California’s COVID Right-to-Recall Law Unites Patchwork of Local Ordinances

The National Law Review reports

On April 16, 2021, Governor Newsom approved S.B. 93, a statewide COVID right-to-recall law that faltered on its first attempt last October.  In the interim, a number of counties and cities (including the Cities of Los AngelesOaklandSan FranciscoSan Diego, and Pasadena, and Los Angeles County) passed almost identical measures, which will remain in effect to the extent they are more generous than the state law.

Like the local ordinances, the state law is time-limited and directed to the industries with workforces most decimated by COVID: hotels, event centers, private clubs, airport hospitality operations, airport service providers and janitorial, maintenance and security services for commercial buildings. Through December 31, 2024, employers in those industries are required to notify those laid off because of COVID about newly-available positions, and offer them to the laid-off employees based on a qualification-based preference system. Post-layoff changes in ownership, the form of the organization, or the location of the business will not excuse an employer from these recall protocols, as long as the business conducts the same or substantially similar operations as it did before the pandemic.

A “laid off employee” is someone who was employed by the employer for six months or more in the twelve months preceding January 1, 2020, and whose most recent separation was attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, because of a public health directive, a government shutdown order, lack of business, a reduction in force, or another pandemic-related economic reason. Those terminated for disciplinary reasons do not have recall rights under this law.

Read full article  https://www.natlawreview.com/article/california-s-covid-right-to-recall-law-unites-patchwork-local-ordinances