If you’ve been reading or watching the news in recent months, you have surely seen a large amount of press on various states and municipalities introducing laws to restrict certain rights of those in the LGTBQ+ community....more
The California Legislature is considering whether employees who are currently working from home have a right to continue to do so until the employer provides advance written notice of the need to return to the workplace. ...more
State law requires that employers take steps to prevent and correct wrongful behaviors in the workplace, such as discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Lizbeth (Beth) West explains what employers should know about...more
State law requires that employers take steps to prevent and correct wrongful behaviors in the workplace, such as discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Lizbeth (Beth) West explains what employers should know about...more
AB1041 recently expanded leave rights in California by adding a “designated person” to the list of people for whom an eligible employee may take time off to care for under both the CFRA and the HWHF Act. Lizbeth “Beth” West...more
AB1041 recently expanded leave rights in California by adding a “designated person” to the list of people for whom an eligible employee may take time off to care for under both the CFRA and the HWHF Act. Lizbeth “Beth” West...more
That’s right, you read it correctly, another 300 years! The United Nations Secretary General told the Commission on the Status of Women on March 7, 2023, that gender equality is “300 years away.” The statement was based on...more
Just a friendly reminder to employers that OSHA requires most employers with 10 or more full-time employees to, among other things: a) keep a yearly log (Form 300) of reportable work-related injuries and illnesses; and b)...more
In this episode of California Employment News, Lizbeth (Beth) West and Meagan Bainbridge present part four of the Workplace Investigation Series, discussing best practices for effectively memorializing the investigation in a...more
On September 29, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 1044 which grants new protections and rights to most California employees in the case of emergency conditions in the workplace....more
In this episode of California Employment News, Lizbeth (Beth) West and Meagan Bainbridge present part three of the Workplace Investigation Series, discussing how to make reasonable investigative findings once all evidence is...more
In this episode of California Employment News, Lizbeth (Beth) West and Meagan Bainbridge present part two of the Workplace Investigation Series, discussing best practices for collecting information during a workplace...more
In this episode of California Employment News, Lizbeth (Beth) West and Meagan Bainbridge present part one of the Workplace Investigation Series, discussing how to start an investigation following an employee complaint....more
The long-awaited decision by the US Supreme Court in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana was issued on June 15, 2022, and brings some good news for California employers. The issue before the court was whether the Federal...more
On May 7, 2022 (Yes, that was a Saturday), CalOSHA issued a Fact Sheet and updated Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) to align with, and explain, its revised Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”) for preventing and...more
For the third time, CalOSHA has revised its Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”) governing workplace safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The revised ETS are due to take effect on May 6, 2022 once they have been reviewed by...more
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) adopted a temporary policy in response to the difficulties many individuals experienced with renewing documents. As part of that temporary...more
On March 14, 2022, the EEOC released a new technical assistance guidance document entitled “The COVID-19 Pandemic and Caregiver Discrimination Under Federal Employment Discrimination Law.”
Essentially, the guidance...more
On Friday, December 17, 2021, the federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency motion to dissolve the stay of the federal OSHA COVID-19 vaccine or test mandate for large employers.
Background.
On...more
Due to the increase in COVID-19 infection numbers and the rising number of hospitalizations in recent weeks, the California Department of Public Health has issued a mandate requiring all individuals in California wear...more
As you’ve probably read in the news, a number of legal challenges have been filed against the OSHA COVID-19 vaccination/testing ETS for large employers. The 5th Circuit issued a stay on enforcement of the ETS on November 6th...more
UPDATE:
FIFTH CIRCUIT BLOCKS ENFORCEMENT OF THE FEDERAL OSHA COVID-19 VACCINE/TESTING MANDATE.
On November 6, 2021, a panel of the fifth circuit issued a stay against the enforcement of OSHA‘s new emergency temporary...more
11/8/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
False Statements ,
Immunization Records ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Popular ,
Religious Exemption ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing
For what it’s worth, on October 25, 2021, the EEOC updated its guidance “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws” and added Section L entitled “Vaccinations – Title VII and...more
10/28/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Rehabilitation Act ,
Religious Beliefs ,
Religious Exemption ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations
On June 17, 2021, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted 5-1 to approve the revised Covid-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”) and, as promised, Governor Newsom promptly issued Executive Order No. N-09-21 holding that the new...more
Continuing the yo-yo of back and forth revisions to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”), on June 11, 2021 Cal/OSHA submitted yet another draft of its proposed ETS to the Cal/OSHA Standards Board for review and...more