The California Supreme Court held that an employer must prove that it made a reasonable attempt to decipher the requirements of the law governing minimum wages in order to avail itself of the good faith defense against...more
8/26/2025
/ Appeals ,
CA Supreme Court ,
California ,
Defense Strategies ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Good Faith ,
Labor Commissioners ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Minimum Wage ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
State Labor Laws ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Wage and Hour
The California Labor Code generally requires that employers provide meal periods to non-exempt employees working more than five hours. However, the Labor Code provides that meal periods can be waived by agreement of the...more
4/24/2025
/ Appeals ,
California ,
Class Action ,
Employee Rights ,
Employment Litigation ,
Labor Code ,
Non-Exempt Employees ,
Rest and Meal Break ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Orders ,
Waivers
The California Supreme Court concluded that the “good faith” defense applies to claims seeking to impose penalties under California Labor Code section 226. An employee must show that an employer’s failure to comply with...more
5/8/2024
/ CA Supreme Court ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Good Faith ,
Labor Code ,
Putative Class Actions ,
Rest and Meal Break ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unpaid Wages ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Orders
On March 25, 2024, the California Supreme Court unanimously answered three questions regarding the meaning of "hours worked” that had been certified to it by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. This ruling illuminates what...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 18, 2024, in Estrada v. Royalty Carpet Mills, Inc., the California Supreme Court addressed the split in appellate authority as to whether trial courts have inherent authority to strike a PAGA...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: California Labor Code section 1102.5 protects employees who disclose what they believe to be violations of the law. The Supreme Court of California has ruled that such disclosures are protected even if the...more
5/31/2023
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
California ,
DLSE ,
Employment Litigation ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Code ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Labor Standards Enforcement ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unpaid Wages ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies ,
Whistleblowers
Seyfarth Synopsis: In a published decision, a California Court of Appeal has ruled that a hospital’s decision to terminate an employee for failing to comply with its flu vaccine mandate did not violate California’s Fair...more
5/23/2023
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
FEHA ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Hiring & Firing ,
New Guidance ,
State Labor Laws ,
Vaccinations
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Supreme Court recently determined that meal and rest period premium payments are subject to the final pay timing requirements of Labor Code section 203 and the wage statement reporting...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Supreme Court recently determined that meal and rest period premium payments are subject to the final pay timing requirements of Labor Code section 203 and the wage statement reporting...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Two new California laws are set to significantly affect the entertainment industry: one will deal a giant blow to productions and studios accustomed to hiring independent contractors; the other will give...more
12/13/2019
/ Dynamex ,
Employee Definition ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Freelance Workers ,
Gig Economy ,
Graphic Designs ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Independent Contractors ,
Journalists ,
Labor Code ,
Labor Regulations ,
Misclassification ,
New Legislation ,
Photographs ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wages
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Court of Appeal, in Savea v. YRC Inc., held that an employer complies with Labor Code section 226(a)(8) when the employing entity lists its fictitious business name on a wage statement rather than the...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: California employers must use the formula prescribed by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement Manual to calculate overtime on flat sum bonuses, not the bonus overtime formula used under federal law....more