As the “new normal” drags on longer than any of us would have hoped, some people are having a harder time adjusting than others. While nobody likes wearing a mask or practicing social distancing, what are an agency’s options and obligations with respect to an employee who can’t or won’t?
First things first: for as
If there is one word that defines this pandemic, it is fear. While we understand more about COVID-19 today than we did even a few weeks ago, including who may be more susceptible to severe complications, this pandemic still involves a dash of Russian roulette. It is therefore understandable that some employees – even perfectly
Over the last few months, claims for unemployment insurance benefits have increased exponentially due to the difficult financial circumstances public and private employers have been confronted with in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reductions in services and business closures have forced many employers to implement layoffs and furloughs, causing the dramatic increase in unemployment
Employers know they need to accommodate a disabled employee’s request to bring a service dog to work. However, what happens when employees claim they are stressed and need to bring their dog to work for emotional support? Here are the top five questions on emotional support dogs:
1. Do we need to allow an employee
Introduction
On March 19, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state of California (with an exemption for essential workers) causing many public agencies, businesses, and schools to shut their doors. In an effort to reopen California’s economy, Governor Newsom announced a Resilience Roadmap setting out a four-stage plan that modifies
On June 15, 2020, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects gay and transgender employees from discrimination. The Court’s decision was 6-3 and the opinion was authored by Justice Gorsuch, who was joined in the decision by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and
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
Our nation continues to react to the death of George Floyd, and this reaction includes the thousands who have participated in mass protests across the country. Many people feel compelled to speak openly and passionately about an issue of national importance. Public employees likely wish to express their views as well, and this includes not
On April 23, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued updated guidance concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the Rehabilitation Act and how employers may respond to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19. The EEOC makes clear that while the laws will continue to apply during the present public health emergency,
Note: This is the second of a two-part series concerning federal unemployment assistance. You may access the first bulletin here.
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) into law. Under that Act, the federal government established several programs to expand unemployment assistance to