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
Education
Special Bulletin: Second Court Denies Preliminary Injunction Against New Title IX Regulations; the Compliance Deadline Remains August 14, 2020
In a lawsuit involving sixteen states and the District of Columbia, including California, filed against the U.S. Department of Education challenging the new regulations governing how sexual harassment allegations under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 must be adjudicated, U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols denied the States’ request for a delay pending…
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…
The Long-Awaited FLSA Salary Basis Update Is Finally Here – What This Means For California Public Education Employers
This article was authored by Brian P. Walter and Lars T. Reed.
Today, September 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced a final rule modifying the weekly salary and annual compensation threshold levels for white collar exemptions to FLSA overtime requirements. The final rule will become effective on January 1, 2020. It…
Kids Are Heading Back to School: Does Your Agency Have A School Activity Leave Policy?
It’s no secret that it can be a challenge for employees to balance work and family obligations. One measure taken by the California legislature to increase work/life balance is the establishment of school activity leave under section 230.8 of the California Labor Code. Below are answers to employers’ most frequently asked questions regarding this lesser-known…
California Court of Appeals Further Clarifies STRS’ Authority to Collect Overpayments Made to Retirees
Over the last several years, the California Courts of Appeal have addressed questions regarding the California State Teachers’ Retirement System’s (CalSTRS) ability to collect overpayments of monthly retirement benefits paid to retirees because of, among other things, miscalculations of the retirees’ compensation earnable. A Court of Appeal handed down the most recent case, Blaser v.
Allegations of Sexual Misconduct, Student Discipline on Campus, and Due Process: Keeping Up with Rapidly Evolving Interpretations of State and Federal Laws
This blog was authored by Alysha Stein-Manes.
The manner in which institutions of higher education must address sexual assault in the educational context continues to evolve as both the federal government and courts weigh in on what procedures public and private colleges and universities must follow in order to comply with both Title IX…
Governor Brown Vetoes Bill To Codify Into State Law Federal Regulations And Repealed Federal Guidance On Student Sexual Assault
This post was authored by Alysha Stein-Manes and Jenny Denny
On October 15, 2017 Governor Brown vetoed Senate Bill (SB) 169, a bill that would have codified into state law federal Title IX regulations and recently-repealed guidance on sexual assault and sexual violence issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights…
DeVos Calls For Revising Title IX Regulations, Announces Public Comment Period
This post was authored by Laura Schulkind and Jenny Denny
On September 7, 2017, United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos spoke at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School to discuss problems with the current Title IX enforcement system and identified the need to establish a regulatory framework that better serves all students.
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