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
Returning to Work: How Employers Can Best Prepare for their Workforce Returning to the Office
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
How Telecommuting During the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts the Disability Interactive Process
As more businesses start to reopen, the COVID-19 pandemic will have long-term effects on the work environment beyond temperature checks and social distancing protocols. One impact is that it may be harder for employers to justify denying a disabled employee’s request for an accommodation to work from home. Whereas employers previously may have been reluctant
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
Working From Home + Homeschooling – A Journey During A Pandemic
I’ve been working from home since March 16, 2020 when my children’s school closed. I am not alone – with the COVID-19 pandemic and safer at home orders, many employees across the country have been working from home. While restrictions may be easing, without schools reopening, many parents are balancing their roles as teachers, parents,
First Amendment Rights During Coronavirus – New Challenges For Government Agencies
Lawyers at our firm have practiced constitutional law for many years, and the coronavirus pandemic has presented circumstances in this area that many of us probably thought we would never see. Under normal principles of First Amendment law, speech in a traditional public forum such as a city park has a high level of protection