Thursday, April 18, 2024
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Matthew J. Roberts, a member of the CalChamber legal affairs team since July 2019, was named associate general counsel, labor and employment in October 2023. He explains California and federal labor and employment laws to CalChamber members and customers, and since October 2021 has served as manager of the Labor Law Helpline. He came to the CalChamber from the Shaw Law Group, P.C. of Sacramento, where he was a senior attorney, authored articles on emerging issues in employment law, and represented employers before state/federal employment law agencies. He received a B.A. in government from California State University, Sacramento and holds a J.D. from McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, where he also served on the McGeorge Law Review as both a writer and primary managing editor. See full bio

Key Considerations for Employers Returning Their Employees to the Workplace

Many employers in California are in the process of returning their employees to the workplace on either a full-time or part-time basis. For some...

Applicant’s Workers’ Comp Claim History Can’t Be Used for Screening

We work in an industry that is at a higher risk for workplace injury. In an effort to keep our workers’ compensation costs lower,...

Clearing Confusion About Current COVID-19 Workplace Safety Rules

Each day I see new reports on what the requirements are for wearing masks at work. How do I figure out what my company...

Employers Not Required to Provide Holiday Pay for Federal Holidays

Now that Juneteenth (June 19) has become a federal holiday, are we required to provide holiday pay to our employees for that day? When President...

What to Do When an Employee Complains About ‘Discrimination’

An employee complained to me that a co-worker frequently yells at the employee for parking in the wrong spot and says that the co-worker...

American Rescue Plan Act Brings More Financial Relief

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), creating a third stimulus package since...

CFRA Expansion Complicates Leave for Furloughed Employees

We have furloughed an employee. This employee now wants to take baby bonding leave after the birth of his child. Is the employee’s job...

Congress Declines to Extend Families First Coronavirus Act Mandate

On December 27, 2020, President Donald Trump signed a second stimulus package addressing the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the many issues resolved...

California’s New Series of COVID-19 Reporting Requirements

One of my employees just reported that they tested positive for COVID-19. Do I have to report this positive case? During the 2020 California legislative...

How Leave Laws Interact When a Couple Works for Same Employer

How do the federal COVID-19 leave laws adopted this year interact with related state laws, including pregnancy leave, the family rights act and baby...

Vacation Policy Factors to Consider During COVID-19 Pandemic

A consequence of the prolonged shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders issued as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically reduced travel. As a result,...

U.S. Supreme Court Extends Sexual Orientation, Transgender Protections

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a long-awaited ruling on whether a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity fall within Title VII of...

Federal Government Amends Paycheck Protection Program Rules

As COVID-19 began to impact businesses, the federal government resolved to help by creating the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which offers loans to help...

CalSavers Extends Large Employer Registration Deadline

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rapidly change California’s regulatory landscape. To help employers through these uncertain times, the California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Investment...

Reasonable Accommodations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

How have the interactive process and reasonable accommodations for disabilities changed due to COVID-19? As COVID-19 changes the employment law landscape, government agencies continue to...

Furloughs Versus Layoffs: Is There a Difference in California?

Many California businesses are facing difficult choices during this COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic). Confronting losses in revenue and uncertainty in...

Key Employment Law Issues When Addressing Workplace Illnesses

Our employee has recently returned from traveling in an area where there is an illness epidemic. What can we do to address the employee’s...