(Photo: Shutterstock)

As usual, California lawmakers got busy passing a variety of new labor laws in the last quarter of 2020, some related to COVID-19 and some not. This article summarizes some of the major ones that California employers will want to be aware of as we begin 2021.

New laws related to COVID-19

Supplemental paid sick leave

AB 1867 went into effect in September 2020. It expanded supplemental paid sick leave for COVID-19-related reasons for employers with at least 500 employees and for smaller employers who were covered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("FFCRA") but who excluded health care providers and first responders from paid sick leave under that Act. Employees are entitled to two weeks of paid leave if they are (1) subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19; (2) advised by a health care provider to quarantine or isolate due to concerns related to COVID-19; or (3) prohibited from working by the employer due to health concerns related to the transmission of COVID-19.