California Legislature Expands COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Through September 30, 2021 for Employers with More than 25 Employees: FAQ Guide

On March 19, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 95, which requires employers in California with more than 25 employees to provide COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave to covered employees.  The bill takes effect on March 29, 2021, at which time the requirements will apply retroactively to January 1, 2021.  California’s previous supplemental paid leave expired on December 31, 2020 and SB 95 broadens the scope in various material ways. (Read More)

At Long Last, Clarity Regarding Subsequent Violations Under PAGA

On the surface, a case just decided by the U.S. Court of Appeal for the 9^th Circuit looks to be one primarily of interest to those in the aviation space. In Bernstein v. Virgin America Inc., a Ninth Circuit panel ruled on February 23 that California wage and hour laws pertaining to meal and rest breaks are not preempted by federal law; namely, the Federal Aviation Act. (Read More)

Attention Employers: California's High Court Has Nixed Rounding Meal Breaks

When is a 30-minute lunch break a 30-minute lunch break?

Certain employers have made it a practice of rounding time—up or down, typically in five- to 15-minute increments—in lieu of recording the actual time that employees spend working or for meal breaks. Until now, California law has generally permitted rounding time, provided certain criteria are met. For instance, an employer’s rounding policy must be fair and neutral on its face and cannot systematically undercompensate employees over a period of time. (Read More)

Can Your Boss Force You to Get a COVID Vaccine Shot?

With the Biden administration all-in on the inoculation of America, meaningful plans for widespread COVID-19 vaccine distribution and availability are taking shape. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna offerings will surely be joined soon by Johnson & Johnson’s single dose vaccine, and FDA approval of the promising Oxford-AstraZeneca product, which may even halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, seems inevitable. (Read More)

Non-Essential Travelers Arriving in Southern California Now Subject to Mandatory Quarantines

Nationwide COVID-19 hotspot: that’s the unenviable title currently held by the County of Los Angeles. In response, L.A. is among several other Southern California counties discouraging non-essential travel by imposing a mandatory quarantine order upon certain travelers. (Read More)

What Employees Need to Know About the $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Package

The $900 billion COVID pandemic relief package passed as part of the broader Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, includes some very important details relevant to employment and the workplace. Michelman & Robinson, LLP highlights what employers need to know. (Read More)

California Employers Now Subject to Additional COVID-19-Related Laws Related to Cal/OSHA Reporting and Worker’s Compensation

The addition of even more employee-leaning laws in the Golden State continues. As Michelman & Robinson reported earlier this month, the California legislature passed—and Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law—AB 1867, giving an increased number of employees in California access to paid sick leave as it relates to the novel coronavirus pandemic through the remainder of 2020. Late last week, Governor Newsom placed his signature on two other bills: AB 685, which requires employers to report COVID-19 cases to Cal/OSHA within a prescribed period of time, and SB 1159, a law that makes worker’s compensation benefits more accessible to employees by creating a “disputable presumption” that an illness or death resulting from COVID-19 has arisen out of and in the course and scope of employment. The latter bill is likely to cause worker’s compensation premiums to skyrocket for many employers already trying to manage increased claims following pandemic-related furloughs and layoffs. (Read More)

COVID-19-Related Paid Sick Leave Has Been Expanded in California Yet Again to All Employers with 500+ Employees

A bill has been passed and signed into law this week by Governor Gavin Newsom giving more employees in California access to paid sick leave as it relates to COVID-19.

As previously reported by Michelman & Robinson, ordinances are already on the books requiring certain employers to provide supplemental sick leave to employees within the City of Los Angeles as well as unincorporated L.A. County by virtue of the pandemic. These ordinances are in addition to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which requires most companies employing fewer than 500 workers to make two weeks of paid sick leave available to those affected by the coronavirus. (Read More)

Federal Anti-Discrimination Law Extends to LGBTQ Employees

The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered great news to the LGBTQ community nationwide. In this week’s landmark decision captioned Bostock v. Clayton County, the high court ruled that federal law—namely, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—prohibits employment discrimination against LGBTQ workers. To that point, Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the 6-3 majority, stated, “An employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates [the law].” (Read More)

Hotels in California May Be Days Away From Reopening: What Hoteliers Need to Know

Good news for hotels from the California Department of Public Health: beginning this coming Friday (June 12), they (along with restaurants and bars, gyms, film studios, and a host of other establishments) have been given the green light to reopen for business. But before jumping for joy, hoteliers must understand that the final say in terms of reopening belongs to each county within the state. That being said, in anticipation of vacancy signs being illuminated once again, the CDPH and Cal/OSHA released revised COVID-19 Hotel and Lodging Industry Guidance. By way of this alert, Michelman & Robinson shines a light on topics and some specifics from the extensive guidance that must be considered as hotels begin operations in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. (Read More)