Articles

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 …

Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP has assembled a taskforce of attorneys in our offices to address the many employment-related challenges employers are facing in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This pandemic has presented an unprecedented situation leaving most organizations with questions including: how to maintain a safe work environment; what obligations they owe to employees; and how to answer employee questions regarding leave, pay and benefit programs. Following are answers to frequently …

New Year — New Laws! Each new year brings a bundle of new laws, and this year was particularly eventful in the employment law arena. Below we summarize some of the key new laws that will impact California employers in 2020.   Arbitration Arbitration Agreements as a Condition of Employment (AB 51). The new law prohibits employers from requiring any applicant for employment or any employee to waive any right, forum, or procedure under the California …

The sharing economy, also called “the gig economy,” is changing the nature of employment for millions of Americans. On the one hand, working as an independent contractor in the sharing economy appears to offer great flexibility in terms of hours, frequency, and duration of work. But on the other hand, earnings are so low and the ability to earn more is so acutely tied to terms and fees established by the hosting company that flexibility …