Unless you reside in a cave (in which case you likely will not be reading this), you are aware that we are moving towards a paperless society. However, assumptions about providing documents electronically can be dangerous,...more
California law already prohibits employers with 25 or more employees from discriminating or retaliating against employees who take time off work for specified purposes related domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking....more
Employers should post California’s recently issued 2017 minimum wage poster. The new poster reflects that the state minimum wage for employers with 26 or more employees increases to $10.50 on January 1, 2017, and to $11.00 on...more
Effective January 22, 2017, the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring will prohibit most employers in the City of Los Angeles from inquiring about a job applicant’s possible criminal history until an initial job offer...more
So your company wants to throw a holiday party for its employees? Given the economy and recent events, they certainly could use the diversion. But holiday parties can also lead to serious problems, many of which relate to...more
On Tuesday, a U.S. District Court judge in Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction delaying the U.S. Department of Labor rule that would have dramatically increased the minimum salary threshold to qualify as exempt...more
Just kidding. It may not be fun, but the new Form I-9 issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may be used immediately. Finalized on November 14, 2016, the new version of the Form is available...more
Existing regulations establish heat illness prevention standards for outdoor workers. The regulations include requirements for providing sufficient drinking water at no charge to the employee, allowing for recovery or “cool...more
Effective January 1, 2017, Assembly Bill 1843 prohibits hiring-related inquiries concerning juvenile convictions or from using information regarding juvenile court actions or custodial detentions as a factor in determining...more
Continuing a recent legislative trend, Senate Bill 1001 expands existing prohibitions regarding unfair immigration-related practices. Specifically, this bill amends the California Labor Code to provide a civil remedy for an...more
The Wage Equality Act of 2016 (Senate Bill 1063) expands California’s Equal Pay Act to target race and ethnicity-related wage differentials. This bill picks up where last year’s Equal Pay Act (which bolstered prohibitions on...more
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued its first enforcement guidance on employment-related retaliation in almost 20 years. The Final Guidance is in response to numerous court rulings on...more
Consistent with a national trend, the Los Angeles City Council’s Economic Development Committee voted last week in favor of a new law prohibiting most employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s possible criminal history...more
California Sick Leave Laws: A Summary -
California’s paid sick leave law, known as the Healthy Workplaces/Healthy Families Act of 2014, became effective on July 1, 2015. Although subsequently clarified by amendment,...more
On January 1, 2017, the City of San Francisco’s paid parental leave ordinance becomes effective for employers with 50 or more employees. These employers will be required to pay the difference between a new parent’s weekly...more
In response to the increasing number of cities and counties that have enacted minimum wage ordinances setting wage rates at levels higher than state and federal requirements, last year Assembly Bill 970 was added to the Labor...more
Prompted, in part, by a 2015 federal court decision which held that employers must state the total hours worked by outside sales persons, Assembly Bill 2535 amends Labor Code section 226 to further clarify the categories of...more
Senate Bill 269 provides a “safe harbor” period for some businesses to correct certain violations related to construction-related disability access under the Unruh Act. The bill reduces fines for certain technical...more
In case you missed it, Senate Bill 501, a law which became effective on July 1, 2016, may reduce the prohibited amount of weekly disposable earnings that may be garnished depending on where the employee...more
Beginning January 1, 2017, Assembly Bill 1245 requires that employers with 10 or more employees must file all unemployment insurance reports and returns using the e-file system. Also, these employers must remit contributions...more
Effective July 1, 2016, Senate Bill 667 extends from 2 weeks to 60 days the period of time that an employee can reopen a disability insurance claim without having a new 7 day consecutive day waiting period of wage loss. This...more
So you think vaping is the key to reducing workplace stress? Think again. Senate Bill 5 expands no smoking prohibitions to include e-cigarettes (vaping) and expands the definition of “tobacco products” to include all forms...more
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued a guidance to employers regarding an employer’s obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide unpaid leave or extend a paid leave...more
Buried in an appropriations bill designed to address no fewer than 42 separate issues is a small, but important item for California employers.
In response to requests for legislative restrictions on the Private Attorneys...more
Like the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County raised the minimum wage for employers with 26 or more employees to $10.50 starting July 1, 2016. The rule will apply to all workers who work at least 2 hours in the...more