Archive for General Business

Will They Stay or Will They Go? Gauging Employee Satisfaction Through “Stay Interviews”

Employee retention remains at the forefront of many employers’ minds – especially in light of the ongoing “Great Resignation.”  In a recent article published by Fast Company, author Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic examines the concept of “stay interviews” as a possible remedy to concerns about retention. Chamorro-Premuzic defines a stay…

Cal/OSHA Announces New COVID Requirements for Employers

The first version of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (“Cal/OSHA’s”) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”) were adopted on November 30, 2020.  The ETS sets forth requirements for employers and employees on a wide range of issues related to COVID-19, including masking requirements, when testing is required,…

Governor Newsom Expands Cal/OSHA’s Enforcement Power

On September 27, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 606 (“SB 606”) into law.  SB 606, which will go into effect on January 1, 2022, significantly expands the enforcement authority of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal/OSHA”). SB 606 Creates New Categories of Cal/OSHA Violations…

Are You Thinking About Reopening Your Workplace? Think First About Your Safety Obligations to Your Employees.

Many employers are eager to return to the office and “get things back to normal.”  If you are an employer who is considering requiring or allowing employees to return to an in-person workplace (or if you have already done so), the first thing to understand is that there…

Updates to San Francisco’s “Safer Return Together Order” Effective August 20, 2021

Keeping up with the ever-changing COVID-19 landscape can be difficult, and the Delta variant seems to be escalating the timing for officials to get more guidelines in place.  On August 12, 2021, there were some major changes made in San Francisco by the Department of Health, which will…

On Today’s Hottest Topic: The Post-Lockdown Workplace

The wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown is shaping up to be an era of great confusion and uncharted territories.  Rightfully so, employers are uncertain about what their workplaces will look like in a post-pandemic world.  Many business owners are seeking clarity on their responsibilities and duties…

Employers with 50+ Employees: It’s Time to Register with CalSavers

As of July 2019, more than half of Californians aged 25-64 had no retirement savings.  In an effort to make saving for retirement more accessible, and therefore encourage more people to save, the State of California enacted legislation that requires employers with 5 or more California-based employees (including…

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Cal/OSHA and COVID

June has been a turbulent month for Cal/OSHA – and for California employers doing their best to protect the health and safety of their employees as California begins to open up. Back and Forth After implementing detailed and complicated amended Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) on June 3, the…

The Future is Hybrid: Key Considerations for a Remote Workforce

According to new data from MicKinsey & Company, 9 out of 10 companies are sticking with the hybrid workplace structure.  This style combines onsite and remote work and is one of the lasting results of the COVID-19 pandemic.  When implemented correctly, hybrid work can boost employee productivity, performance,…

Post-Pandemic Benefits: Employers Are Changing Their Benefits Priorities

The pandemic has changed everyone’s lives in so many ways.  We likely will not realize all of those changes for a long time.  Work life has changed for nearly everyone during this time, and our relationships to work, and how they relate to our personal lives, have been…