There have been reports of violence and harassment, particularly in the Asian-American community, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act and Unruh Civil Rights Act prohibit employers from discriminating against or harassing employees based on any protected characteristic (including a person’s actual or perceived race or national origin). Additionally, threats or acts of violence based on a protected characteristic are illegal under the Ralph Civil Rights Act. On May 11, 2020, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) released a poster that employers may post in an effort to combat these hate crimes. The poster is available on the DFEH website, https://www.dfeh.ca.gov/covid-19-resources-and-guidance/, in 10 languages: English (PDF), Traditional Chinese (PDF), Simplified Chinese (PDF), Korean (PDF), Spanish (PDF), Tagalog (PDF), Vietnamese (PDF), Arabic (PDF), Hmong (PDF), and Punjabi (PDF).
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the authors of this Alert, Allison Saunders, asaunders@fordharrison.com, and Jenny Choi, jchoi@fordharrison.com. Of course, you may also contact the FordHarrison attorney with whom you usually work.
FordHarrison is closely monitoring COVID-19 developments including associated federal and state legislation and reopening guidance. The firm has implemented continuity plans to allow our lawyers and staff to work remotely in a technologically secure environment when necessary, ensuring continuity of our operations and uninterrupted service to our clients. We are following all CDC guidelines and state and local laws as applicable. We are committed to ensuring the health and welfare of our clients, employees, and communities while continuing to provide our clients with the highest quality service. Please see our dedicated Coronavirus Taskforce and Coronavirus – CARES Act pages for the latest FH Legal Alerts and webinars on COVID-19, the new American workplace, workplace-related provisions of the CARES Act, as well as links to governmental and industry-specific resources for employers to obtain additional information and guidance. For more information or to be connected with a Coronavirus Taskforce or CARES Act attorney, please contact clientservice@fordharrison.com.