Matthew Roberts
Matthew J. Roberts, a member of the CalChamber legal affairs team since July 2019, was named associate general counsel, labor and employment in October 2023. He explains California and federal labor and employment laws to CalChamber members and customers, and since October 2021 has served as manager of the Labor Law Helpline. Roberts brought to CalChamber a decade of experience representing business owners on California wage and hour and anti-discrimination employment laws for law firms in Sacramento and Davis. He received a B.A. in government from California State University, Sacramento and holds a J.D. from McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, where he also served on the McGeorge Law Review as both a writer and primary managing editor. See full bio
What Employers Need to Know During Southern California Wildfires
The Palisades Fire — and the other devasting Southern California wildfires — are severely impacting lives and property leading California Governor Gavin Newsom to...
California Health Care Workers Get Pay Hike
Many California health care workers got a pay bump on October 16 under delayed implementation of a state law that will gradually increase their...
Public Entities Not Liable for PAGA Penalties
The Private Attorneys’ General Act (PAGA) is continuing to make news as a decision from the California Supreme Court — amongst other holdings —...
U.S. Supreme Court Halts OSHA’s General Employer Vaccine Mandate
On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order staying the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) emergency temporary standards (ETS) requiring employers...
9th Circuit Allows California’s Ban on Mandatory Arbitrations to Proceed
On September 15, 2021 in a split decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated a preliminary injunction that prohibited California...
Cal/OSHA Revises Guidance on COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards
Last year, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) approved emergency COVID-19 temporary standards, which became effective and enforceable on November 30, 2020.
Under...
Vacation Policy Factors to Consider During COVID-19 Pandemic
A consequence of the prolonged shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders issued as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically reduced travel. As a result,...
Reasonable Accommodations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
How have the interactive process and reasonable accommodations for disabilities changed due to COVID-19?
Key Employment Law Issues When Addressing Workplace Illnesses
Our employee has recently returned from traveling in an area where there is an illness epidemic. What can we do to address the employee’s...