California - General

By: California and Local Orders Remove Mask Mandate From Schools As positivity rates decline in the Golden State, effective March 12, 2022, California’s Public Health Department no longer requires the use of masks indoors in schools or childcare settings and Los Angeles County followed suit. Masks a

This month, Jen and Rachael Langston, the DFEH’s Senior Counsel, cover reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. There is a ton of new information to learn. Don’t miss this one!

Please join our distinguished panelists of CDF employment law attorneys, Carolina Schwalbach, Leah Cameron, and Allison Chua on March 30, 2022, for a complimentary webinar as they explore the top pressing non-COVID-related topics currently facing California employers.

Effective March 1, 2022, there is no longer a hard requirement under the Cal/OSHA statewide Emergency Temporary Standard (CA ETS) or any other statewide requirement for employers to require unvaccinated persons (or fully vaccinated persons) to mask indoors at work.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the hours of service for drivers of certain property-carrying commercial motor vehicles. The FMCSA’s regulations include meal and rest break rules that generally prohibit drivers from driving if they have gone eight hours without a th

On February 19, 2022, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 114 requiring employers with 26 or more employees to provide employees unable to work for COVID-19 related reasons with up to 80 hours of additional supplemental paid sick leave.

In this episode, Jen dispels several independent contractor myths, explains how to evaluate independent contractor status under the “ABC Test” recognized by the California Supreme Court in the 2018 Dynamex decision and in AB 5, and reminds employers of the substantial liability associated with miscl

On February 7, 2022, a California appellate court issued the latest decision regarding the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Representative PAGA actions, which typically involve a relatively brief statute of limitations, permit California employees to collect civil penalties on behalf of the Sta

By: Mask Mandates In California Schools Will Remain Through At Least February 28 At the end of today, the statewide California mask mandate applicable in all public indoor settings expires. As we published yesterday , under the new guidance , starting tomorrow, vaccinated employees and customers may

By: California Lowers Masking Requirements Effective February 15, 2022 On February 15, 2022, the Department of Public Health (CDPH) Order requiring masking of almost all Californians in most indoor public spaces will expire. Last week, CDPH issued new guidance that goes into effect on February 16, 2

Happy Valentine’s Day! I know it’s mostly a “Hallmark holiday,” but I love it anyway. It’s a great time to think about loving ourselves, and feeling good about our contributions to the world. And, time for a treat!

On February 10, 2022, Assembly Bill (AB) 1993 was introduced in the California legislature. This bill would amend certain COVID-19 vaccination requirements in employment settings and create a framework for California employers to be responsible for vaccination programs in their workplaces.

By: California Re-Introduces Paid COVID-19 Supplemental Sick Leave During 2020 and 2021, California introduced various bills that mandated COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave for certain California employees. That leave expired in September 2021. The most recent winter surge, related to the Omicro

On February 9, 2022, California’s governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 114 , which creates new Labor Code section 248.6. The law takes effect immediately and is retroactive to January 1, 2022, but an employer’s obligation to provide 2022 COVID-19 supplemental California paid sick leave (CPSL) does not b

On February 7, 2022, the California legislature passed legislation reviving COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL). The law creates new California Labor Code Section 248.6 and takes effect ten days after Governor Newsom signs the legislation, which we expect is imminent. It applies to all empl

On January 31, 2022, the California State Assembly passed Assembly Bill (AB) No. 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST Recovery Act), which would potentially provide increased rights to the state’s more than 500,000 fast-food workers. If passed by the California State Se

On January 1, 2022, the minimum wage in California increased to $15 per hour for employers with twenty-six or more employees, and $14 per hour for employers with twenty-five or fewer employees.

In keeping pace with state and federal agencies that are updating public health guidance around COVID-19, San Francisco once again revised its Public Health Order on January 26, 2022 to address vaccination and masking requirements for various businesses that operate in San Francisco, many of which w

On March 30, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear the matter of Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana , Case No. 20-1573. The Court will answer the question, “Whether the Federal Arbitration Act requires enforcement of a bilateral arbitration agreement providing that an employee ca

On January 25, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislatures announced plans to reactivate the expired COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (CSPSL) applying to employers with 26 or more employees, which we discussed in our previous Alert . Complete details regarding the agreement of