Legal updates
Employers May Not Require Disclosure of Social Media Passwords
In the recent weeks there has been considerable controversy over employers seeking to require applicants to provide the passwords to their Facebook accounts or other social media sites as part of the application process and as a condition of hiring. The issue has...
read moreFirm News
Cynthia recently was asked to be a consultant in the upcoming publication by CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) entitled Damages and Other Remedies for Wrongful Termination and Other Tort Claims. Cynthia was also recently nominated as a candidate for the San...
read moreIs Being “Unemployed” A Protected Classification?
It is becoming increasingly difficult, according to many studies, for unemployed persons to find employment if they disclose that they are “unemployed”. As a result, legislation has recently been introduced on the state and federal level to make amendments to the law...
read moreExempt Status for Commissioned Employees: What’s the Latest?
California wage and hour laws provide that certain employees, such as executives, managers and administrative employees, are “exempt” and are not regulated by certain aspects of the Labor Code and the IWC Wage Orders, specifically in relation to overtime...
read moreRounding Employee Time – Is this Still Legal?
For years it has been an acceptable practice for California employers to “round” up or down the recorded work time of their employees for payroll purposes, as long as the rounding practices followed the Labor Commissioner’s guidelines and did not serve as a method to...
read moreNew Legislation Seeks to Expand Leave of Absence Rights
Employers with 50 or more employees are currently covered by both the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and the federal Family and Medical Care Act (FMLA) which permits employees who have worked more than 1250 hours in the most recent 12 month period of time to take...
read moreAnother Arbitration Agreement Found Invalid
Courts are regularly asked to review arbitration agreements relating to employment claims and more and more often are finding them to be invalid for a variety of reasons. In a recent case, yet another court found an employer’s arbitration agreement invalid as to...
read moreThe Brinker Decision…. The Court Finally Rules
The Brinker Decision.... the Court Finally Rules What It All Means On April 12, 2012 the California Supreme Court has finally ruled on the long awaited and anticipated decision in Brinker v. Superior Court regarding the obligations of an employer to ensure or simply...
read moreDisability Claims, the Interactive Process and Reasonable Accommodations
Employers must understand their legal obligations when an applicant or employee asserts that they are disabled, or when an employer regards the person as disabled, or if the person has a record of a disability. Failing to understand the strict legal requirements can...
read moreTop 10 Reasons Not To Update Your Employee Handboo
Many employers have employee handbooks that are disseminated to new employees at the time of hire. However, with the dynamic nature of the laws affecting employers, it's important to routinely audit your handbook to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. But...
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