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On June 5, 2020, CAL-OSHA released non-exhaustive guidelines for reopening hotels, lodging, and short-term rentals. Reopening processes should begin no sooner than June 12, 2020, subject to local county health officer approval. Properties with large meeting venues, banquet halls, or convention centers are advised to keep those areas closed until further approval. Property managers and other rental unit owners and operators must only rent unoccupied units and cannot rent rooms or spaces within an occupied residence at this time.
Many employers have “no solicitation” policies for the workplace, prohibiting employees from soliciting for causes of any kind at work. These policies can be tricky to enforce when union solicitation is at issue. In recent years, the Board had narrowed the definition of “union solicitation” to hold that it does not qualify as “solicitation” unless the person soliciting provided a union authorization card to the listener. Now, the Board has reversed that precedent.
The fluctuating workweek formula applies to nonexempt, salaried employees whose hours vary widely from week to week. The formula allows employers to pay overtime hours at diminishing rates as long as they pay workers a minimum base salary, regardless of how many hours they work. While certain states have disallowed the fluctuating workweek, states who allow the method just received some clarity from the Department of Labor (“DOL”).
Revised USDOL Guidance for Recording COVID-19 Cases in the Workplace
May 21, 2020 • Shirley A. Gauvin
Category: Legal Updates
The recent guidance concerning OSHA’s record-keeping requirements will go into effect on May 26, 2020. Under the requirements, COVID-19 is a recordable illness, which means employers are duty-bound to record cases of COVID-19, if they meet certain criteria.
Not long after the City of Los Angeles enacted its “Right of Recall” ordinance, the County of Los Angeles shortly followed suit. The County Board of Supervisors recently adopted similar measures to establish a right of recall for hospitality workers and others throughout unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County that were laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travel for Leisure and Tourism Remains Prohibited Under California’s Stay-At-Home Order
May 18, 2020 • Christina Tantoy
Category: Legal Updates
California recently modified its Stay-at-Home Order (Executive Order N-33-20) as of May 8, 2020, to allow manufacturing and certain retail businesses to re-open for curbside business. This modification of the Stay-at-Home Order has left hotels wondering whether hotels are allowed to re-open its doors to guests traveling for leisure or non-essential travel.
California Guidelines for Dine-In Restaurants Opening Under Stage Two of Governor Newsom’s Plan
May 15, 2020
Category: Legal Updates
Dine-in restaurants, brewpubs, breweries, bars, pubs, craft distilleries, and wineries that provide sit-down meals are permitted to open under Stage Two of Governor Newsom’s plan. In light of re-openings, California issued guidance to support a safe, clean environment for both workers and customers. The guidance (available in full here) recommends implementing a written, workplace-specific plan. To create a workplace-specific plan, employers should perform a comprehensive risk assessment of all work areas and designate a person at each establishment to implement the plan. After the initial implementation of the plan, employers should regularly reevaluate the establishment for compliance with the plan, investigate any COVID-19 illness, and determine whether work factors could have contributed to a risk of infection. Employers should then update the plan as needed.
Hotel Giants Release Industry-Wide “Safe Stay” Initiative for Cleaning Standards
May 11, 2020
Category: Legal Updates
On Monday, May 4, 2020, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (“AHLA”) announced healthy and safety guidelines regarding hygiene and cleanliness standards in line with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”). The AHLA guidance comes under the direction of its advisory council consisting of 25 industry leaders, including Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Omni. The “Safe Stay” program aims to set the standard for hotel hygiene standards post-pandemic and boost consumer confidence per CDC and other public health authorities’ guidance.
Yesterday California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-62-20, creating a rebuttable presumption that employees who test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of working contracted the virus at work. Employers will have 30 days to rebut the claim by proving the employee contracted the virus elsewhere. This order puts a significant burden of proof on employers.
San Francisco’s Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance
May 5, 2020 • Christina Tantoy
Category: Legal Updates
San Francisco’s Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance (“PHELO” or the “Ordinance”) requires businesses with 500+ employees to provide employees with up to 80 hours of paid leave for COVID-related reasons (“PHELO Leave”). While the Ordinance passed on April 7, 2020, the Ordinance was amended and went into effect on April 17, 2020. Shortly after, on April 24, 2020, the San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) updated its guidance on the Ordinance.