New 2022 California Labor Laws
Partly in recognition of the physical and mental toll COVID-19 has taken on workers , and in an effort to improve safety , 2022 brings some new changes to California ’ s labor laws . Here are the key changes :
• Employers need to make COVID-19 testing available to all employees who are exposed to an outbreak .
• If employees are exempt from masking for whatever reason ( such as mental health conditions ), they need to be tested twice weekly ( and on paid time ).
• California ’ s minimum wage bumps to $ 15 an hour for companies with 26 or more employees .
• There are some important changes to confidentiality clauses in employee settlement and separation agreements , expanding protection to include claims involving discrimination based on race , religion , gender and age .
• Under the California Family Rights Act , the definition of “ parent ” has been expanded to include the parent of a spouse ( parent-in-law ).
• And in news that should make an employer ’ s life easier , required workplace posters can now be distributed by email .
– Jeff Wilser
Duggan McHugh
TRUSTED EMPLOYMENT LAW EXPERTS
Duggan McHugh Law Corporation is the source for employment law expertise for any business needing specialized advice and counsel or trusted attorneys through litigation .
Founded in 2013 , the firm represents companies in all industries in a wide variety of employment litigation matters and has long been trusted counsel for business owners and management throughout Northern California .
“ Helping businesses , from those with two employees to those with hundreds , is our passion ,” says founder Jennifer Duggan . “ Employment law issues can cause upheaval to any business and we can help with navigating new laws and requirements and updating employee handbooks to dealing with hiring , firing , leaves of absence and much more ,” says partner Laura McHugh .
No commute . No constant interruptions . Banqué has found that younger people ( those in their 20s ) have generally coped better than older people , as “ they were already online .” Rockers found the same thing for people working in information technology , as “ they were already used to working remote .” Introverts generally had an easier time for obvious reasons , but as Banqué says , over time , even the introverts were ” starting to go nuts .”
Dr . Alex Andrade Jr . is another local therapist . For his patients , the workers handling Zoom life the best are the ones who have strong routines and structure . On the flip side , other patients “ wake up five minutes before they log in ,” and that ends up “ bleeding into unhealthy habits .” Similarly , Banqué found people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have had an especially tough time with remote work , as “ they don ’ t have the same kind of structure , and it can be so much harder for them to focus on their work and be productive .” Often they get lost during the day and their work oozes into the night , and they can “ end up taking 60 hours to do what they were able to do in 20 .”
Remote work isn ’ t happening in a vacuum . The pangs of Zoom life add to the cocktail of anxiety most of us are
Partners Jennifer Duggan , Laura McHugh and Christina Bucci Hamilton welcome new and existing clients to reach out with any need , whether it ’ s an hour of advice over the phone or representation through lengthy litigation .
641 Fulton Ave ., Suite 100 Sacramento , CA 95825 ( 916 ) 550-5309 www . dugganmchugh . com
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April 2022 | comstocksmag . com 49