Articles

Now that “stay at home” orders are in place in most states, and the federal and many state governments have recommended that employers permit or require employees to work from home whenever possible in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become the new temporary norm for many employees. Working remotely during a pandemic can be stressful for both employers, which have a need to continue operations, as well as for employees, who …

Effective March 19, 2020, Governor Newsome issued a “Stay-At-Home Order” for the entire state of California (Executive Order N-33-20), that directed all individuals living in California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal “Critical Infrastructure Sectors” designated by Homeland Security. The Order indicated that Californians working in these Critical Infrastructure Sectors may continue their work because of the importance of these sectors …

On March 25, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which is the third phase of COVID-19 economic relief legislation. The Cares Act is aimed at providing financial stimulus to individuals, businesses and hospitals in response to widespread economic distress caused by the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic in the United States.  The CARES Act is a $2 trillion stimulus package which follows the appropriation of over …

On March 18, 2020, the federal government temporarily expanded the scope and application of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), via the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and its Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLAE or Expanded FMLA). This new law is effective on April 1, 2020 and will remain in effect until December 31, 2020. In sum, the Expanded FMLA provides 12-weeks of job-protected leave, with 10 weeks of paid leave, …

The President has just signed into law the emergency Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This new law is effective April 1, 2020. (Notably, the U.S. Department of Labor has recently clarified this date as the new date of enactment.)  Part of this new law includes an “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act,” which requires most U.S. private employers to provide emergency paid sick leave to employees under circumstances …