Meredith Karasch

On December 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) shortened its recommended isolation and quarantine periods for people who test positive for, or are exposed to, COVID-19. On December 30, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) followed suit by partially...

In the Dec. 8, 2021 EducationWeek article “Teaching Unvaccinated Students Separately? This District Will Be the First to Try It,” LCW Senior Counsel Meredith Karasch weighed in on the legal challenges that school districts may face if they establish separate schools for unvaccinated students....

Community college districts are planning for students to return to campus in the fall.  Of the myriad of considerations that districts need to decide, one is whether to require students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  The American College Health Association (“ACHA”) announced its...

On March 19, 2021, Governor Newsom signed into law the California Legislature passed Senate Bill (“SB”) 95, codifying at Labor Code section 248.2 new obligations on public agency employers to provide COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave to employees who are unable to work or telework and have...

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed House Resolution (HR) 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 dollar trillion legislative package intended to address the economic damage caused by COVID-19.
For institutions of higher education, the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act...

On March 5, 2021, Governor Newsom approved Assembly Bill 86 (AB 86), which imposes COVID-19 case reporting, COVID-19 school re-opening status reporting, and COVID-19 Safety Plan requirements largely similar to those imposed by the California Public Health Department (CDPH) COVID-19 and Reopening...

As noted in the January 19, 2021, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore bulletin, What Schools Need To Know About The New CDPH Consolidated Guidance For K-12 Schools, the California Department of Public Health issued guidance on January 14, 2021, for public and private K-12 schools titled, Testing...

On December 30, 2020, Governor Newsom issued a new framework for schools so that school districts can reopen or continue operating safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Governor’s “Safe Schools for All Plan”, is based on increasing scientific evidence that the correct precautions can stop the...

On December 7, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) issued updated guidance concerning the recommended quarantine period for individuals following a “close contact” exposure to someone with COVID-19. The CDPH guidance now aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s...

Given the recent news coverage concerning COVID-19 vaccines and the government’s distribution plan for such vaccines, many of our clients have inquired whether it will be permissible to require school and community college district employees be vaccinated for COVID-19. This question is important...

On Friday, August 28, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” plan, effective August 31, 2020, which imposes color-coded, risk-based criteria on tightening and loosening COVID-19 allowable activities and expands the length of time between changes to assess how...

On April 23, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued updated guidance concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the Rehabilitation Act and how employers may respond to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19. The EEOC makes clear that while the laws...

On April 23, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued updated guidance concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the Rehabilitation Act and how employers may respond to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19. The EEOC makes clear that while the laws...

On March 18, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in an effort to reduce the impact of the virus on American families, the Senate passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act) and President Trump signed the bill into law a few hours later.  We initially reported on this...

On the evening of Monday, March 16, 2020, the House of Representatives passed a dramatically revised version of H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which the Senate received on March 17.  Among the key changes to the bill is the significant limitation of the purposes for which...

On March 14, 2020, at 12:51 am, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in an effort to reduce the impact of the virus on American families, the House of Representative passed H.R. 6201, titled the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act).  The bill will now move to the Senate, where it...

On March 15, 2020, Governor Newsom held a press conference where he made a further announcement regarding provisions for the public to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. As a consideration, in order to protect the most vulnerable, he stated that he was calling for the home isolation of all...

On Friday, March 13, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to provide for continuous funding to California public school districts that close in order to address COVID-19.  In order to receive the funding, districts will need to take certain actions, including using the money to...