Since the COVID-19 pandemic first began, it has had a multitude of evolving impacts on the operation of the workplace. One impact is the increased number of requests employers are receiving from employees for reasonable accommodations. These increases are attributed to various factors, which have evolved as the pandemic has progressed. At the outset of
Do You Have Seasonal Workers? What To Know About Health & Retirement Benefit Obligations
This article was reviewed in July 2021 and is up-to-date.
As the summer season winds down, so do public agency departments that hire seasonal workers to staff summer camps, pools, extended park and recreation hours, and a myriad of season-specific facilities and activities. But, just how do seasonal workers impact the agency’s health and retirement
California Supreme Court To Decide Case On Disciplinary Process Owed To Students
On September 16, 2020, the California Supreme Court granted review of Boermeester v. Carry, a case involving the expulsion of student Matthew Boermeester from the University of Southern California (“USC”) for intimate partner violence in violation of USC policy after an investigation and a hearing. The California Supreme Court’s review of the case is
Best Practices for Communicating with Employees on Medical Leave and Utilizing Intermittent Leave Schedules
During these unprecedented times, it is likely that employees may be utilizing various forms of protected leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Some employees may be tempted to work remotely during their leave, perhaps to catch up, to stay ahead, or to offset the amount of time
Sexual Harassment Training – Is Your Agency 2021 Ready?
With the new year approaching, now is a good time to audit your agency’s compliance with sexual harassment training requirements. Since 2005, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) has required employers to provide supervisory employees with training in preventing sexual harassment (sometimes called “AB 1825 harassment training”). Recently, the State Legislature has greatly
DHS, CIS, I-9, ICE, EAD, H1B, F1, OMG! : FAQ’s About Immigration’s Alphabet Soup
Our clients frequently face questions about how immigration laws and policies apply to their employees, candidates, and students. The world of immigration law can be a bewildering jumble of acronyms, statutes, regulations, and policy directives that leave many employers or school administrators exasperated and with whiplash. As practitioners in labor, employment, and education for our
LCW to Present Eight Workshops at the 2020 Community College League of California Annual Convention
We are thrilled to present and sponsor the 2020 Community College League of California Annual Convention taking place virtually this week (November 17 – 20)! Don’t miss our eight scheduled conference presentations by our expert speakers. Topics include return to campus issues, layoffs, negotiating in stressful budgetary times, and much, much more.
November 17
12:30pm
LCW to Present Nine Workshops at the 2020 Annual CALPELRA Virtual Conference
We are pleased to present and sponsor the 2020 Annual CALPELRA Conference taking place virtually this week (November 16 – 20)! Don’t miss our nine scheduled conference presentations by our expert speakers. Topics include negotiating in difficult times, telecommuting issues, public safety disability accommodations, and much, much more.
November 16
10:15am – 11:00am || The
Face It, Face Covering Policies Do Not Muzzle First Amendment Rights
Masks and face coverings have become part of the “new normal” for everyday life since the coronavirus pandemic began. As worksites continue to reopen across California, public employers have implemented face-covering policies based on recommendations and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Equal Employment Opportunity
Governor Newsom Signs SB 1159 and AB 685 Into Law Impacting COVID-19 Related Workers’ Compensation Coverage and Creating New Notice and Reporting Requirements Related to COVID-19 Workplace Exposures
On September 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law two COVID-19 related bills – Senate Bill (“SB”) 1159 and Assembly Bill (“AB”) 685. SB 1159 is an urgency bill that is now effective immediately, and sets forth rebuttable presumption standards to establish workers’ compensation coverage for employees who contract COVID-19. AB 685 modifies