Los Angeles, Calif. (February 15, 2022) - The California legislature kept busy this past year, passing numerous labor and employment related laws. While there were fewer COVID-19 related laws than the previous year, the legislature continued its pattern of increasing regulations on businesses and employers. The list below provides a summary of the most significant employment related laws of 2021, all of which are in full effect as of January 1, 2022, unless otherwise specified.
SB 93
This bill has significant impacts on hospitality-related employers seeking to rebuild and expand their businesses amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The law creates return rights for workers who were displaced or laid-off because of the pandemic. Importantly, employers must offer laid-off employees in writing all job positions that become available for which the laid-off employees are qualified.
The employer also must offer positions to the laid-off employees based on a preference system. A "laid-off employee" is any employee who worked for the employer for six months or more in the 12 months preceding January 1, 2020, and whose most recent separation from active service was related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the bill prohibits an employer from refusing to employ, terminating, reducing compensation, or taking other adverse action against a laid-off employee who seeks to enforce their rights under this bill. This law will remain in effect until December 31, 2024.
...The Presidency has dismissed Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s claim that the Federal Government is withholding 250 billion in Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) dividends for each state, describing the a...