We have previously analyzed the growing trend around the country to ban employer inquiries into an applicant’s prior salary. This advisory addresses frequently asked questions about the new California law, which goes into...more
On July 1, 2017, the minimum wage increased in nine California cities, and San Francisco’s Parental Leave Ordinance became applicable to more employers. Employers affected by these changes should be sure they are in...more
California law requires most employers to authorize paid rest breaks for non-exempt employees of at least 10 minutes for each four hours worked or a major fraction thereof, and to provide this rest break approximately mid-way...more
This is our year-end assessment of the most important developments for California employers. All of the new laws are effective on Jan. 1, 2017, unless otherwise noted.
The California legislature once again had a busy...more
11/4/2016
/ Choice-of-Law ,
Domestic Violence ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Equal Pay Act ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Fair Pay Act ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Minimum Wage ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour
New regulations under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) require employers of five or more employees to update anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and complaint-investigation policies; update sexual...more
When California’s sick leave law went into effect in 2015, many employers—especially national employers—did not change their pre-existing sick leave or paid-time-off (PTO) policies because those policies exceeded the...more
The California legislature continued its focus on expanding legal remedies for employees in California. Many of the new laws for 2016, such as the Fair Pay Act and expanded Labor Commissioner powers, make significant changes...more
In recently published amendments to its regulations, the California Fair Employment & Housing Council (FEHC) has clarified formerly confusing rules and brought the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) into closer parallel to...more
8/13/2015
/ Adoption ,
Amended Regulation ,
California Family Rights Act (CFRA) ,
Compliance ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
FEHC ,
Foster Children ,
IWC ,
Joint Employers ,
Labor Code ,
Paid Leave ,
Pregnancy Disability Leave Law ,
Sick Leave ,
Unpaid Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Orders
On July 13, 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law urgency legislation amending the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, which generally requires employers to provide paid sick leave to almost all...more
Under California law, “every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void.” (Bus. & Prof. Code §16600) The prohibition pertains even if the...more
California’s “Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014,” otherwise known as California’s Paid Sick Time (or Paid Sick Leave) law, went into effect on Jan. 1, 2015, and will become operative for accrual purposes on...more
Narrowly construing the California Labor Code provisions on meal periods, the California Court of Appeal struck down a provision in the Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders that allows health care employees working...more
The California Legislature was unusually active this year. Significantly, California introduced mandatory paid sick live, created new “unfair immigration-related practices” and expanded potential liability for employers who...more
12/3/2014
/ Arbitration ,
Discrimination ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hiring & Firing ,
National Origin Discrimination ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Leave ,
Rest and Meal Break ,
Sick Leave ,
Staffing Agencies ,
Unpaid Interns ,
Volunteers ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, which requires employers to provide almost all California employees with three paid sick days per year. Although many...more
Employers with 50 or more employees in any combination of nine San Francisco Bay Area counties have until Sept. 30, 2014, to come into compliance with the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program (CBP). Intended to encourage the...more
Effective Aug. 13, 2014, a new San Francisco ordinance prohibits private employers and city contractors from asking job applicants about their criminal history until after the first interview. The Fair Chance ordinance also...more
The California Legislature was unusually active this year. Significantly, California increased the state minimum wage, created new “unfair immigration-related practices,” and expanded protections for whistleblowers. All laws...more
12/5/2013
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Crime Victims ,
Damages ,
Data Breach ,
Data Protection ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Discrimination ,
Domestic Workers ,
FEHA ,
Leave of Absence ,
Liens ,
Military Service Members ,
Minimum Wage ,
Paid Family Leave Insurance Program ,
Prevailing Party ,
Retaliation ,
Undocumented Immigrants ,
Whistleblowers
A federal Circuit Court of Appeals decision last Friday in Noel Canning v. NLRB was front page news across the country for good reason. The court held that President Obama’s Jan. 4, 2012, “recess appointments” to the National...more