As we previously reported, six Bay Area counties and the City of Berkeley previously issued expansive shelter-in-place orders requiring all but “Essential Businesses” to cease operations.  Yesterday, all seven jurisdictions (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties and the City of Berkeley) issued orders extending their shelter-in-place requirements through May 3, 2020.

In addition, the new orders added further limitations on activities that can continue during this period.  Among other things, the new orders:

  • Clarify that, although Essential Businesses are encouraged to remain open, their employees should work remotely to the maximum extent possible;
  • Provide that Essential Businesses may only assign those employees who cannot perform their job duties from home to work outside the home;
  • Mandate that all Essential Businesses prepare, post, distribute to employees, and implement a Social Distancing Protocol at each of their facilities at which they are maintaining operations by no later than April 3, 2020; and
  • Require businesses that include an Essential Business component at their facilities alongside non-Essential components to scale down their operations to the Essential Business component only, to the extent feasible, while permitting mixed retail businesses that are otherwise allowed to operate to stock and sell non-Essential products.

A template Social Distancing Protocol is attached to each of the above-referenced orders as Appendix A.

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Photo of Philippe A. Lebel Philippe A. Lebel

Philippe (Phil) A. Lebel represents employers in all aspects of employment litigation, including wage and hour, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation, trade secrets, and breach of contract litigation, in both the single-plaintiff and class- and/or representative-action context, at both the trial and…

Philippe (Phil) A. Lebel represents employers in all aspects of employment litigation, including wage and hour, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation, trade secrets, and breach of contract litigation, in both the single-plaintiff and class- and/or representative-action context, at both the trial and appellate level, and before administrative agencies.

In addition to his litigation work, Phil regularly advises clients regarding compliance with federal, state and local employment laws, and assists a variety of companies and financial firms in evaluating labor and employment issues in connection with corporate transactions. Phil also has experience assisting employers with sensitive employee investigations and trainings.  Phil also represents employers in connection with labor law matters, such as labor arbitrations and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.

Phil has assisted clients in a wide array of sectors including in the biotech, education, entertainment, financial services, fitness, healthcare, high-tech, legal services, manufacturing, media, professional services, sports, and staffing industries, among others.

Phil regularly speaks on emerging issues for employers and has been published or quoted in Law360, the Daily JournalThe Hollywood ReporterBusiness Insurance, and SHRM.org regarding a variety of labor and employment law topics.

During college, Phil worked on political campaigns in Atlanta, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama, and was an intern with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. Phil is a former member of the Board of Directors of the AIDS Legal Referral Panel.