Recent Coronavirus-Related Developments Affecting Employers

We previously sent eAlerts advising you of federal and California legislation responding to COVID-19. Since we began monitoring COVID-19, the legal landscape on a federal, state and local level keeps changing. Some recent developments include, but are not limited to:

• Amended California Shelter-in-Place Orders extending many shelter-in-place orders to the end of May;
• Additional funding per the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 266);
• Additional interim rules and FAQs regarding the Paycheck Protection Program;
• Additional guidance from the Department of Labor and the EEOC regarding COVID-19 and the CARES Act; and
• Clarification of the unemployment insurance provisions of the CARES Act

Additionally, as employers continue to address teleworking and begin to address a return to work, they need to be vigilant.  It is important to design a return to work plan, comply with wage and hour laws, OSHA and CDC requirements and guidance regarding creating and maintaining a safe workplace, the new paid sick and leave laws, the federal and California WARN Acts, social distancing, workers’ compensation and a host of similar administrative and legal issues. 

It is a challenging and stressful time for both employers and employees.  

We continue to monitor the legal developments associated with the public authorities’ response to COVID-19, and are ready to provide advice and counsel to clients struggling to navigate the rapidly changing landscape. If you have any questions about employment-related issues in connection with the public response to COVID-19 and/or preparing for a return to work, please contact us.

The guide provided here is updated frequently, so please check back on a regular basis to stay current of the latest updates.  Please click here to access our Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Quick Reference Guide.

Please note that this information is current as of Monday, May 4, 2020, based on the available data. However, because COVID-19’s status and official updates related to the same are ongoing, we recommend real-time review of guidance distributed by the CDC and federal, state, and local officials.