by Alexandra P. Saddik and Jonathan R. Babione Federal, state, and county officials have been publishing general guidance for businesses reopening in recent weeks. Here is a summary of the movement occurring at each level: Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Guidance: Despite the fact that people age 65 or older have been classified as an at-risk age group for
COVID-19 UPDATE: BAY AREA COUNTIES FURTHER EASE RESTRICTIONS, CALIFORNIA PROVIDES NEW GUIDANCE
by Jonathan R. Babione and Alexandra P. Saddik At both the state and local level, restrictions are starting to be eased at a quicker pace. Here are the latest updates: California: The state has added guidance for childcare, day camps, music, film and TV production, professional sports minus live audiences, and schools at https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance/. Additionally, the state released more in-depth
THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY ACT
by Alexandra P. Saddik and Jonathan R. Babione On June 5, 2020, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA). The PPPFA is intended to provide employers with more flexibility in how they spend funds borrowed through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Here are the main changes the PPPFA makes to the PPP: Loan Repayment Period: The PPPFA
STATE AND BAY AREA MODIFICATIONS TO COVID-19 ORDERS
by Alexandra P. Saddik and Jonathan R. Babione As local and state officials develop a greater understanding of how COVID-19 is spreading, the Bay Area shelter-in-place orders and California stay-at-home order are being modified. Below is a guide to navigating the updates to these orders: State Stay-At-Home Order: California is now allowing indoor retail, outdoor dining, and places of worship
OSHA REQUIRES EMPLOYERS TO INVESTIGATE COVID-19 CASES
by Alexandra P. Saddik and Jonathan R. Babione In new guidance that took effect last week, OSHA expects all employers to comply with the recordkeeping requirements for COVID-19 cases that occur in the workplace. This essentially puts employers in a position of needing to investigate positive COVID-19 cases to ascertain whether the cases are work-related. For a COVID-19 case to
COVID-19 UPDATE: MODIFICATIONS TO BOTH STATE AND BAY AREA ORDERS
by Alexandra P. Saddik and Jonathan R. Babione California has been modifying its state stay-at-home order to allow more businesses to reopen. The Bay Area has also announced modifications to their shelter-in-place orders. In doing so, the Bay Area counties are starting to align with the state order, although there are still some key differences. Below is a guide to
SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING THE “INTERACTIVE PROCESS” AND SUPPORTING ONGOING EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Julie Ann Giammona will be a part of a live webinar round-table discussion on June 11, 2020. Highlights of this live webinar: DFEH updates on COVID-19 guidance, DFEH website, and case decisions Navigating challenging aspects of the interactive process Review of available resources to assist employers Leave as an accommodation, service/support animals, fragrance and chemical sensitivity disabilities, and challenges with
UPDATES TO BAY AREA COUNTIES’ SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDERS
by Michelle R. Ferber and Alexandra P. Saddik On April 29, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, along with the City of Berkeley, extended the existing shelter-in-place order. Though the order has been extended to May 31, 2020, it has been modified to allow outdoor businesses to open up again provided that they maintain
EMPLOYERS MUST ABIDE BY NEW BAY AREA REQUIREMENTS ON FACE COVERINGS
by Michelle R. Ferber and Alexandra P. Saddik On April 17, 2020, the city of Berkeley and counties of Contra Costa, Alameda, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo issued new orders requiring members of the public to wear a face covering that does not have holes, is made of a soft permeable material, and covers the nose and mouth. Face
UPDATES RELATED TO COVID-19
by Alexandra Saddik The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) officially took effect April 1; on that same day, the Department of Labor released regulations that clarifies several aspects of the law, including the small business exemption that the Department of Labor issued preliminary guidance on. Under the new Code of Federal Regulations § 826.40(b), small businesses with fewer than