The coronavirus has transformed the traditional agreement between employers and employees. A worker who went to the office, clocked in, performed their duties and left for the day was one who’d fulfilled their contractual (or at-will employment) obligations. Today, we see work-from-home offers as the “new normal” and some companies have been forced to institute temporary furloughs or even layoffs to keep the operation afloat during this global health pandemic. Daniel Chammas, attorney with FordHarrison in Los Angeles, has an extensive background in employment issues. As such, he is sympathetic to the struggles both workers and employers are currently experiencing. As an attorney, Daniel Chammas wants readers to better understand the legally-defined relationships that employers can have with their workers. Normalcy in abnormal times: Under normal circumstances, an employee handbook would cover most of the situations we can expect to encounter at work. The coronavirus pandemic is admittedly an abnormal event and standard workplace protocols have been altered. Daniel Chammas points to federal guidelines under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act from the U.S. Department of Labor available online here. Everyone has questions about the future of their jobs; knowing who’s in the right regarding claims of wrongful termination and unpaid wages – which Daniel Chammas attorney has addressed in court before – is beneficial for all. Protection for all: The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), passed in spring 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, stipulates some very important expectations. For companies who received the funds as a borrower, funding for up to eight weeks of payroll, mortgage, rent and/or utilities were made available. What’s more, the loan becomes a fully-forgivable grant if small businesses maintain employee headcount and salary levels. “Forgiveness will be reduced if full-time headcount declines, or if salaries and wages decrease,” according to the U.S. Department of Treasury. As an attorney who has represented companies targeted by dissatisfied ex-workers, Daniel Chammas says the PPP could open the floodgates for those who feel like their former employer violated CARES Act expectations. Favorable outcomes: Disgruntled employees can present a wide range of claims that can only be fully settled in court. Daniel Chammas attorney has been retained by Fortune 500 companies, global entertainment studios and even small businesses. A company that has always been in full compliance of state and local wage laws and has not had to deal with wrongful termination claims lodged against high-ranking officials is one with nothing to worry about. For employers who’ve had legal troubles in the past, retaining Daniel Chammas to protect you from future concerns can provide peace of mind and favorable outcomes in court. |
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