Hopkins & Carley

Most California employers understand that only certain employees are “exempt” from overtime pay requirements. However, most employers are not fully aware of how their pay practices may inadvertently destroy an employee’s exempt…more

Internships have long been a popular way for college students to gain valuable on-the-job experience and exposure to a particular employer or industry. When paying jobs are in short supply, individuals seeking relevant…more

It is common in the construction industry for residential owners to use consultants, including construction managers, to oversee and manage work performed by the direct contractor, subcontractors and material suppliers. The…more

Most non-exempt employees are paid by the hour for their work. California’s Wage Orders permit non-exempt employees also to be paid on a piece rate basis, however, and a recent decision from the California Court of Appeal…more

Internal investigations of possible employee misconduct or other employment-related issues are not uncommon. Most employers who conduct such internal investigations routinely request that the complainant, the target of the…more

The “good old days” of formal redevelopment are over. Real estate developers no longer can negotiate to assemble development sites under the threat of condemnation. Silicon Valley developers now face serious challenges in…more

A previously ignored provision in the California Wage Orders provides that “[a]ll working employees shall be provided with suitable seats when the nature of their work reasonably permits the use of seats.” The language appears…more

A recent statute and set of regulations will shortly begin to impose new disclosure requirements on commercial landlords, property sellers, and borrowers in California for leases, purchases, and financings entered into on or…more

Verifying a new employee’s right to work in the United States is a crucial step in the hiring process. Employers must utilize the Employment Eligibility Verification form, commonly known as Form I-9, to verify the identity and…more

Most California employers are keenly aware that California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave Law (“PDLL”) requires an employer to allow an employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, to take a leave of…more

This year has seen more momentum for CEQA reform than in many previous years. California’s economy has placed a spotlight on the burdens that environmental regulations and litigation, particularly CEQA litigation, impose on…more

For the past 70 years, California courts have held that a party is barred from claiming fraud based on an alleged oral misrepresentation that directly contradicts the express terms of a written agreement. This rule had long been…more

This article is the second in a series of three articles encouraging employers to “measure twice” in their employment practices and will address decisions made by employers during employment. Anyone who has worked in…more

As compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) has grown increasingly more burdensome, costly and litigious over the past decade or so, 2012 brought some tangible good news. …more

Anyone who has worked in construction or engaged in a handiwork hobby knows the adage: measure twice and cut once. This alert is the first of three in a series aimed at equipping employers to take proactive steps (i.e.,…more