Articles Posted in Labor & Employment

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22 February 2023

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A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit held on February 15, 2023, that the Federal Arbitration Act preempts a California law designed to prevent employers from requiring workers to sign mandatory arbitration agreements. This decision is consistent with a long line of State and Federal cases, and is expected to have a significant impact on employment practices in the state, including hotels and everyone in the hospitality industry.

Appeals court blocks California bar
on mandatory arbitration for workers


by JMBM’s Labor & Employment Group

On February 15, 2023, a federal appeals court blocked a California law that prohibited employers from requiring their workers to resolve legal disputes in private arbitration.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in a 2-1 decision held that the law cannot be enforced because it conflicts with federal arbitration law. This ruling hands an important victory to business groups and employers across the state. CONTINUE READING →

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27 December 2021

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Labor & Employment New Year Round-Up
What to Expect in 2022

Several new pieces of California legislation have either recently gone into effect or will take effect in 2022, impacting nearly all employers and how they handle employment agreements, disability related to COVID, training, rehiring and retention, and a range of other practices. A new presidential administration also means a shift in the political landscape and the role played by the NLRB, OSHA and other regulatory bodies.

Our round-up will help you determine which key issues may impact you in 2022; contact us to be sure you’re ready for all these upcoming changes. Click the “read more” link for each topic to see a comprehensive summary.

Expansions to the California Family Rights Act

Effective January 1, 2022, AB 1033 adds “parent-in-law” to the list of persons that an employee may take time off to care for, pursuant to the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). It also recasts the notice provisions of the small employer family leave mediation pilot program to require the DFEH to notify an employee of the requirement for mediation prior to filing a civil action, and requires the employee to contact the DFEH’s dispute resolution division prior to filing an action.

What this means for employers: Employers should review family leave policies to ensure they are compliant with AB 1033. Although the law adds a new category of person an employee may take time off to care for, it does not expand the total amount of leave an employee is entitled to take per 12 month period. Small employers should be aware of their ability to request mediation, and should consult with labor and employment counsel immediately upon receiving notice by a plaintiff or the DFEH that a plaintiff is seeking a civil lawsuit—the deadline to request a mediation is only 30 days from receipt of notice.

Read the full article.

Changes to the Fair Employment and Housing Act

Effective January 1, 2022, SB 807 amends various statutes concerning the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) procedures when enforcing California’s civil rights law—notably, the FEHA. These changes include tolling the deadline for the DFEH to file a civil action under the FEHA while a dispute resolution is pending, increasing the amount of time employers must keep certain records, and authorizing the DFEH to appeal court decisions.

What this means for employers: Employers should review their current record retention policies and amend them as necessary. This also provides an opportunity to ensure that employers are retaining all the necessary records so that they do not face unnecessary penalties or subject themselves to avoidable liability. SB 807’s tolling of the statute of limitations deadline provides additional leeway to employees who are seeking redress, and the authorization for the DFEH to appeal decisions grants it additional flexibility when pursing actions against employers.

Read the full article. CONTINUE READING →

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27 April 2021

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As coronavirus cases drop and economic activity starts to return to normal, the hospitality industry will soon be able to begin replacing workers who were laid off due to the pandemic. Some cities in California, and now the entire state, have enacted requirements for how hotels and other businesses can fill open positions; my partner, Travis Gemoets, has summarized the new law below.

California hospitality workers laid off during COVID-19 pandemic get rehire rights

by
Travis M. Gemoets, Partner & Senior Member of
JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group®

On Friday, April 16, 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom put new employer obligations into law by signing Senate Bill 93, requiring hotel, event center, airport hospitality and janitorial employers to first rehire workers laid off during the pandemic when jobs become available, essentially establishing “recall rights” more commonly associated with union collective bargaining agreements. Senate Bill 93 takes effect immediately after quickly making its way through the Legislature as a budget trailer bill and will be in effect until the end of 2024. Gov. Newsom vetoed a more expansive labor-backed bill last year.

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31 December 2020

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As 2020 comes to a close, many employers have questions about a number of new laws which are about to come into effect. In the article below, JMBM’s Labor and Employment Group have summarized recent changes to labor regulations and provided a snapshot of what to expect in the new year.

Labor & Employment New Year Round-Up
What to Expect in 2021

Several new pieces of California legislation have either recently gone into effect or will take effect on January 1, 2021, impacting nearly all employers and how they handle COVID-19 related issues, leaves of absence, workers’ classification, discrimination disputes, arbitration agreements, union relations, and other miscellaneous issues.

The start of a new presidential administration also brings potential changes to labor regulations; find out what we’ll be watching for, below.

Our round-up will help you determine which key issues may impact you in 2021; contact us to be sure you’re ready for all these upcoming changes. Click the ‘read more’ link for each topic to see a comprehensive summary.

New COVID-19 Reporting Obligations

AB 685 adds to California’s growing list of COVID-19 health and safety related laws, imposing additional reporting obligations on employers and expanding Cal/OSHA’s authority to issue shutdown orders for workplaces that pose a risk of an “imminent hazard” relating to COVID-19.

What this means for employers: Employers should update their written COVID protocols for employees, and prepare template notices that include the information required under the new law.

