On April 28, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Celanese International Corp.’s challenge to a Federal Circuit decision which found the company’s patent on the process to create the artificial sweetener used in Coke...more
On April 24, 2025, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a contract provision restricting liability for willful injury was unenforceable under California Civil Code section 1668. This decision was in response to...more
On April 17, 2025, FDA Commissioner Martin Makary announced a policy directive to limit industry representatives, who are employed by companies regulated by FDA from serving as official members on FDA advisory committees....more
On April 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) announced new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply....more
On April 10, 2025, the FDA held a public webinar on the updated criteria for companies to use the “healthy” nutrient content claim. This webinar tracked the final rule issued on December 27, 2024....more
Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (“SB”) 1350, which expands the definition of employment to include some household domestic employees who work through agencies. SB 1350 will go into effect on July 1, 2025....more
Effective January 1, 2025, companies using freelance workers must comply with the Freelance Worker Protection Act (“FWPA”). FWPA was signed by Governor Newsom on September 28, 2024 as Senate Bill (“SB”) 988. FWPA passed with...more
After a contentious six-hour meeting, the Los Angeles City Council voted 12-3 in favor of increasing the hourly wage of approximately 23,000 hotel and LAX workers to $30. The $30 minimum wage will go into effect in by July...more
On September 22, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (“SB”) 1053, which prohibits grocery stores from offering single-use plastic carry out bags for sale. Instead, stores must offer only paper bags....more
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that the deadline for restaurant owners to apply for the city’s permanent Al Fresco program has been extended to December 31, 2024. This means that any...more
On March 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) revised independent contractor test took effect, under a Final Rule issued by the Wage and House Division of DOL. The rule for Employee or Independent Contractor...more
On March 15, 2024, the newly appointed Fast Food Council (the “Council”) held its first public meeting in the State Building in Oakland.
The Council was created as part of Assembly Bill 1228, the FAST Recovery Act....more
On March 25, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 610 into law. AB 610 will exempt some businesses from needing to comply with the Fast Recovery Act....more
On March 18, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States (the “Supreme Court”) denied a petition for writ of certiorari brought by McDonald’s USA, LLC (“McDonald’s”).
McDonald’s had asked the Supreme Court to review a...more
On February 22, 2024, a panel of judges for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an unpublished opinion upholding enforcement of a National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) order holding that a...more
On February 21, 2024, Los Angeles County filed a complaint for injunctive relief and damages against Grubhub alleging that the company engaged in false and deceptive advertising and unfair business practices that harm...more
3/1/2024
/ Advertising ,
Delivery Drivers ,
False Advertising ,
Fees ,
GrubHub ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Misrepresentation ,
Municipalities ,
New Legislation ,
Pricing ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State and Local Government ,
Unfair Competition Law (UCL) ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Unfair Pricing
On February 26, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued an administrative complaint and authorized a lawsuit in federal court to block Kroger Company’s proposed $24.6 billion acquisition of the Albertsons Companies,...more
2/29/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Anticompetitive Behavior ,
Antitrust Litigation ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FTC Act ,
Grocery Store Workers ,
Grocery Stores ,
Kroger ,
State Attorneys General ,
UFCW ,
Unions
On January 25, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) announced a new website listing regulations that its Foods Program plans to publish by October 2024 and longer-term regulations it is prioritizing for...more
Commencing on June 1, 2024, Senate Bill 525 will raise the minimum wage for covered health care workers at covered health care facilities in California....more
Effective January 1, 2024, California’s Assembly Bill 647 will expand recall rights for grocery workers when there is a change of control in a grocery establishment. Prior to AB 647, existing law required an incumbent grocery...more
As reported here, California recently took steps to provide employers additional tools to combat workplace violence, including requiring a written workplace violence prevention plan, by enacting Senate Bill 553. Effective...more
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, California enacted a temporary right to recall for hospitality employees, codified as Labor Code section 2810.8. This law covers laid-off employees who were employed for the...more
On October 8, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (“SB”) 476. The law will go into effect on January 1, 2024.
Employees of retail food facilities are already required to obtain a food handler card...more
California Senate Bill (“SB”) 848, which becomes effective on January 1, 2024, entitles employees to five days of leave following a reproductive loss event. SB 848 adds section 12945.6 to the Government Code and applies to...more
After years of debate, and a looming referendum, a compromise between labor and business representatives has resulted in a final law regulating the fast-food industry. On September 28, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom...more