On September 27, 2021, Governor Newsom signed SB 606, which creates two new categories of Cal/OSHA violations: “enterprise-wide” violations and “egregious” violations. The new law expands Cal/OSHA’s citation authority and could have the effect of greatly increasing the fines employers (especially those large employers with multiple worksites) might be subject to. The new law will go into effect on January 1, 2022.
Continue Reading Legislative Update: Cal/OSHA’s Citation Authority Expanded
It’s October, and that means the 2020-2021 California legislative session has officially ended, and Governor Newsom has signed many new bills into law. As always, several of these new laws affect employers across the state. Over the next several days/weeks, our employment group will ensure that employers are informed and ready to implement the new laws as 2022 approaches.
Continue Reading Legislative Update: Don’t Toss those Personnel Records Just Yet
For those in the Sacramento area, you may have seen large “Destiny” signs overhanging State Route 65 north of Interstate 80. A news story last month suggested that this church is the place to go for COVID-19 vaccine exemption letters. Now that President Biden is planning to use the emergency powers of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to mandate vaccination for an estimated 100 million employees, the issue is even more prominent.
Continue Reading An Employee Has Requested a Religious Exemption to the Company Vaccine Mandate—What Now?
On September 15, 2021, California’s efforts against the enforcement of employment arbitration agreements continue as the Ninth Circuit reversed, in part, a district court’s conclusion that California Assembly Bill 51 (AB 51) is preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA).
Continue Reading Ninth Circuit Saves Most of California’s New Anti-Employment-Arbitration Law
Sacramento Bee reporter Darrell Smith spoke with labor and employment attorney Lukas Clary for his article on the coming COVID vaccines and whether employers might require their workers to get vaccinated.
With a look at past precedent — H1N1 — we can conclude that an employer will be able to require a vaccination as a