Read more here.

COVID-19 Workers’ Compensation Presumption

SB 1159 creates a disputable workers’ compensation presumption that illness or death related to COVID-19 is an occupational injury and therefore eligible for benefits.

What this means for employers: The presumption is disputable, meaning that employers have an opportunity to refute the presumption by providing evidence to indicate that an employee did not contract COVID-19 at the workplace. Employers should ensure that they implement adequate measures to reduce potential transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace and that these measures are well documented.

Read more here.

Temporary Cal/OSHA “COVID-19 Prevention Rule”

California’s Office of Administrative Law approved Cal/OSHA’s emergency COVID-19 Prevention Rule, which will remain in effect through at least October 2, 2021. One of the key provisions of the new rule requires California employers to establish and implement a written prevention program tailored toward preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

What this means for employers: This rule is expansive and imposes a number of significant burdens on employers. Employers should consult with counsel upon reviewing each of the Rule’s mandates to ensure compliance.

Read more here.

Significant Expansion of Family Leave Requirements to Almost All CA Employers

CONTINUE READING →

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20 December 2020

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Hotel Lawyer: What stance should hotels take on mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations?

Most of the world has been anxiously waiting for the “silver bullet” of an effective COVID-19 anti-virus vaccine to save lives, reopen business, save severely damaged hotels and restaurants, and restore public confidence. The FDA approval of the first two US vaccines and the massive distribution immediately thereafter is projected to provide sufficient doses of the vaccine for about half the US population by March 2021 and 100% of the population by the Summer of 2021.

But almost before the anti-virus vaccine distribution started, a significant faction of anti-vaxxers started challenging the effectiveness and desirability of taking the vaccine. Many such advocates said they do not want to take the vaccine, or at least want to wait. Some raised questions about the vaccine’s effectiveness and side effects. Issues of allergic reaction and religious conviction (against the vaccine) were raised. “Social control” issues started to shape the debate and the controversy. It is ironic that so many are fighting for priority to get the vaccine first while others fight attempts to force vaccination.

So, what should hotels do to protect their employees and guests? Can – or should – hotel employers mandate vaccination for their public-facing workforce? What are the important legal and business considerations in charting the right course? CONTINUE READING →

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19 May 2020

 

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Hotel Lawyer on opening our country back up — California update

As California lawmakers release new guidance on easing stay-at-home restrictions, many employers are wondering how they can safely begin to reopen their businesses. In their latest update, JMBM’s Labor & Employment Group discuss the four phases of reopening and what employers can expect as they implement new workplace requirements. – Jim

California Employers’ Road Map to Reopening the Physical Workplace
by
Marta Fernandez

In only two months, California employers have experienced an unprecedented disruption to business and the adoption and implementation of myriad new laws aimed at remedying the economic effects of COVID-19 and limiting its spread. But even now, as California lawmakers from the Governor to local mayors agree that it is time for California to get back to doing business, there is great uncertainty as to when and how this can safely occur.

The process will obviously be gradual and subject to reversal at any time.  Business operations will eventually return to full capacity, but the workplace will be different for months, if not years, to come as a result of new laws and the nature of the pandemic crisis itself.

When it comes to employee matters, how can an employer best develop a plan to navigate the uncertainty of emergency orders restricting operations, new laws and regulations, and an entirely new business environment?

We suggest that employers work with their professionals to implement their own four phase plan:

  1. Determine when your business can lawfully reopen and to what extent
  2. Assess how the timing of bringing employees back affects the risks and costs associated with reopening your business
  3. Identify any limitations on your discretion to choose which employees to bring back and when
  4. Understand new workplace requirements and create systems to implement them

Read the full alert here for a discussion of all four phases.

Online Resources

CONTINUE READING →

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01 April 2020
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Note: If you are an individual consumer with coronavirus-related travel issues, please do NOT contact us! We do not represent individual consumers. We advise businesses on major contracts, investments and financing. 

Following the enactment of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act on March 18, 2020, the Department of Labor has clarified which employers will be impacted by the Act and how they can comply with its mandates. Marta Fernandez, hotel lawyer and a partner in JMBM’s Labor & Employment department, has answered some of the most frequently asked questions by employers about the Act which goes into effect on April 1, 2020.
What hotel owners and operators need to know
about employee rights under the FFCRA
by
Marta Fernandez
Frequently Asked Questions or FAQs about employee rights under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Effective April 1, 2020 and continuing through December 31, 2020, covered employers need to begin complying with the mandates of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA” or “Act”). You can find our original article explaining the FFCRA here. Since the law’s enactment on March 18, 2020, the Department of Labor has clarified and expanded upon what precisely is required under the Act and of whom it is required. Below are some of the questions we have been receiving from clients. The answers provided reiterate some of the previously announced requirements, and incorporate the additional guidance that has been issued by the Department.

#1 What obligations do covered employers have under the FFCRA?

Covered employers must provide eligible employees with up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave and up to 12 weeks of emergency family and medical leave.

#2 When is an employee eligible to receive paid sick leave under the FFCRA?

