The Workplace: a Podcast by CalChamber

Episode 55: COVID-19: What Employers Are Asking

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank is joined by employment law experts Bianca Saad and Matthew Roberts to discuss the most common coronavirus-related questions employers and human resources professionals have been asking the CalChamber’s Labor Law Helpline this past week.

Episode 54: COVID-19 Federal Paid Leaves Explained

The federal government passed a coronavirus emergency relief package on March 18 that provides protected paid leave to workers impacted by COVID-19. In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg is joined by employment law expert Benjamin Ebbink and CalChamber Executive Vice President Jennifer Barrera to discuss what employers should know about the new Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act.

Editor’s Note: The Department of Labor on March 24 advanced the effective date of the Emergency Family Medical Leave Expansion Act and Emergency Paid Families Leave Act to April 1, 2020. At the time of the podcast recording, the effective date was April 2.

Episode 53: COVID-19: Preparing for Remote Work

Much has happened over the weekend on a national scale and for California, there is rising concern among business owners and employers due to the rapidly changing issue of COVID-19. In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert Jennifer Shaw discuss working remotely, the resources available for employees and Governor Gavin Newsom’s guidance on the state’s aging workforce.

Episode 52: COVID-19: Top Resources for Employers

As the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, continues to spread throughout communities, state and local governments are providing wage replacement options to affected workers. There is a lot of information out there, so on today’s episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank breaks down exactly what employers need to know: what wage replacement resources are available for workers, what employers can do to minimize the spread of the virus at the office, and a comprehensive source for all relevant workplace-related coronavirus news.

Episode 51: Coronavirus: An Economic Look

Coronavirus continues to dominate the news, raising concerns among individuals and for our economy. In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank is joined by economist Christopher Thornberg, Ph.D, founding partner of Beacon Economics, to discuss the COVID-19 coronavirus and its possible impact on the economy and businesses.

Episode 50: 132a Workers' Comp Pitfalls to Avoid

Employees who get injured at work, whether due to an accident or an illness can file a workers’ compensation claim. What employers may not know is that employees who file a workers’ comp claim are also protected from retaliation. In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert Jennifer Shaw discuss California Labor Code Section 132a claims and provide tips on how to avoid common problems.

Episode 49: Employer Do's/Don'ts of Workplace Dating

Given how much time people spend at work, it comes as no surprise that many people date or have dated someone at their workplace. But with a lot of hooking up, there is also a lot of breaking up. In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert Jennifer Shaw discuss workplace dating, and what employers should and shouldn’t do if employees begin romantic relationships in the workplace.

Episode 48: What AB 51’s Preliminary Injunction Means for California Employers

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank is joined by special guest Donald M. Falk, partner at Mayer Brown, to discuss the CalChamber’s successful legal challenge to AB 51 that he helped lead and what steps employers should take now that a preliminary injunction has been issued.

Episode 47: Super Bowl Flu, Gambling and Red Carpet Reviews: The Impact of Cultural Events in the Workplace

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert Jennifer Shaw discuss the ways that cultural events like the Super Bowl  and the Academy Awards can create potential issues and affect productivity at work.  

Episode 46: New Law Expands Definition of Registered Domestic Partnership, Add Flex Plan Notice Requirement

In keeping with the new year theme, today's podcast includes two new "sleeper laws" that took effect on Jan. 1, 2020. These laws have not been highly publicized or spoken about frequently in the news, yet are still important for employers to know. In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law experts Matthew Roberts and Bianca Saad highlight laws on domestic partnerships and flexible spending accounts, sexual harassment prevention deadlines, and new required updates for workplace posters and pamphlets.