On March 27, 2020, the Los Angeles City Council approved a new ordinance that would have required Los Angeles employers to provide up to 80 hours of supplemental sick leave relating to COVID-19.  The broadly-worded ordinance provoked opposition from some in the business community. 

Last night, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti signed a Public Order Under City of Los Angeles Emergency Authority (“Emergency Order”) that suspends

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

From various employment law implications to managing employees working remotely, employers are faced with unprecedented challenges amid the COVID-19 crisis. As Proskauer’s Coronavirus Resource Center continues to supply advisable tips for clients worldwide, Anthony Oncidi, Cole Lewis and Nayirie Mehdikhani step in with advice for California-based employers as they devise their contingency plans.

Read their advice in the Daily Journal now.

Coronovirus

On Wednesday, March 25, please join us for a virtual Q&A session as we respond to your questions about the unique and complex workplace challenges presented by Coronavirus (COVID-19). In order to answer as many questions as we can in our one hour session, please submit your questions in advance to CoronavirusResponseTeam@proskauer.com by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24.

Register for the webinar here.

Today, March 19, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20 requiring all individuals living in California to “stay home or at their place of residence except as necessary to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.”  Individuals are permitted to leave their homes for necessities such as obtaining food, prescriptions and health care, but are required to practice social distancing

As we reported yesterday, cities and counties across California are issuing orders to slow the spread of COVID-19. Since our last post, Orange County and the City of Palm Springs have joined the list.

Orange County’s Public Health Order, which took effect March 17, 2020, prohibits social gatherings and requires bars and other establishments that serve alcohol but not food to close.  It

This morning, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order that allows a California employer that is conducting layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic to use the newly-created “unforeseen business circumstances” exception to the state’s WARN Act requirements.

More specifically, the order indicates that:

  • Mass layoffs, relocations or closures fall under the newly-created “unforeseen business circumstances” exception to the law, but California employers must still

In the last few days, California’s most populous cities and counties have issued broad-sweeping guidelines to businesses to curb the spread of COVID-19 through enhanced social distancing measures.  These orders, most of which last through the end of March or early April, vary significantly in scope and severity.

On March 15, 2020, the City of Los Angeles issued an order requiring the following businesses to

The California Labor Commissioner’s Office has issued an important new FAQ Memo for accommodating and paying employees in connection with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – FAQs on laws enforced by the California Labor Commissioner’s Office

Can an employee use California Paid Sick Leave due to COVID-19 illness?

Yes. If the employee has paid sick leave available, the employer must provide such leave

The California Employment Development Department has issued the following guidance regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19):

An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (COVID-19) has been identified starting in Wuhan, China. There is no evidence of widespread transmission of COVID-19 in California at this time. While investigations to learn more about the virus are ongoing, workers and employers should review their health and safety