Barella Quoted on Workers Telecommuting During Coronavirus Pandemic

Labor and Employment Practice Group Leader Derek Barella was quoted on companies allowing some workers to telecommute during the coronavirus pandemic, but requiring others to report to work.

Derek said that while companies could potentially face claims from employees based on alleged disparate treatment, any such risks can be mitigated through careful planning.

“You need to make sure that we have a legitimate reason for why we’re treating some people differently than others, and it has to be based on the job,” he said. “It is true, and it will be true, that a lot of jobs are capable of being performed remotely, whereas others are not.”

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For more employer guidance on the coronavirus pandemic, see Schiff’s Coronavirus Task Force and Schiff’s Coronavirus Pandemic: Top Questions and Answers for Employers.