Soon after San Jose passed its supplemental paid sick leave ordinance to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, it issued further guidance regarding the leave. The Director of the Office of Equality Assurance, the office charged with enforcement of the emergency ordinance, has also issued an opinion letter to provide additional
Articles Discussing General Workplace Issues in California.
Mayor of San Francisco Signs Amended Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance
Late April 17th, Mayor Breed signed the supplemental paid sick leave ordinance that earlier in the week, the Board of Supervisors had amended and passed. This was the same day that Mayor Breed announced an order requiring all individuals in public to wear face coverings.
The ordinance, like those passed
San Francisco Board of Supervisors Amends Pending Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance (PHELO)
San Francisco remains at the forefront of COVID-19 related relief to those employees who work within the City and County limits. Recently, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has continued this effort and passed the Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance (PHELO). PHELO is an emergency ordinance set to temporarily require
State-Wide Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for Food Sector Workers
In recent weeks, San Jose and Los Angeles have passed ordinances to provide supplemental paid sick leave to employees not otherwise covered by the recently enacted federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). San Francisco has a similar ordinance pending. On April 16th, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-51-20, which
Governor Newsom Announces Initiatives Supporting California Workers Affected by COVID-19
As California employers continue their efforts to weather this difficult and economically uncertain time, the state is also taking steps to assist California workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced several new initiatives to support California workers who have been affected by COVID-19.
Expansion of Call
San Francisco Mayor Signs Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance and Agency Issues Guidelines
On April 17, 2020, San Francisco, California Mayor London Breed signed the San Francisco Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance (PHELO), which took effect immediately. The next day, San Francisco’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) issued guidelines to help employers and employees understand their obligations and rights under the PHELO.
California’s Governor Signs Executive Order Requiring Paid Sick Leave and Handwashing Protections for Food Sector Workers
Executive Summary: On April 16, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-51-20 (the “Order”) requiring employers in the Food Sector to (1) provide their employees with paid sick leave due to COVID-19 and (2) permit their employees working in a food facility to wash their hands at least once every 30 minutes. The purpose of the Order is to help “reduce the spread of COVID-19” by providing Food Sector employees incentive (in the form of paid sick days) to call off from work if they have or potentially have COVID-19. As Food Sector employees work directly with members of the public and the food supply, there is a heightened risk of transmittal if such employees are infected. This Order is effective immediately and shall remain effective during the pendency of California’s stay-at-home order.
San Francisco (Again) Passes Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance, with Changes
n April 14, 2020, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, again, passed a public health emergency leave ordinance (the “PHELO”). The ordinance is very similar to the ordinance the Board passed exactly one week earlier, but contains changes—some expected, and some made during the Board’s meeting. The ordinance now goes to the mayor for her signature. Below we summarize what changed in the last week since the Board originally passed the ordinance.
Los Angeles, California Adopts Rules to Implement Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Order
At 9:15 p.m. on April 7, 2020, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an emergency order that immediately required certain employers to provide supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) during the COVID-19 public health emergency, superseding the ordinance passed by the Los Angeles City Council. Four days later, on April 11, the Los Angeles Office of Wage Standards issued rules implementing the order. Below we highlight how the regulations clarify the order and/or address some issues the order did not cover.
California Resources Available to Employers Dealing with COVID-19 Related Issues
As COVID-19 cases grow in California, lawsuits are already being filed against essential business employers, alleging companies did not or are not taking proper precautions to protect employees from the pandemic. Employers are doing all they can to ensure they are complying with all applicable laws and regulations in these
City of Los Angeles Supplemental COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Will Proceed, but As Superseded by the Mayor’s Public Order
On March 27, 2020, the City of Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance requiring that employers with 500 or more employees nationally offer 80 hours of Supplemental Paid Sick Leave to employees who perform work within the geographic boundaries of the City of Los Angeles for various COVID-19 related
San Francisco Expected to Require Employers with 500 or More Employees to Provide Paid Public Health Emergency Leave
On April 7, 2020, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors adopted an emergency ordinance (the “PHELO”) that requires private employers with 500 or more employees to provide paid public health emergency leave during the COVID-19 public health emergency (“PHE”). This ordinance is one of a number of situations where local jurisdictions have enacted laws to require companies that are not otherwise covered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) to provide additional sick time to its employees.
Los Angeles Joins the Trend, as States and Localities Adopt Face Covering Requirements
As the COVID-19 crisis continues, and in light of changing guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), numerous jurisdictions across the country have issued new guidelines for employers and the general public concerning the use of face masks or other face coverings while outside the home.
The L.A. Story of Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
Things have been pretty chaotic and confusing for employers and employees during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Unfortunately, in an effort to help, the City of Los Angeles has unintentionally increased both. This is the story of how mandatory supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) came to exist in Los Angeles.
Cal/OSHA Issues Guidance for Agricultural Employers on COVID-19 Infection Prevention
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, recently issued safety and health guidance for agricultural employers to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. California employers are required to establish and implement an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) to protect employees from all worksite hazards, including infectious diseases. Since COVID-19 is widespread in the community, most California employers must consider the disease a workplace hazard. As such, agricultural employers still operating during the pandemic must update their IIPP to include protocols for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Below is a summary of training guidelines, procedures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, guidance on physical distancing rules, and good sanitation practices agricultural employers should follow during the pandemic.