television show Saturday Night Live probably have seen the recurring sketch called, “The Californians.” “The Californians” is a soap opera, and the characters portray Californian stereotypes, such as poking fun at the way Californians speak and drive and their obsession over traffic. One of the recurring jokes is that Californians…
New Law on Out-of-Class Assignments Requires More Homework for CalPERS Agencies
The California Legislature recently passed AB 1487, which is now codified as Government Code section 20480. The new law applies only to CalPERS agencies and limits the amount of time that an employee can work in an “out-of-class appointment” to 960 hours per fiscal year.
What is an “Out-of-Class” Appointment?
Section 20480, subdivision (f), defines…
Summer Lovin’, Had Me A Look At The Recreational Establishment Exemption. Tell Me More, Tell Me More!
While Danny Zuko and Sandy may have had themselves a blast during those summer lovin’ months, this may be a good time for your agency to take a look at the FLSA “recreational establishment” exemption. This is a unique exemption that will exempt those employees working at “recreational establishments” from the traditional overtime threshold of…