Knowledge Center

On September 9, 2020, the Governor signed AB-1867, which among other things, codified Executive Order N-51-20 (which provided supplemental paid sick leave to food sector workers), added a requirement that most employers with 500 or more employees to provide supplemental paid sick leave, and added supplemental paid sick leave for certain emergency and healthcare workers at employers with fewer than 500 employees. Below are the key requirements for these sick leaves. Covered Employees & Employers …

In a landmark 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Under the Court’s ruling, Title VII’s ban on discrimination protects gay, lesbian and transgender employees. Procedural History In this momentous ruling, the Court consolidated three separate employment cases, all involving long-term employees who were terminated allegedly due to their sexual orientation or transgender …

The City of Los Angeles recently enacted two ordinances that provide unprecedented employment protections for workers and place heavy new burdens on employers in several industries hit most heavily by the COVID-19 pandemic: Hospitality, Commercial Property, and the Airport. On May 3, 2020, Mayor Eric Garcetti signed the “COVID-19 Right of Recall Ordinance” and the “COVID-19 Worker Retention Ordinance,” which become effective on June 14, 2020. Both Ordinances include “COVID-19” in their title, and the …

Since the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law on March 18, 2020, a number of cities in California have either: (1) clarified employees can use accrued paid sick leave for COVID-19-related reasons or (2) adopted their own ordinances requiring employers exempt from the FFCRA to provide supplemental or additional paid sick leave to employees to use for COVID-19-related reasons. Because many of these ordinances provide protections and leave even beyond that …

Many employers who are experiencing a downturn in business due to COVID-19 need to make difficult financial decisions, including whether to temporarily lay off employees. For example, if a business with 100 employees faces a temporary setback due to COVID-19 and must reduce its payroll by 20 percent, the employer may feel like it has to lay off 20 employees. As an alternative to lay-offs, employers may want to consider reducing employee hours. For example, …