On March 18, 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). The President quickly signed it into law on the same day. The Act provides paid sick time and expands the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide an extended period of unpaid or partially paid leave for qualifying reasons related to the coronavirus [COVID-19] public health emergency. Below is a summary of the portions of the new law relating to employee benefits and employer obligations.
Continue Reading (H.R. 6201) FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT: What Employers Should Know
Labor Law
San Francisco Paid Sick Leave Expanded Due to COVID-19
By Shauna N. Correia on
Yesterday, San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed announced a “Workers and Families First Program” to offer additional paid sick leave benefits to employees who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will apply to San Francisco private sector workers, and if fully utilized, it could provide coverage for up to 25,000 San Francisco workers. Fortunately for already-struggling businesses, the Program is not compulsory. In addition, the Program will set aside $10 million in public funding to help offset the burden on who have to provide an additional five days of sick leave pay to workers, beyond their existing policies under SFPLO and state law.
According to the Mayor’s press release, “The Workers and Families First Program will provide City financial assistance to businesses and nonprofits to provide additional paid sick leave time to employees, over and above their existing policies. All San Francisco businesses will be eligible, with up to 20% of funds reserved for small businesses with 50 or fewer employees. The City will contribute up to one week (40 hours) at $15.59 per hour (minimum wage) per employee, or $623 per employee. The employer will pay the difference between the minimum wage and an employee’s full hourly wage.”
Continue Reading San Francisco Paid Sick Leave Expanded Due to COVID-19
Employers Beware! Settling Individual Employee Claims Will Not Bar His or Her PAGA Claims
By James Kachmar on
On March 12, 2020, in the case Kim v. Reins International California, Inc., the California Supreme Court addressed the issue: “Do employees lose standing to pursue a claim under the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) … if they settle and dismiss their individual claims for Labor Code violations?” Unfortunately, for employers in…
California Appeals Order Barring Enforcement of New Anti-Arbitration Law
By Brendan J. Begley on
The State of California filed an appeal last week to challenge a federal court’s order barring California from enforcing a new state law that would curtail workplace arbitration agreements. Unless the State takes some additional action, the lower court’s ban on enforcement of the new law, AB 51, will remain in effect during the appeal.…
Federal Court Explains Order Barring California From Enforcing New Anti-Employment-Arbitration Law
A federal court in Sacramento explained last week its rationale for temporarily barring the State of California from enforcing a new law, AB 51, that would curtail employment arbitration agreements. The rationale set forth in that written order of February 7, 2020, strongly suggests (but does not guarantee) that the court is inclined to permanently…