It’s been said that from crisis comes opportunity. And given that the COVID-19 pandemic has handed us the greatest collective crisis in our lifetimes, it should stand to reason that we should now be in the perfect position to...more
5/3/2021
/ Business Operations ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Governance ,
Data Security ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Gig Economy ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Labor Relations ,
Legal Operations ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Remote Working ,
Staffing Agencies ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Each new year brings a further increase to California’s minimum wage – and 2021 is no exception. For the New Year, the new state minimum wage for employers of 26 or more employees is now $14.00 per hour, and the state minimum...more
As we approach a new year, California employers should take a fresh look at their employee handbook to ensure that it is up to date. Unless it was revised recently, it’s probably outdated. What are the main revisions that...more
There has been much confusion lately about the meaning of the terms “layoff” and “furlough.” Neither term has any specific meaning in California employment law. In common usage, a “layoff” is typically considered more...more
California is under a shelter-in-place order that threatens to impact businesses throughout the state. Meanwhile, the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” will take effect on April 2, 2020, ushering in an emergency...more
3/23/2020
/ Automotive Industry ,
Business Closures ,
Car Dealerships ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Executive Orders ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Layoffs ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Paid Leave ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour
It has become somewhat of an annual tradition in California: with every new year comes a further increase in the state’s minimum wage. And this year is no different. In 2020, the new state minimum wage for employers of 26 or...more
A California appellate court just held that mandatory service charges added by banquet facilities to their contracts may need to be paid to banquet service employees essentially as a form of a gratuity. The October 31, 2019...more
The California Supreme Court recently handed down an intriguing decision which casts doubt on – and in some cases even condemns – some of the most common practices used by employers in both drafting and presenting arbitration...more
On January 1, 2019, the state minimum wage in California increased again. It is now $12.00 per hour for employers of 26 or more employees and $11.00 per hour for employers of 25 or fewer employees. Local minimum wages are...more
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), passed by Congress on December 20 and expected to be signed into law by President Trump in the coming days, contains several provisions that will directly impact employers and workplace...more
12/22/2017
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Business Ownership ,
Confidentiality Agreements ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fringe Benefits ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Individual Mandate ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Paid Leave ,
Repeal ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Deductions ,
Tax Incentives ,
Tax Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
Wage and Hour
In a unanimous decision, the California Supreme Court ruled today that plaintiffs in lawsuits brought pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), can seek the contact information for their fellow...more
7/18/2017
/ Appeals ,
CA Supreme Court ,
Class Action ,
Contacts List ,
Discovery ,
Discovery Disputes ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Former Employee ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Litigation Fees & Costs ,
Motion to Compel ,
Privacy Concerns ,
Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) ,
Rest and Meal Break ,
Unduly Burdensome ,
Wage and Hour
Last month a California appellate court held that an employer violates California law by paying inside sales employees on a draw against commission. In Vaquero v. Stoneledge Furniture LLC, the court held that such a pay...more
Time was, answering the question “What is the minimum wage?” was simple. There was the federal minimum wage and the state minimum wage, and for most California employers, only the latter number really mattered. Now the...more
California employers will soon be subject to a new equal pay law that will create a much stricter standard for gender pay equity. Passed by the state legislature with broad bipartisan support and signed into law by Governor...more
Once upon a time, falling asleep at work was one of the best ways to get fired. Now, however, snoozing employees may not just have to be tolerated, they may need to be paid as well! How did we get to such an absurd point?...more