Labor Employment Law Blog

In the recent case of McCarther v. Pacific Telesis Group, the California Supreme Court clarified the scope of California Labor Code § 233, California’s “kin care” law. California Labor Code § 233 generally requires any employer that allows its employees to “accrue” sick leave to allow those employees to use a portion of that sick leave to attend to the illness of a child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner. In McCarther, the California Supreme Court clarified that California Labor Code § 233 does not universally apply to all paid sick leave policies, only those policies under which employees “accrue” or “bank” sick days. The Court specifically held that the statue does not apply to policies that provide for an uncapped number of compensated sick days. Employers with those policies do not have to provide any compensated time off for “kin care.”
 

California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has voted to amend the Medical Services and First Aid Regulations set forth in the California Code of Regulations to require all employers to make provisions in advance to ensure that employees receive prompt medical treatment in the event that an employee is seriously injured or falls seriously ill. The amendment will take effect on September 26, 2009.

Faced with an $11.2 billion dollar budget shortfall, Governor Schwarzenegger announced a targeted employment stimulus package which is designed to generate new jobs, keep existing jobs and businesses in California, and lure others back to the state.  The Governor's plan includes seven different proposals to reinvigorate California's economy: