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
Zooming Into Privacy Issues
Believe it or not, it’s been approximately 6 months since Governor Newsom announced California’s stay-at-home order. Since then, many government agencies, courts, and schools have switched to using videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet to help their offices stay connected during the pandemic. While these virtual meeting platforms have played a vital role
Hottest Blogs of Summer 2020
It’s Fall! As we transition to longer days and colder weather, we’re taking a look at our hottest blog posts from Summer 2020.
Walking the Tightrope When Employees Refuse to Return to Work
If there is one word that defines this pandemic, it is fear. While we understand more about COVID-19 today than we did
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
Department of Labor Issues Revised Regulations Concerning the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
On September 11, 2020, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) promulgated three revised regulations concerning the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) (29 C.F.R. 826.) The revised regulations will take effect on September 16, 2020, upon publication of the revised rule in the Federal Register.
The DOL revised these regulations in response to a challenge by
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
Change the Channel: Improve Remote Work Life
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”
The Challenges of Dealing with Employees Who Challenge COVID-19 Precautionary Measures
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
Walking the Tightrope When Employees Refuse to Return to Work
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
Employer Obligations to Respond to EDD Notices of Unemployment Benefits Claims
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