Insight & Commentary on California Workplace Law Issues & Developments
As 2021 draws to a close, here is a review of our articles about changes to California employment law that will continue to affect employers into 2022.
Legislative Changes
Statewide Right of Recall Bill Signed by Governor Newsom
New Legislation Signed Regarding Wage Theft
Expansion for CFRA Leave to Include Parents-in-Law and Modifications to DFEH…
Over the summer as California saw a rise in COVID-19 cases, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued orders mandating vaccinations of health care workers and workers in adult care facilities and direct care workers.
With cases again on the rise, the state has issued two, updated mandates that cover: (1) health care…
The California Supreme Court has been busy in 2021 deciding cases that affect employers from how to pay meal and rest period penalties to when the statute of limitations for a failure to promote runs.
While the state’s high court answered some big questions in this last year, they still have several cases pertaining…
On December 16, 2021, Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board voted to readopt the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (Cal/OSHA ETS) with several revisions. And just a day later the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted the stay on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (federal ETS). The timing…
On December 16, 2021, Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board voted to readopt the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) with several revisions. This amended readoption of the ETS will go into effect on January 14, 2022, and will remain in place until April 14, 2022. Only one member of the seven-person Standards Board voted against it.
This…
Less than 24 hours after the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) new mask mandate went into effect, the CDPH updated its guidance to clarify the application of the mandate. Previously, the mandate by the CDPH referenced “indoor public settings” without further definition. In the updated guidance, the CDPH clarifies that “the guidance applies to…
California has been working its way up to a $15.00 minimum wage for all employees for several years. As of January 1, 2023, all California employers will be required to pay their employees a minimum wage of $15.00. However, a ballot measure recently filed with the State proposes increasing the minimum wage even further to…
Only a month ago, Los Angeles and the Bay Area released criteria for lifting masking requirements that had been in place since the summer. However, with recent increases in COVID-19 cases, California’s Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a new mandate requiring masks to be worn in all indoor public settings irrespective of vaccine status,…
Under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), an “aggrieved employee” may bring a representative action on behalf of him or herself and other “aggrieved employees” for civil penalties for various violations of the California Labor Code. (Labor Code §§2698, et seq.) PAGA cases have become increasingly more frequent for various reasons, including the fact…
The federal OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) is currently paused while the Sixth Circuit decides its fate. Similarly, Cal/OSHA had previously postponed its discussions of changes to the state’s COVID-19 ETS to see what would happen with OSHA.
However, time is starting to tick on the current Cal/OSHA ETS, which expires on January…
