The COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave statute was signed into law a month ago and, despite a FAQ issued by the California Labor Commissioner, employers were faced with uncertainty as to whether their employee’s leave request qualified under the statute.  Fortunately, the Labor Commissioner has updated its FAQs to provide further clarity to employers.

Reasons

At the end of 2020, California approved the Division of Occupational Safety & Health’s (“Cal OSHA”) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”).

Among the many requirements in the new ETS, Cal OSHA imposed a performance-based obligation on employers to establish and implement an effective COVID-19 Prevention Program, COVID-19 preventive measures (e.g., social distancing and mandatory

On September 9, 2020, the Governor signed Assembly Bill 1867 (“AB 1867”) which mandated both food sector employers and other industries, including employers with 500 or more employees, to provide supplemental paid sick leave (“COVID-19 Supplemental PSL”). The California Labor Commissioner, charged with enforcement of the new laws, has issued a Frequently Asked Questions Page

On September 9, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1867 (“AB 1867”) which has three new laws combined into one bill. The bill covers supplemental sick leave requirements, a pilot mediation program for small employers, and mandated hand washing requirements for food workers.

Food Sector Workers Supplemental Sick Leave

When Governor Newsom issued Executive Order

Despite California’s recent statewide closures for indoor operations at restaurants, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, wineries, and closures for select hospitality businesses across more than 30 counties, Oakland passed a new right to reemployment ordinance. Like the Los Angeles ordinance, Oakland’s Ordinance is limited to industries related to certain hospitality operations, such

California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a plan to allow the limited reopening of some businesses beyond those in the category of essential critical infrastructure. This limited reopening is part of the “Resilience Roadmap” for California, the multi-phase plan to modify the statewide stay-at-home Order, originally issued on March 19, 2020, in response

The Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) recently began recommending the use of non-medical masks or “cloth face coverings” to help stem the spread of COVID-19. According to the CDC’s recommendation, cloth face coverings are recommended in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g. grocery stores and pharmacies). The CDC has

Many employees and employers, in recent weeks, have been adjusting to the new normal of working from home due to California’s Shelter-in-Place order. However, employers and their employees deemed part of the essential critical infrastructure face a different complication. One major issue facing essential employees is handling childcare issues in light of daycare and