Coronavirus/COVID-19

The employment law landscape is always shifting, and there’s a lot to navigate, especially as the pandemic drags into its third year. On February 14, 2022, Hirschfeld Kraemer lawyers Steve Hirschfeld, Hieu Williams, Monte Grix, and Ferry Lopez presented a 90-minute webinar providing insight on the hottest developments in labor and employment law in 2021,…

Citing a spike in new COVID cases following the Thanksgiving holiday, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has issued an indoor mask mandate that will remain in place through January 15, 2022. Starting December 15, 2021, all persons, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask in all indoor public settings.   California employers located in…

On November 4, 2021, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a new Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), requiring employers with over 100 employees to implement a mandatory COVID vaccination policy, or alternatively a policy requiring employees either to be vaccinated or be tested weekly and be masked in the workplace. Employers must comply…

On Thursday, September 9, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed two Executive Orders mandating COVID-19 vaccines for federal employees and for employees of federal contractors, and also signaled that the Department of Labor (DOL) would be issuing an Emergency Rule requiring vaccines for employers with 100 or more employees. These sweeping mandates should have…

Several Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties, as well as the city of Berkeley, have joined Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Yolo counties in requiring that all persons, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors. These mandates follow recent guidance from the U.S. Centers…

**UPDATE** August 3, 2021 — – Bay Area Reinstates Indoor Masking For All, Regardless of Vaccination Status *** **UPDATE** July 16, 2021 — – Los Angeles County Reinstates Indoor Masking For All, Regardless of Vaccination Status The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced on Thursday, July 15, 2021 that, due to rising cases of…

Widespread confusion about the conflicting guidelines coming from federal, state, and local authorities on how to safely reopen the workplace has left many employers scratching their heads. •  To mask or not to mask? •  Can I require employees to provide proof of vaccination? •  How do I deal with unvaccinated employees? •  and other workplace…

** UPDATE** August 3, 2021 – See the latest on mask guidelines HERE * * * June 11, 2021: Employers Advised To Maintain Current Policies Pending June 17 Meeting In yet another twist in the controversy regarding whether fully vaccinated employees in California will be required to wear masks at work, after an emergency meeting on…

In news that will be welcomed by employers, Cal/OSHA has finally updated its Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) to address whether fully vaccinated employees must be excluded from the workplace if exposed to COVID-19. Prior to the updated guidance, an employer was required to exclude all employees from the workplace, regardless of vaccination status, if (1) they…

On April 16, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 93. This new law, effective immediately and through 2024, requires hospitality-related employers to rehire certain employees who lost their jobs for pandemic-related reasons. Here are the key issues: Which employers are covered by SB 93? Hotels, private clubs, event centers, airport hospitality operations, airport service…