Seyfarth Synopsis: September 30 was Governor Newsom’s last day to sign or veto bills the Legislature passed by its August 31 deadline. Some new laws—including COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave and workers’ compensation presumption—became effective immediately upon signing. Others—such as an expansion of CFRA and other leave rights, an EEO-1-like annual pay data report, and (believe it
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Workers’ Compensation Liability Is Catching In California
Seyfarth Synopsis: Senate Bill 1159 was signed into law by Governor Newsom on September 17, 2020, and went into effect immediately. Under the new law, if employees test positive for COVID-19 under specific circumstances, there is a rebuttable presumption that their exposure occurred at the workplace. Unless rebutted, this presumption creates a compensable injury for purposes of qualifying for workers’
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COVID-19 Exposure Notification Requirements Coming To A Workplace Near You
Seyfarth Synopsis: As California’s legislative session comes to an end, a wave of new COVID-19 related laws that impact employers are being signed into law. On September 17, 2020, Governor Newsom signed AB 685, which will require employers to provide specific notices to employees exposed to COVID-19 within one business day of becoming aware of the exposure, and impacts
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AB 1867: Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for All
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 9, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1867, which requires private employers with 500 or more employees nationwide to provide COVID-19-related supplemental paid sick leave to their California employees. Impacted employers must begin providing this leave no later than September 19, 2020.
On September 9, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1867 into law, creating
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AB 2257: Sweeping Changes To AB 5 Independent Contractor Law
Seyfarth Synopsis: Businesses operating in California have had all of eight months to adapt since Assembly Bill 5, a landmark piece of legislation governing their relationships with independent contractors, took effect on January 1, 2020. Now, with the passage, executive signature, and immediate enactment of Assembly Bill 2257, businesses must once again adapt to another drastic shift in the employee
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California Employment Legislative Update: Time for Governor Newsom to Get to Work
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Legislature has passed a series of employment-related bills for Governor Newsom to consider. He has until September 30 to approve or veto these bills, most of which relate to leaves of absence and COVID relief.
Monday, August 31st (or, really, the wee hours of September 1) marked the Legislature’s last day to pass bills to Governor
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Chamber of Secrets Unlocked: California Issues Blueprint for Future Reopening
Seyfarth Synopsis: As several counties struggled to get, and remain, off of the California County Data Monitoring List, Governor Newsom unveiled a new framework with revised criteria for loosening and tightening COVID-19 restrictions that replaces the monitoring list altogether. This shift brings with it the reopening of some non-essential indoor activities and the re-closure of others.
On the afternoon of
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GoT’s All-Seeing Three-Eyed Raven: The Gig Economy in California
Seyfarth Synopsis: The controversy surrounding AB 5 unveiled a clear need for a new avenue of classifying so-called gig workers to combine the certainty of employee designations with the flexibility of gig jobs. What are the promises of and prospects for a hybrid classification that would provide workers with some employee benefits while also providing workers and companies some of
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California Issues New Statewide Closure Orders Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective July 13, 2020, California issued statewide restrictions on a number of business operations due to the resurgence of COVID-19. It ordered all bars to close for indoor and outdoor service, as well as indoor services for restaurants, wineries, and movie theaters. The State also closed fitness centers, non-essential offices, places of worship, hair salons, personal care
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Real Households of California: Issues with Domestic Workers
Seyfarth Synopsis: When we think of California employers encountering complex issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, images of retail, service, and other types of businesses come to mind. But one special type of employer needs to be mindful of California law: the family who employs workers to support the household as nannies, chefs, security personnel, personal assistants, and personal caregivers. We
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