When does a volunteer legally become an employee? For California’s nonprofit sector, the answer just got a lot clearer.
A recent California appellate case, Spilman v. Salvation Army, provides a roadmap for distinguishing...more
The California Court of Appeals’ recent decision in De Paolo v. Rosales clarifies the rights of an employer to evict an on-site resident manager following termination of employment. Employers who provide housing as part of...more
Employers in Los Angeles should prepare for adjustment to the minimum wage starting July 1, 2026...more
The California Labor Commissioner released a “Know Your Rights Act” notice template, in accordance with Senate Bill 294, that was approved last fall. All employers must provide this notice to their employees on or before...more
The LA City Council passed an amendment to the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance (JCO), which went into effect January 27, 2025. It applies to most landlords who own and lease residential property within the city, if they are...more
2/21/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Enforcement ,
Fees ,
Landlords ,
Local Ordinance ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rent ,
Rental Property ,
Residential Property Owners ,
State and Local Government
State and local governments enacted new protections for residential tenants in the wake of the firestorms that razed large parts of Southern California. These protections are intended to help tenants navigate the challenges...more
1/28/2025
/ California ,
Eviction ,
Executive Orders ,
Landlords ,
Natural Disasters ,
Price Gouging ,
Relief Measures ,
Rent ,
Rental Property ,
Residential Leases ,
Short-Term Lease ,
State and Local Government ,
Tenants ,
Wildfires
The recent wildfires in Los Angeles have significantly impacted businesses and their employees – employers should be aware of their responsibilities to support their workforce during this challenging time. ...more
1/16/2025
/ California ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employment Policies ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Risk Management ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Departing from the ruling in Soltero v. Precise Distribution earlier this year, the California Court of Appeal in the Second District in Gonzalez v. Nowhere Beverly Hills LLC, created a split of authority regarding an alleged...more
12/11/2024
/ Appeals ,
Arbitration ,
Arbitration Agreements ,
Class Action ,
Contract Terms ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Litigation ,
Grocery Store Workers ,
Grocery Stores ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Motion to Compel ,
Non-Signatories ,
Wage and Hour
A new California law concerning employee noncompete agreements and clauses went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, and requires affected employers to take action by Feb. 14, 2024.
The new law, codified at Business & Professions...more
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal held that time spent logging in to start employees’ shifts should be compensable....more
The Sixth District California Court of Appeal held that despite evidence of neutrality of a rounding policy, the employer did not meet its burden of proof to show employees were properly compensated for all hours worked....more
The California Supreme Court published its decision in Gustavo Naranjo et al., v. Spectrum Security Services holding that employers who fail to pay for meal or rest break premiums, may also be responsible for waiting time and...more
Many employment settlement agreements include a non-disparagement clause that prohibits one party from spreading lies or rumors and disparaging the other party. A pending California bill (Senate Bill 331) may threaten the...more
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a motion instructing the City Attorney to draft an ordinance that would require individuals to show proof of vaccination to enter public indoor spaces within the geographic...more
On June 28, 2021 Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 832, which extended California’s eviction moratorium through September 30, 2021....more
If you are an employer in California, you are probably familiar with the various employment peculiarities in the state, such as the five-hour meal rule, four-hour (or major fraction) rest rule, piece rate rules, wage...more
Once in a while, the California Supreme Court makes a ruling which declares unlawful an employment practice previously perceived as lawful. Today, the California Supreme Court in Donohue v. AMN Services, LLC held that...more
In August 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020. Among other protections, the law gave tenants who were unable to pay rent due to COVID-19-related distress for the period September...more
On August 31, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an eviction protection law that significantly amends the long-standing procedures for initiating and prosecuting residential unlawful detainer actions based on...more
9/3/2020
/ Cal Code of Civil Procedure ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Eviction ,
Executive Orders ,
Financial Distress ,
Governor Newsom ,
Landlords ,
Rental Property ,
Residential Leases ,
State of Emergency ,
Tenants ,
Unlawful Detainer
After several months, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) released updated guidance on COVID-19 in the form of FAQs. The new guidance provides answers to many questions employers face when re-opening...more
A recent Court of Appeal decision reminds California employers to review severability provisions within employment arbitration agreements. In Nichole Kec v. Superior Court, a former employee (Kec) brought individual, class...more
On June 26, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published guidance on when an employee may take leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to care for their child based on a COVID-19 related closure...more
7/1/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Field Assistance Bulletins ,
Paid Leave ,
School Closures ,
Sick Leave ,
Summer Camps
In April 2020 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) provided guidance on the types of employee screening employers can perform to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. In the April 2020 release the...more
We are now on the road to recovery – and the reopening of our businesses. Although most of us wish it were as easy as turning on a light switch, it will not be an overnight fix or a quick return to normal. Rather, it will be...more
Many California cities (e.g., Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Oakland and San Francisco) have rent control laws that set limits on the amount of rent a landlord may charge a tenant. But not all rental properties are subject to...more