In November 2015, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced proposed changes to the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The Office of Management and Budget recently approved the final version of the new Form I-9, and the USCIS must...

The Division of Industrial Relations (DIR) issued a press release on August 31, 2016 announcing their on-line complaint processing system to make it easier for alleged Labor Code violations to be made…..Just what California employers need…. The press release states in...

Effective April 1, 2016, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) was amended to address numerous aspects of discrimination, harassment and other workplace issues. One issue that has become an recent “hot topic” is whether an employee is permitted to bring their...

The U.S. Department of Labor announced on July 26, 2016 that changes to two of the federal employment law posters have been made – which changes are effective August 1, 2016 so employers must act quickly to remain in compliance. These required updates affect the...

The Federal Department of Labor has recently released a new Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) poster for use by employers covered by the FMLA (those with 50 or more employees). The new poster, dated April 2016, is reformatted and contains additional information on...

With the presidential campaigns underway, it is likely that some employees may engage in political discussions at work. These discussions can create controversy, animosity and other concerns for employers. Employees have certain protections regarding their right to...

As is well known, employers are required to provide rest breaks to all non-exempt employees whose total daily work time is at least 3.5 hours. These rest breaks must be at the rate of 10 “net” minutes for every four hours worked or “major fraction thereof.” In a...

Employers who are served with wage garnishments on behalf of their employees must adjust the amounts withheld. Beginning July 1, 2016, a withholding order cannot exceed the lesser of: 25 percent of an individual’s weekly disposable earnings; or 50 percent of the...

In 1995 California’s ban on smoking in the workplace was implemented prohibiting employers from knowingly or intentionally permitting the smoking of tobacco products at work, including lobbies, lounges, waiting areas, stairwells, elevators and restrooms, or in an...

On May 18, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the long awaited changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations that significantly affect who may continue to be classified as exempt under the executive, administrative and professional exemptions...