Will Working from Home Become A Statutorily Protected Right?

The California Legislature is considering whether employees who are currently working from home have a right to continue to do so until the employer provides advance written notice of the need to return to the workplace. Senate Bill (SB) 731, introduced by Senator Ashby, is making its way through the Legislative committee process and was set for hearing on May 18, 2023.

Deadline Approaching: Form I-9 Virtual Inspection of Employment Authorization and Identity Documents will End on July 31, 2023

Employers with remote workforces should take note that they will need to begin physically inspecting new hires’ I-9 documentation again as of August 1, 2023 – and they will need to conduct a physical inspection of employees’ documents that were only virtually inspected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced earlier this month that employers will have 30 days to reach compliance with Form I-9 requirements after the “COVID-19 flexibilities” sunset on July 31, 2023.

Meal and Rest Periods for Public Healthcare Workers Now Guaranteed

Healthcare workers are experiencing a significant amount of occupational fatigue, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Expecting nurses to work lengthy shifts without the chance to eat a meal or rest leads to exhaustion and can increase the likelihood of medical errors. State senator Steven Bradford authored SB 1334, which sought to guarantee meal and rest periods for public healthcare workers. The bill was sponsored by the California Nurses Association (“CNA”), which has 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California. On September 29, 2022, Governor Newsom signed SB 1334 into law, which adds section 512.1 to the California Labor Code.

Katie A. Collins in Law360: Employer Duties As Pandemic, Caregiver Law Evolve

This article was first published on Law360 on July 11, 2022.  Reprinted by permission.

For many of us, the pandemic has changed where we work, how we work and the things we are juggling while we work since March 2020. The number of individuals who are acting as caregivers while also working full-time or part-time jobs outside of the house is at an all-time high.[1]

Caregiving responsibilities extend to spouses and children, parents and other older family members, and relatives with disabilities.