SR Holguin, PC is a union-side labor and employment law firm with nearly four decades of experience representing private sector unions, public sector unions, and multi-employer trust funds. SR Holguin, PC is committed to providing full-service legal representation to each of our clients.
One way in which SR Holguin, PC ensures our clients and their members stay informed is by keeping you updated on recent developments relating to workers’ rights. Today’s updates come following the release of the April 20, 2021 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting agenda and supplemental agenda. There is one item in particular that could impact you.
Workers Who Could be Impacted: Workers Throughout Unincorporated LA County
Supplemental Agenda Item 43-G “Employee Paid Leave for Expanded Vaccine Access”
A Motion will be introduced by Chair Hilda Solis (1st District) and Supervisor Sheila Kuehl (3rd District). The Motion provides in part, “As eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine expands and supplies coming into Los Angeles County increase, it is critical that barriers to vaccine access are removed to ensure an effective and equitable response… In workplaces across the County, many employees lack the financial means to take the necessary time off from work to access the vaccine. This is especially true for low wage and essential workers…It is clear that more must be done to remove barriers to access for workers across the County, especially our essential workers.
Opportunities for vaccines to come to workplaces must expand, but workers must also have a greater ability to access vaccination sites. Furthermore, workers must not be forced to decide between a paycheck and taking the necessary steps to safeguard their own wellbeing and the public health. To that end, it is critical that all workers have access to additional paid leave benefits to get vaccinated…
California law, SB 95…requir[es] all employers with 25 or more employees to provide 80 hours of COVID-19 related sick leave for full-time employees, and for part-time employees, hours to cover the normal schedule that employee would work over two weeks. Though this covers vaccine-related time, many of our most vulnerable residents, especially our essential workers, may have already exhausted the existing 80-hour benefit due to either prior infection or exposure to COVID-19, and thus lack the necessary hours to take time off work to get vaccinated. To that end, it is important that workers be provided additional paid leave receive their vaccine…”
Therefore, the Motion calls for “the Board of Supervisors [to] direct County Counsel, in consultation with relevant Departments, to report back prior to the May 4, 2021 Board of Supervisors meeting with the following:
1. Proposed Urgency Ordinance language that:
a. Grants all employees in private businesses/entities located in the unincorporated areas of the County up to an additional four hours of excused paid leave per injection to receive the COVID-19 vaccine;
b. Ensures that the leave of absence is granted at the employee’s regular rate of pay and shall not be charged against any other leave an employee is entitled to, including paid sick leave;
c. Provides up to four hours of retroactive pay per injection for employees who received the vaccine during work time since January 1, 2021;
d. Prohibits retaliatory action against any employee who exercises rights afforded under this proposed ordinance; and
e. Submit the recommended Urgency Ordinance for Board consideration within 14 days.
2. A memorandum that advises the Board as to whether such an Urgency Ordinance can apply to all private employees in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.”
Now, agenda item 43-G of the April 20, 2021 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting calls for the Board to consider the Motion.
We hope these updates are helpful to you.
Fraternally,
SR Holguin, PC