Teresa McQueen is Corporate Counsel for Western Growers. In that capacity she provides advice and counsel to the organization on employment law matters and commercial trade practices. She also provides legal guidance to Western Growers members on employment law, human resources, and commercial agreements, as well as providing law-related educational opportunities and overseeing annual updates […]
Under state law – California Family Rights Act (CFRA) – an employer may not “interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of, or the attempt to exercise,” an employee’s right to take protected leave under the statute. Under federal law – Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – a similar mandate applies making it unlawful for ...
On June 8, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued an Order (June 8th Order) redefining “Close Contact” and “Infectious Period” for purposes of CDPH’s Isolation and Quarantine Guidance (last updated April 6, 2022). These definitions directly affect employer requirements under current Cal/OSHA ETS and should be incorporated into existing Illness and Injury ...
Cal/OSHA’s Violence Prevention in Health Care regulations currently require specified health care facilities to establish workplace violence prevention plans to protect health care personnel from aggressive and violate behavior. While those in non-health care industries have more generalized duties (under Cal/OSHA general duty requirements) requiring the identification and evaluation of…
Agricultural employers, in addition to all the other tools needed to assist in running their businesses, need a written Employee Handbook to protect their company from legal risks, set forth policies and procedures to guide employees and supervisors, and provide information on company benefits. Why Does an Employer Need an Employee Handbook? While state and ...
A recent U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California granted summary judgement in favor of an employer who terminated an employee for violating company policy prohibiting employees showing signs of COVID from entering the workplace. The case – Roman v. Hertz Local Edition Corp. (May 2022) – was brought by former employee Michelle ...
According to the U.S Department of Labor (DOL), nearly one in five U.S adults (approximately 52.9 million people) live with mental illness with only about half that number receiving the help they need. To assist in furthering its goal of assuring that leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is not viewed as just ...
On April 12, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) extended its determination that a public emergency still exists due to COVID-19. As a result, the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) requirement to supplement employees’ regular paid sick leave relevant to a public health emergency will also remain in effect; ...
Think that sexual harassment litigation has left the spotlight? Think again. Late last week a Los Angeles jury awarded two plaintiffs one of the largest damages awards in recent history: $464.6 million dollars ($440 million of which was punitive damages). Two Southern California Edison employees were found to have been forced out of their jobs ...
