The coronavirus pandemic forced many employers to make rapid changes to their operations as many employees made the switch overnight from onsite to remote work. California’s strict wage and hour rules for nonexempt employees caused compliance challenges and prompted proposed legislation to create more flexibility for workers who want to telecommute.
“As we all know, 2020 was an incredibly challenging year,” said Christopher Hoffman, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in San Diego. He was speaking during the California State Council of SHRM’s (CalSHRM’s) 2021 California State HR Advocacy and Legislative Conference. HR professionals found themselves in the middle of massive changes when areas of the country shut down and people had to work from home or figure out how to perform essential jobs safely, he noted.