COVID Employee Reimbursement: Investigation

The COVID pandemic has brought about numerous fundamental changes to how businesses operate, the most significant of which has been a massive shift towards remote working. No longer are employees required to commute vast distances to do their work. Instead, offices shut down in early March 2020, with many remaining closed throughout the year. Businesses are now requiring their employees to work from home using their own resources – instead of having all that provided by the business at the office.

The upshot? You, as an employee in California, may be entitled to reimbursements for your costs and expenses you have incurred from working at home. This could include any of the following:

• Internet
• Cell Phone
• Electricity
• Computer
• Desk

California Labor Code Section 2802(a) broadly provides that “[a]n employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties[.]”

If you are uncertain about any expenses that you have incurred that you think your employer should reimburse you for, give us a call.