The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (“DFEH”) recently released free online training courses aimed at assisting employers to comply with new state laws regarding sexual harassment prevention training. The release comes just in time for the new January 1, 2021 statutory deadli...
On November 13, 2020, the California Court of Appeal decided a case of first impression regarding school district liability under the Unruh Civil Rights Act (“Act”). The Court in Brennon B. v. Superior Court, 2020 Cal. App. LEXIS 1077 (Ct. App. Nov. 13, 2020) held that public school districts ar...
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought countless changes to the way Californians conduct business, complete daily tasks, and engage socially while remaining safe. Schools specifically have seen a number of changes in their operations, legal requirements, and financial responsibilities. The process for...
1. Why do you enjoy representing school districts? I come from a family of educators and administrators. Public education has always been an important aspect of my life and my family's values. I enjoy representing school districts because it gives me an opportunity to give back to our community...
1. Why do you enjoy representing school districts? I love working with people who are excited about their jobs. The individuals I work with at the school districts, at every level, are always passionate about what they do and invested in the education of their students. 2. Where did you get yo...
1. Why do you enjoy representing school districts? I enjoy representing school districts because public education is such an important part of who we are and where we are headed as a society. I like the idea that I'm able to play a role in helping that process. 2. Where did you go to school? I st...
1. Why do you enjoy representing school districts? The commitment and care of the school districts we work with is encouraging and motivating! I am grateful that I can be of assistance to the goal of helping students succeed and advancing education in communities throughout the state. 2. Where ...
Parker & Covert LLP is proud to support National Book Month this October. As a full-service law firm that serves educational agencies exclusively, we value the educational mission of all school administrators, teachers, and employees throughout the state of California. With this in mind, Parker ...
Recently enacted Assembly Bill 685 makes changes to COVID-19 employer notification requirements and gives Cal/OSHA greater enforcement powers. AB 685 amends sections 6325 and 6432 and adds section 6409.6 to the Labor Code. It applies to public employers except health facilities as defined in th...
The TV ads and yard signs are beginning to pop up, which can only mean one thing: election season is right around the corner. In fact, Election Day, November 3, 2020, is less than 60 days away! What should school officials remember during election season? Educate, don't advocate. In general, a ...
The 2020-2021 school year has presented historical challenges for school districts across the nation. One challenge specific to California school districts is the reconciliation of new State-mandated distance learning requirements contained in Assembly Bill (“AB”) 77 with California Education Co...
Legislation that shielded schools from liability because of transmission of COVID-19 cases at school died in the Senate Judiciary Committee at the end of last month. The legislature adjourned before Assembly Bill 1384 (“AB 1384”) was considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. As a result, scho...
On June 29, 2020 Senate Bill 98 (“SB 98”) was signed into law by Governor Newsom. While SB 98 is a budget bill and outlines school funding throughout the state of California for the 2020-2021 school year, it also provides distance learning standards for local educational agencies (“LEA”) to imple...
On May 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education published its newly updated Title IX regulations prohibiting sex discrimination at federally funded institutions. The new regulations, which apply to all federally funded institutions, including public K-12 school districts, require significant ch...
As local educational agencies (LEAs) throughout the state continue to plan for the complicated transition back to school in the fall, the question of liability from COVID-19 related harm looms large. AB 1384, recently introduced by Assemblymember Patrick O'Donnell (D- Long Beach), aims to address...
While the majority of Community College students are over the age of 18, many community colleges around the state offer dual enrollment classes for high school students, as well as elective courses for minors. As a result, children may be present on community college campuses, and may regularly ...
In Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California, 591 U.S. ___ (June 18, 2020), the United States Supreme Court held that the Department of Homeland Security's decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, program was invalid. Chief Ju...
On June 15, 2020, the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, holding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender rights in the workplace. Title VII makes it “unlawful…for an employer…to fail or refuse to hire or to di...
School districts planning capital improvement projects this summer or planning for the reopening of schools (consistent with the recent guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education (https://bit.ly/37luy7S)) are reminded that it is important t...
Please join Addison Covert and a panel of experts this Thursday 6/18 at 10am for a CASH webinar discussing FEMA disaster assistance to address local impacts from COVID-19. Attendees will hear from experts in pursuing, receiving, spending and accounting for such federal funding. Additionally, the ...
On June 5, 2020, the California Department of Public Health released interim “Industry Guidance” for the reopening of schools and school-based programs. The guidance contains very broad recommendations and considerations for the restart of school programs and services. Implementation of this gu...
In T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Communications Workers of America, AFL–CIO (May 27, 2020), the NLRB recently held that the employer did not violate the law when it announced new workplace rules that employees could not send certain emails to other employees' work email addresses. In T-Mobile, an employ...
Employers Must Meet and Confer with Union Before Providing Redacted Investigation Report. In City & County of San Francisco (2020) PERB Decision No. 2698-M, PERB held that the City & County unlawfully refused to provide the union with a timely and minimally redacted version of an investigation re...
On May 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education published its final Title IX regulations prohibiting sex discrimination at federally funded institutions. The new regulations, which apply to all federally funded institutions including public school districts, colleges, and universities in Califor...
Recently, the National Labor Relations Board upheld its decision in Apogee Retail LLC d/b/a Unique Thrift Store, 368 NLRB No. 144 (2019), wherein the Board reversed precedent, holding that investigative confidentiality rules that by their terms apply only for the duration of any investigation are...
Parker and Covert LLP, through its Northern and Southern California offices, provides comprehensive legal representation to school districts, community colleges, and other educational clients in communities throughout the state of California.