Relaxation of State and Los Angeles County Quarantine Rules
Since our January 4 update, the CDPH and Los Angeles County have updated their guidance on quarantine (i.e., requirements for persons in close contact with a COVID-19 case).Read more
Tag Archives: employment law
Statewide Mask Mandate for All Indoor Public Settings
On December 13, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) issued updated guidance requiring Californians to once again to wear masks indoors in “all indoor public settings,” regardless of vaccination status. The mandate will go into effect December 15, 2021, and will run through January 15, 2022. Los Angeles County and several Bay Area counties already require masks in public settings, so this new mandate will mainly affect about 50% of the state population that lives in counties that currently don’t have their own mask mandate.Read more
Increases in State and Local Minimum Wages and Injunction on Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate
Increase in State Minimum Wage
The California minimum wage will increase effective January 1, 2022. For employers with 25 employees or less, the minimum wage will increase to $14.00 per hour, and for employers with 26 or more employees, the minimum wage will increase to $15.00 per hour.
The minimum wage increase also affects employees who are classified as exempt, who must earn at least twice the state’s minimum wage, AND satisfy the job duties criteria for an exempt position.
Starting January 1, 2022, the minimum salary (gross) that must be paid to exempt employees is as follows:Read more
2022 Employment Law Updates
The California Legislature passed a number of laws that will impact California employers and their business operations in 2022. Below is a list of 17 of the key employment-related bills that have been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.Read more
9th Circuit Decision on Arbitration Agreements
9th Circuit Decision Makes It Harder for California Employers to Require Employees to Sign Arbitration Agreements as a Condition of Employment
Effective, January 1, 2020, the California legislature had passed a bill, AB 51, making it unlawful for employers to require newly hired employees to sign arbitration agreements as a condition of employment, meaning that it was not a voluntary choice.
Business groups promptly sued to invalidate AB 51. Last year, a federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction barring the state from enforcing the statute, finding that it was pre-empted by the Federal Arbitration Act.Read more
Want to Enter a Bar? Show Your Card!
VACCINE REQUIREMENTS AFFECTING LOS ANGELES BUSINESSES
Summary
Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, and the City of West Hollywood all recently passed measures requiring certain businesses to limit admission to persons who are vaccinated against COVID-19. The measures are not all the same. Below we summarize the main requirements.Read more
New Los Angeles County Quarantine and Isolation Orders (Updated 09/03/21)
COVID regulations surrounding quarantine and isolation requirements continue to evolve for Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued two orders, effective August 26, 2021, governing quarantine for those in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 (Quarantine Order) and for those who develop COVID-19 themselves (Isolation Order). The Orders are available here: County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Order of the Health Officer Emergency Quarantine Order and County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Order of the Health Officer Emergency Isolation Order. These updates supersede the last quarantine and isolation orders issued in December 2020. Of note, is that employees may leave quarantine and isolation periods sooner than 10 days if they meet the criteria as set out below.*Read more