Legal updates
Gender Equality Sought with New Fair Pay Act
Historical Gender Based Wage Differentials It has been reported that in 2014 a woman working full-time in California earned an average of $.84 to every dollar a man earned, and the national average is a wage gap of $.78 to the dollar. The wage gap is much worse for...
read moreReminder-Effective Date July 1, 2015 Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Family Act
As has been widely publicized and consumed much time in discussion and analysis, employers are reminded that effective July 1, 2015 the State of California’s Mandatory Sick Leave law will become effective. While the poster was required to be in place by January 1,...
read moreU.S. Department of Labor Announces Expansion of Definition of Spouse For Family and Medical Care Leave
The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that the definition of “spouse” for purposes of the Federal Family and Medical Care Leave Act (FMLA) has been expanded to include same sex partners. In brief, the FMLA (and the California equivalent - California Family...
read moreJanuary 2015 Mandatory New Posters
Effective January 1, 2015 there are several new posters that must be displayed in the workplace and forms that need to be provided to employees. Below is a summary of those necessary new posters and forms for distribution. PAID SICK LEAVE POSTER As was discussed in...
read moreRest and Recovery Periods
Last year, Labor Code Section 226.7 was amended to prohibit employers from requiring employees to work during a recovery period taken in accordance with heat illness regulations. This year, SB 1360 confirms that rest and recovery periods are paid breaks and count...
read moreIncreased Liability for Employers That Contract for Labor
AB 1897 imposes new liability on employers who contract for labor to hold them accountable for any wage-and-hour violations if they use staffing agencies or other labor contractors to obtain workers. In summary, the law provides that if a labor contractor fails to pay...
read moreProtections for Complaints Under the Labor Code
Labor Code Section 98.6 prohibits an employer from undertaking any action that is discriminatory or retaliatory against an employee who complains of Labor Code violations. Such conduct can result in a $10,000 penalty against the employer. Under AB 2751, the Labor...
read moreWaiting Time Penalties
Under current law, an employer who pays less than the minimum wage is subject to a Labor Commissioner citation that includes a civil penalty, restitution and liquidated damages (Labor Code Section 1197.1). AB 1723 authorizes the Labor Commissioner to also recover...
read moreTime Off for Emergency Duty: Expanded Category
Currently employees are allowed time off to perform services as emergency rescue personnel. The law has been revised by AB 2536 to expand the definition of "emergency rescue personnel.” The new definition shall include an officer, employee or member of a disaster...
read moreProtections for Unpaid Interns and Volunteers
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) has been amended by AB 1443 to: • Provide protections against harassment to unpaid interns and volunteers; • Provide protections against discrimination in an unpaid internship or in another limited duration ...
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