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New FMLA Forms from the US Department of Labor
August 4, 2020 • Anne-Marie Mizel
Category: Legal Updates
On July 17, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor released new forms for Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) leave. Their stated purpose is to make the process easier, ensure the completeness of the necessary information, and allow for electronic signatures to reduce contact.
Abusive or Offensive Language is No Longer Protected Activity Says the NLRB In Its Recent Ruling
July 24, 2020 • Jordan A. Fishman
Category: Legal Updates
Under the National Labor Relations Act, workers engaging in a “concerted activity” with other employees, such as a union organizer or representative discussing conditions of employment with an employer, qualifies as a protected activity.
California Department of Public Health Issues Updated COVID Testing Guidance for Employers
July 21, 2020 • Christina Tantoy
Category: Legal Updates
On July 13, 2020, the California Department of Public Health issued Updated COVID-19 Testing Guidance urging employers not to require a negative COVID-19 test before allowing an employee to return to work after they have tested positive for COVID-19.
NLRB Greenlights Union Elections During Global Pandemic, Allows Furloughed Workers to Vote by Mail
July 3, 2020
On Tuesday, Jill H. Coffman, director of the National Labor Relations Board’s Region 20 office in San Francisco, issued an order allowing furloughed hotel workers to hold union elections by mail in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNITE HERE Local 5 filed a petition with the Board to represent a bargaining unit of approximately 350 employees of the Prince Waikiki, a luxury hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii. Like many employers across the country, the Hotel temporarily suspended its operations due to government regulations implemented in response to COVID-19. As a result, all but 50 of its employees in the petitioned-for-unit were temporarily furloughed in late-March with no lapse in benefits. The employees were added back to the payroll in late-April. By mid-June the Hotel began paying employees for time actually worked and conducted ZOOM meetings with staff in preparation for hotel stays beginning on August 1, 2020.
On June 16, 2020, nearly seven weeks after the COVID-19 Right of Recall Ordinance was adopted by the Los Angeles City Council, the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Contract Administration, Office of Wage Standards (“OWS”) finally published long-awaited guidelines to help employers understand their new responsibilities under the Recall Ordinance.
As businesses adapt to their “new normal” and prepare for the summer season, employers should be mindful of the approaching increases to city and state minimum wages. Employers should take the time to ensure that they are ready for minimum wage increases scheduled for July 1, 2020.
City of Los Angeles Releases Annual Minimum Wage Increase for Hotel Workers
June 16, 2020 • Christina Tantoy
Category: Legal Updates
The City of Los Angeles released its increased minimum wage for hotels in the City of LA with 150+ rooms. On July 1, 2020, the hourly minimum wage increases from $16.63/hour to $17.13/hour for these hotel workers. The announcement can be found on the City of Los Angeles’ website, which can be found here.
City of Los Angeles Releases Annual Minimum Wage Increase for Hotel Workers
June 16, 2020 • Christina Tantoy
Category: Legal Updates
The City of Los Angeles released its increased minimum wage for hotels in the City of LA with 150+ rooms. On July 1, 2020, the hourly minimum wage increases from $16.63/hour to $17.13/hour for these hotel workers. The announcement can be found on the City of Los Angeles’ website, which can be found here.
Supreme Court Extends Title VII Protections to LGBTQIA+ Workers
June 15, 2020
Category: Legal Updates
On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court made its long-awaited decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, holding that Title VII protections expand to sexual orientation discrimination. In a landmark ruling, Justice Gorsuch, appointed by President Trump in 2017, delivered the majority opinion, in a move expanding beyond partisanship ideology. In a 6-3 opinion, the Court found that an employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates Title VII under the definition of “sex.” Although many states have already addressed this gap in the law in their own anti-discrimination laws, the ruling resolves a circuit split amongst the federal Courts of Appeals and closes a blind spot in federal law.
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (PPPFA)
June 11, 2020 • Diana Lerma
Category: Legal Updates
The recently enacted Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 changes several provisions in the original PPP loan program enacted as part of the CARES Act. The PPPFA gives borrowers more flexibility and time to spend the PPP loan proceeds and allows the funds to be used on broader categories of expenses while still qualifying for loan forgiveness.