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 February 9, 2021 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting agenda. There is one item in particular that could impact you.
Workers Who Could be Impacted: Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, Professional Peace Officers Association, Deputy Probation Officers, Beach Lifeguards, Supervisory Beach Lifeguards, and Public Defender Investigators
Agenda item 24 “Memoranda of Understanding for Bargaining Units 611, 612, 701, 641, 642 and 613 Amendment”
The County’s Chief Executive Officer sent a Letter dated February 9, 2021 to the Board of Supervisors. The Letter provided in part “[i]n March 2020, Congress enacted [the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)] to provide paid time off and protected leave to eligible employees impacted by COVID-19. Under FFCRA, eligible employees were granted up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave and up to 12 weeks of Expanded Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave to be used for COVID-19-related illness, family care, or child care reasons. The FFCRA leave provisions became effective on April 1, 2020 and expired on December 31, 2020.
Based on unprecedented circumstances caused by COVID-19, the [bargaining units above] have agreed to extend the current terms of the agreements…for one additional year with no salary increases during the contract term extension. The agreements maintain a ‘status quo’ for all other terms and conditions of employment. We are requesting your approval of the extensions for [Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, Professional Peace Officers Association, Deputy Probation Officers, and Public Defender Investigators]…through January 31, 2022, and the extensions for [Beach Lifeguards, and Supervisory Beach Lifeguards]…through December 31, 2021.
In conjunction with these MOU Amendments, we also request your approval of an FFCRA ‘equivalent’ leave time benefit, retroactive to January 1, 2021, for all represented County employees. Under an executed agreement with labor, the FFCRA equivalent leave would remain in effect through March 31, 2021, but may end earlier if certain specified conditions are met. It would provide Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded FMLA Leave to qualified County employees in the same amounts and under the same terms and conditions as under the County’s initial implementation of FFCRA…This extension is necessary due to the increasing and ongoing prevalence of the COVID-19 virus.”
Therefore, the Letter called for the Board to:
“1. Approve the accompanying MOU Amendments between the County and the following BUs: 611 (Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs), 612 (Professional Peace Officers Association), 701 (Deputy Probation Officers), 641 (Beach Lifeguards), 642 (Supervisory Beach Lifeguards), and 613 (Public Defender Investigators).
2. Approve and authorize a FFCRA County equivalent leave time provision with a retroactive date to January 1, 2021, to cover represented employees pursuant to a properly executed labor agreement.
3. Instruct the Auditor-Controller to make all payroll system changes necessary to implement the recommendations contained herein.”
Now, agenda item 24 of the February 9, 2021 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting calls for the Board to consider the Letter.
We hope these updates are helpful to you.
Fraternally,
SR Holguin, PC