By: Robin E. Largent Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP © 2020 We have been getting more and more questions from employers about what to do if they have an employee who reports that they have tested positive for COVID-19. Cal-OSHA likely has been getting...
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CA Court Grants TRO in Fast Food Covid-19 Case
On June 16, 2020, several employees at a McDonald’s franchise in Oakland, California filed a lawsuit against their employer, in a matter entitled Hernandez v. VES McDonald’s (No. RG20064825, Superior Court of California, County of Alameda). The lawsuit consists of...
California’s Face Mask Requirements Can Help Keep Businesses Open
By Katie Culliton It’s been almost two weeks since the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) required Californians to wear a cloth face mask when outside the home, with limited exceptions. As cases of COVID-19 rise, it’s becoming increasingly more important to...
A Vaccine is Coming: Can Employers Require Employees to Take it?
As clinical trials continue across the world for a COVID-19 vaccine, many employers are asking whether they will be able to require employees to take the vaccine when it becomes available in the United States. Like with so many questions surrounding COVID-19, the...
Additional $600 Unemployment Payment Expiration Date Looms Near
By John J. Porta, Hadley M. Simonett, Keerthi Sugumaran and Carolyn A. Trotta -Jackson Lewis, PC. As businesses begin to reopen and many workers return to work, one of the main provisions of the CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, is set to expire next...
California Law Requires Face Masks
CalWorkSafety clients are currently reporting new instances every day that their employees are testing positive for COVID-19. It is now critical to enforce face coverings at work, and to encourage those who have been in contact with someone who tests positive, to get...
Can an employee refuse to return to work?
HR California - Cal Chamber Yes. Although you can’t force a furloughed employee to return to work, their refusal to return may disqualify them from receiving unemployment benefits. The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has released general guidance on...
OSHA Issues FAQ on Face Coverings
The new guidance outlines the differences between cloth face coverings, surgical masks and respirators. WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a series of frequently asked questions and...
COVID-19 Workers’ Comp Claim Presumption Flowchart
By Jessica Mulholland, HR Watchdog – Cal Chamber In early May, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order extending workers’ compensation benefits to California employees who contract COVID-19 while working outside of their homes during the state’s stay-at-home...
Most Counties in California Now Permitted to Move to Accelerated Stage 2 Reopening
By Ellen E. Cohen & Sarah H. Scheinhorn, Jacon Lewis PC At the beginning of May, California implemented a staged reopening for businesses closed due to the shelter in place orders resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan, referred to as the “Resilience...
Congress Approves Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act
By Amberly Morgan Update: The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act was signed into law on June 5, 2020 following the U.S. Senate passage by voice vote the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act of 2020 (H.R. 7010). The House of Representatives had...
Local Minimum Wage Increases Coming July 1
By Bianca Saad, HR Watchdog - Cal Chamber July is just around the corner, and with it comes several local minimum wage increases throughout California. Here’s a list of localities that will have minimum wage increases effective July 1, 2020: Alameda: $15/hour....