Under the FFCRA, a full-time employee may qualify for 80 hours of paid sick leave (or, for a part-time employee – the average number of hours that the employee works over a typical two-week period) where the employee is unable to work, or telework, due to a need for leave because the employee:

  1. Is subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
  2. Has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19;
  3. Is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
  4. Is caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2);
  5. Is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19; or
  6. Is experiencing any other substantially-similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Treasury.

#3 How much compensation is an employee entitled to receive under the paid sick leave provisions of the FFCRA?

Employees taking leave for reasons 1, 2, or 3, noted above must be paid at either their regular rate or the applicable minimum wage, whichever is higher, with a cap of $511 per day and $5,110 in the aggregate.

Employees taking leave for reasons 4, 5, or 6 above must be paid at two-thirds their regular rate or two-thirds the applicable minimum wage, whichever is higher, with a cap of $200 per day and $2,000 in the aggregate.

The Department has now clarified that an employee’s regular rate of pay is the average of the employee’s regular rate over a period of six months prior to the date on which he or she takes leave.

#4 Can I require employees to substitute any accrued paid time off for the emergency paid sick leave?

No. While employees may elect to substitute any accrued vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave for the emergency paid sick leave, you cannot require employees to do so.

#5 What if I’ve already provided my employees with paid leave for a COVID-19 related reason?

The emergency paid sick leave is to be provided in addition to any other paid leave that an employer has already provided to its employees. Thus, leave taken prior to April 1st does not count towards the leave required under the Act.

CONTINUE READING →

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19 March 2020
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With hour-by-hour developments, here is an update on yesterday’s Labor & Employment blog post.
Labor Lawyer COVID-19 Update: Family First Act
signed by President Trump 
(Family First Coronavirus Response Act)
by
Marta Fernandez
As we expected, the federal government will provide additional sick leave relief and paid child care leave for employees; in anticipation of things to come, California will ease employers’ mass layoff notice requirements.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Yesterday, March 18, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the legislature’s response to the COVID-19 health crisis. Private employers with fewer than 500 employees and all government employers must be ready to offer emergency family and medical leave and emergency paid sick leave to eligible employees. Additional information and further clarification on these sweeping provisions will likely be provided in the coming days through federal guidance. This program will become effective within 15 days after its enactment by President Trump and is set to expire on December 31, 2020.

Emergency Paid Sick Leave

The paid sick leave portion of the Act requires covered employers to provide all employees who cannot work or telework due to COVID-19 related circumstances, with up to 80 hours of paid sick time, prorated for part-time employees. Employees are eligible if they meet any one of the following circumstances:

    1. The employee is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19.
    2. The employee has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19.
    3. The employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking a medical diagnosis.
    4. The employee is caring for an individual who is subject to an order as described in subparagraph (1) or has been advised as described in paragraph (2).
    5. The employee is caring for a son or daughter if the school or place of care of the son or daughter has been closed, or the child care provider of the son or daughter is unavailable, due to COVID-19 precautions.
    6. The employee is experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor.

If an employee is taking the leave for any one of the first three reasons listed above, the employee must be compensated at the higher of his or her regular rate, the federal minimum wage, or the local minimum wage. If an employee is taking the leave for one of the three subsequent reasons listed above, the employee must be paid two-thirds of the rate he or she would otherwise receive. This paid leave is separate and above any existing sick leave entitlements that employees may already have. CONTINUE READING →

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19 March 2020

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Earlier this month, JMBM Partner Travis Gemoets was featured in a segment on Southern California National Public Radio affiliate KPCC’s Airtalk with Larry Mantle. The segment explored recent lawsuits filed against major hotel chains regarding their responsibility to detect and report human trafficking happening in their properties.

Travis discussed how training employees to recognize the signs of human trafficking, as well as how to report their concerns, can be an effective tool in helping hotels confront this issue as well as minimize their legal liability. You can listen to the full segment online through the KPCC website.

In California, hotel owners are required to provide at least 20 minutes of training and education about human trafficking to employees who are likely to encounter victims. More information about this requirement can be found in our Legislative Update. JMBM’s labor and employment lawyers have represented the hospitality industry for decades and can provide effective training for employees, as well as develop policies and procedures that protect employers who are implementing programs in human trafficking awareness. CONTINUE READING →

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18 March 2020
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As the Coronavirus Pandemic continues to impact California businesses, many employers are wondering how best to ensure the wellbeing of their staff. Marta Fernandez, hotel lawyer and partner in JMBM’s Labor & Employment department, discusses some of the key issues raised by employers and provides recommendations for complying with new mandates.
COVID-19: Immediate Advice For California Employers
Top 7 Frequently Asked Questions
by
Marta Fernandez
Most California employers are taking steps to keep employees safe during the Coronavirus Pandemic. These changes to workplace routines, policies and norms are the result of a mix of proactive steps, changes in demand, and government mandates. As labor and employment lawyers, our phones have been ringing off the hook. Here are the Top 7 most frequently asked questions by employers trying to ensure the health and safety of their workforce.

CONTINUE READING →

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Jim Butler, Chairman
Global Hospitality Group®
Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
(310) 201-3526 • jbutler@jmbm.com
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