Many of us have been working from home longer than we ever could have anticipated when shelter-in-place orders were rolled out in March 2020. As we’ve tried to settle into these going-on-five months of remote work, there is always room for improvement as to our work settings. As we ease into accepting this as “normal”
California Court of Appeal Clarifies Standard by Which a Public Agency’s At-Large Voting System Will Be Deemed to Violate the California Voting Rights Act, Having the Potential to Significantly Impact California Voting Rights Litigation
Last month, the Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District of California issued a decision in Pico Neighborhood Association, et al v. City of Santa Monica (Jul. 9, 2020, No. B295935) __ Cal.App.3d __ [2020 WL 3866741] (“Pico”), finding that the City of Santa Monica’s at-large voting system did not violate the
California Extends Paid Family Leave Benefits: Two More Weeks Soon and Maybe Six Months in the Near Future
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, employers have developed various leaves of absence plans to support employees who contract COVID-19 or come in close contact with a COVID-19 patient. Since the state’s phased reopening began about a month ago, employers have been developing such leave plans to ensure adequate balancing between the need to reopen and
The Kristin Smart Campus Safety Act: What It Is, Why It’s Important, and a Missing Student Remembered
This Memorial Day weekend marks the 24th anniversary of the disappearance of Kristin Smart, a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who disappeared in the early morning hours of May 25, 1996 while walking to her dormitory following a party. Kristin Smart was reported missing to the
Is This Being Recorded? Navigating FERPA in the Virtual Classroom
When the COVID-19 outbreak reached California, schools throughout the state converted traditional classes to a distance education model for millions of students seemingly overnight. Distance education programs rely on a combination of websites, programs/applications, and other technologies to deliver content, facilitate communication, administer exams, and more. Video conferencing applications (e.g., Zoom) with screen sharing features
Special Bulletin: Interaction between Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave
Employees who are eligible for Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“EPSL”) under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) may also file a claim for Paid Family Leave (“PFL”), a benefit established under California law. PFL provides 60-70% wage replacement benefits for up to 6 weeks (8 weeks effective July 1, 2020) in a 12-month period
Update, March 26, 2020, 9:00am, Department of Labor Releases FFCRA Employee Rights Notice
On March 25, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division released new content and guidance on its COVID-19 and the American Workplace website. Among the new content, is the notice of employees’ rights under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) that, according to the FFCRA, employees must “post and keep posted,
Department of Labor Clarifies Effective Date of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will take effect April 1, 2020, according to a new Q & A posted March 24, 2020 by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL, the federal agency charged with implementing and enforcing the FFCRA, has been answering questions online and is working on regulations to implement
Coronavirus/COVID-19 Weekly Update & Resources – March 23, 2020
Last week, we published several special bulletins covering COVID-19. Below are short summaries and links to the updates published since our last COVID-19 round up.
We will continue providing these special bulletins and updates as needed. Please visit https://www.lcwlegal.com/responding-to-COVID-19 for the most up-to-date bulletins.
Governor Newsom Amends Brown Act Changes in Subsequent Executive Order
Coronavirus/COVID-19 Weekly Update & Resources
The Coronavirus/COVID-19 has spread throughout much of the world, including California. This is a situation that is evolving by the day – oftentimes, by the hour. We are continuing to monitor this rapidly changing situation. Below is a list of Coronavirus/COVID-19 updates and bulletins that LCW has recently published.
Public Agencies