While the California COVID-19 State of Emergency was lifted several months ago, one holdover of the COVID-19 pandemic is the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations (NER), which remain in effect until February 2025.
Read more here.
California State Grant Program for COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
The COVID-19 State of Emergency may be over but many employers are still feeling the economic effects of the pandemic. In 2022, when COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) was extended for the final time, the legislation also provided for a grant program for certain businesses to offset the costs of providing SPSL.
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No Religious Accommodation Required from Vaccine Mandate at Fictional Hospital
Soap Operas are known for drama. Nothing has caused more drama in the last two years than vaccine mandates. Last week, a California court determined that a plaintiff’s request for religious accommodation at General Hospital could not be accommodated. The court concluded defendant had advanced sufficient evidence that unvaccinated employees threatened the health and safety
San Francisco Passes Ordinance Mandating Paid Military Leave
On January 20, 2023, San Francisco approved the Military Leave Pay Protection Act, which mandates that certain employers must provide paid leave for employees taking leave for military duty.
The ordinance takes effect 30 days after passage on February 19, 2023.
Find out more here.
Mandatory Bereavement Leave Again Being Considered by the California Legislature
In 2020, the California legislature considered a bill in which employers would be required to provide employees with bereavement leave, but the legislation didn’t make it to the Governor’s desk.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1949 reintroduces the idea of mandatory bereavement leave and expands the allowance from the 2020 proposal. AB 1949 would make it
California Legislature Proposes COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave, Again
In late January, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he and the legislature had reached an agreement on a framework to revive COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL), which expired in September 2021. However, there was no bill and only speculation on what coverage would look like.
On February 2, 2022, Assembly Bill 84
Updated Rates for California EDD Benefits and San Francisco Paid Family Leave Ordinance
The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has released the Voluntary Plan Employee Contribution and Benefit Rates for 2022. The EDD also released an updated Overview of California’s Paid Family Leave Program. Read more here.
Proposed San Francisco Ordinance to Require Paid Sick Leave for Domestic Workers
Most employees in San Francisco (and throughout California) receive one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is now considering an ordinance that would broaden the availability of paid sick leave to domestic workers by establishing a “portable” paid sick leave system.
The “Domestic Workers’ Equal
Update on Face Coverings in California
In June, California relaxed many of its COVID-19 restrictions, including allowing fully vaccinated individuals to go without a face covering indoors, with limited exception. Also in June, Cal/OSHA passed an amended Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) that allowed for fully vaccinated employees to go without a face covering in most situations.
Read the full
California Statewide Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Set To Expire
A flurry of employment law-related bills are headed to Governor Newsom for consideration, however, no bills are being presented related to statewide supplemental paid sick leave. In March 2021, California resurrected and expanded statewide COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave. The legislation sunsets on September 30, 2021, and there is no legislation pending to extend