News

The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) publishes posters that provide information to employers and employees pertaining to California’s civil rights laws. These posters must be displayed in the workplace. The DFEH also publishes several brochures and fact sheets with further details regarding discrimination and harassment in the workplace. The brochures are to be provided… Continue Reading

In a follow-up to our newsletter following Governor Brown’s signing of many new employment law bills, the below summarizes some of the additional new pieces of legislation impacting employers in 2019. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS – AN UPDATE The law relating to independent contractors following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Dynamex Operations West v. Superior Court… Continue Reading

As a reminder, effective January 1, 2019, the state of California and many local cities and counties will have the next step in their minimum wages increase. Below is a summary of these increases. STATE OF CALIFORNIA The State’s minimum wage will increase as of January 1, 2019. The minimum wage amount is dependent on the number… Continue Reading

As the holiday season approaches and as we look forward to celebrating with our friends and colleagues, employers must keep in mind the “do’s and don’t’s” of office holiday parties. With some careful planning employers can avoid or minimize the post-holiday party headaches and the potential legal claims and liabilities that could follow. It is also… Continue Reading

NEW PROTECTIONS AGAINST NATIONAL ORIGIN DISCRIMINATION The California Fair Employment and Housing Council (FEHC) recently issued new regulations that provide a more detailed definition of “national origin” and “national origin groups”. The new regulations also set forth the permissible and impermissible types of policies relating to English only language restrictions, inquiries regarding immigration status, and… Continue Reading

RECENTLY PASSED LEGISLATION DEFAMATION SUITS & SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS Governor Brown has recently signed Assembly Bill 2770 entitled Privileged Communications: communications by former employer: sexual harassment. AB 2770 (Irwin; D-Thousand Oaks). This bill takes effect January 1, 2019. As a consequence to the increase in sexual harassment claims, there has also been a rise in claims… Continue Reading

MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE REMINDER As a reminder to California employers, the next phase of the minimum wage increase, for many local jurisdictions, took effect on July 1, 2018. If your business or employees are located in certain local jurisdictions you must comply with the minimum wage for your city or county. Local Minimum Wage Ordinances  Many… Continue Reading

INTERNS…TO BE OR NOT TO BE … PAID As the summer months approach, many students will begin looking for work and some will offer to work for free as an “unpaid” intern, to gain experience in their chosen field.  Employers beware as there are very few instances in which an “intern” need not be paid. If… Continue Reading

THE NEW “ABC’S” OF INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS As California employers are well aware, the issue of whether a worker is properly classified as an “employee” or an “independent contractor” has long been a concern.  Misclassification can lead to potential legal exposure for claims of minimum wage, overtime, missed meals and breaks and failure to provide… Continue Reading