As our communities move through the phases of recovery, cities
are benefiting from new ways of doing the public’s business and
also confronting the challenges associated with COVID-19’s
impacts.
City leaders worked hard to ensure that local government remained
accessible and residents were able to participate in council
meetings and obtain essential services.
Taking proactive steps is the key to preventing or recovering
from a cyberattack. Cities should implement preventive measures
with an emphasis on best practices.
With “safer at home” orders in effect in an attempt to flatten
the curve of COVID-19 spread, cities were on the front lines
maintaining essential services and working to protect residents
who were out of work or lost their job because of the crisis.
When early reports of infection showed California was among the
states with the highest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases,
local and state leaders stepped up, taking action to slow the
spread of the virus and protect vulnerable populations.
New legislation significantly expands the obligation of all
California employers to provide lactation accommodations for
employees. As a result, cities should be aware of these new
obligations to ensure their worksites are compliant.
When a public agency needs entry-level professionals and lacks
qualified candidates, what can be done? Cities and the public
sector now have a number of available options, including
apprenticeships, to consider.
When the 2019 legislative session began, Democrats had gained
historic supermajorities in the Legislature. Yet progress for the
progressive Democratic agenda was muted. And in the face of
multiple attacks on local zoning authority and other challenges,
the League and cities emerged surprisingly well.
A recent decision from the Public Employment Relations Board
provides clarity for employers struggling to balance the need for
strict confidentiality with the due process rights of the accused
and union requests for information, particularly in cases of
sexual harassment.
Local government leaders are adopting codes of conduct to set the
rules and expectations for how they govern their cities. Such
codes help foster a civil and respectful governing culture
consistent with best practices.
