At the Leichter Law Firm, APC, the Los Angeles employment law attorney, Aryeh Leichter, has devoted his time and legal representation to protecting the rights of California employees, so they can achieve their goals without wage and hour discrepancies, harassment or discrimination, retaliation for their lawful workplace actions, or wrongful termination.
As the list of protective employment laws continues to grow, there is one important addition to the list: California Senate Bill 1044, signed by Governor Newsome in September 2022, which allows employees to leave work or not show up without notice if they feel unsafe.
Here are the details behind SB 1044.
What is California Senate Bill 1044?
California Senate Bill 1044 greatly lowers the threshold for employees to leave their work without discipline if they feel unsafe due to “emergency conditions.”
The phrase “emergency condition” is defined as either:
- An event that poses a serious danger to the structure of the workplace or a worker’s immediate health and safety.
- An order to evacuate a workplace, a worker’s home, or the school of a worker’s child.
This includes giving California employees the ability to refuse to come to work, or to walk off the job, whenever they feel unsafe or whenever there is a declared state of emergency.
In the event of a state of emergency or an emergency condition, an employer cannot:
- Take or threaten adverse action against any employee refusing to report to or leave a workplace within the affected area because the employee feels unsafe.
- Prevent any employee from accessing the employee’s mobile device or other communications device for seeking emergency assistance, assessing the safety of the situation, or communicating with a person to verify their safety.
The bill was designed to protect employees and their families in cases where there was a recent natural disaster, active shooter scenario, or another threatening circumstance where they need to leave work or contact family members (in workplaces that do not allow employees to have access to their cellphones).
Contact the Leichter Law Firm, APC Employment Law Attorney in Los Angeles, California
If you believe your workplace rights have been or are being violated, contact Aryeh Leichter, the Leichter Law Firm, APC founder and employment law attorney in Los Angeles County today to discuss the legal remedies that may be available for your unique workplace circumstances today, starting with a free consultation by calling 818-915-6624 or contacting the firm online.