Recent news reports, like this one from the Los Angeles Times, indicate that Congress is hotly debating a proposed law to immunize employers from lawsuits alleging that their workers contracted COVID-19 illness on the job. While business owners in California may suffer headaches or congestion from other types of lawsuits related to COVID-19 in the

Brendan J. Begley
Brendan is a shareholder who spearheads the firm’s Appeals and Writs group and is a member of the firm’s litigation, labor and employment, and trust, probate and elder-abuse litigation groups. He is an Appellate Law Specialist certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
California Appeals Order Barring Enforcement of New Anti-Arbitration Law
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…
Federal Court Extends Order Barring California From Enforcing New Anti-Employment-Arbitration Law
A federal judge in Sacramento has continued an order that temporarily bars the State of California from enforcing a new state law that would curtail employment arbitration agreements. The new law, AB 51, which added section 432.6 to the California Labor Code, would have banned employers from requiring employees to agree to arbitrate claims alleging…
Even Unintentional Disability Discrimination is Actionable in California
In a decision that may lead employers to feel a little less gratified on Thanksgiving Day, a California appellate court determined last week that “even a legitimate company policy, if mistakenly applied,” can lead to liability for disability discrimination in the Golden State. Specifically, the Court of Appeal ruled that “a lack of [discriminatory] animus …