Human Resources / Health and Safety

Proposal Would Make Wildfire Smoke Protection Rule More Stringent; Threatens to Increase Business Costs

An emergency regulation issued from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board on July 29, 2019 requires California employers to take...

Independent Contractors Rally at Capitol to Request Work Flexibility Protections, Dynamex Fix

This morning, a coalition of independent drivers, and civil rights and community leaders are gathering at the State Capitol to bring focus to the...
The Workplace Podcast

Update on Key Bills Affecting California Employers

The California Legislature has one final month to pass bills to the Governor before going on recess for the rest of the year. In this...

Air Quality Event Preparedness: Groups Seek Input

Three organizations have teamed up to conduct a survey of how organizations, both public and private, are planning / preparing for and responding to...
The Workplace Podcast

Emergency Wildfire Smoke Protection Regulation Now In Effect—What Employers Need to Know

Employers in California are now required to protect their employees from potential harm created by wildfire smoke, following approval of an emergency regulation by...

Coming Soon from Cal/OSHA Board: Wildfire Smoke Protection Emergency Rule

Update, July 30, 2019 03:00 p.m.: The California Department of Industrial Relations today announced that the Office of Administrative Law approved the Protection from...

Job Killer Bill Grants Unemployment Benefits to Striking Workers

A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed job killer bill that would charge employers to provide unemployment insurance (UI) compensation to striking employees during labor disputes...

Ninth Circuit Decides to Not Go Back to the Future, Depublishes Vasquez Decision

The Dynamex saga is back for a sequel. In a brief yet temporary win for employers, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals depublished its...

CalChamber Expands Legal Affairs Team with Additional Employment Law Experts

In the past year, the California Chamber of Commerce has added three new employment law experts to its legal affairs team to help explain...
The Workplace Podcast

Vaccination Controversy Highlights Wellness Issues in the Workplace

While employers cannot require their employees to get vaccinated, there are many proactive steps they can take to ensure wellness and safety in the...

Keep Your Workplace Running Smoothly During Summer Vacations

Hotter temperatures and no school for the kids means many employees are using up their vacation time. In fact, nearly six in 10 workers...

Bill Increasing Health Care Costs Advances in Senate; Business Leaders Express Concerns

A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed bill that will further increase health care-related expenses for California businesses passed the Senate Health Committee last Wednesday. AB 731...
The Workplace Podcast

What Not to Wear – To Work

It’s summertime in California and that means flip flops, shorts, and tank tops. Unfortunately, when the weather heats up, employees can be tempted to...

Smoke, Fire, and New Legislation Approaching

In California, where there’s smoke, there may be a wildfire – and new legislative action. Starting with smoke: on Thursday June 27th, the Cal/OSHA’s Standards...

Workers Are Changing. California Legislature Must Face That Reality

Labor protections are meant to address certain situations where there is an imbalance in control between the employer and employee. But when the workers...
The Workplace Podcast

New Podcast: Stalled and Moving Employment Law Proposals in the Current Legislative Cycle

A number of bills that would have hindered employers in the state have been stopped for the year, but a few others remain. In...

CalSavers Retirement Savings Program Registration to Begin July 1

In 2016, the California Legislature passed a bill that laid the foundation for a state-run retirement plan, and in 2018, the final governing regulations were adopted....
The Workplace Podcast

Regulations May Require Employers to Monitor Air Quality/Provide Respirators

New regulations for safety in the workplace are in motion as Cal/OSHA looks to protect employees from detrimental effects of working near or around...

For Uber and Lyft Drivers, Reclassification Means Less Flexibility

Last week, an op-ed appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle discussing the fact that executives from Uber and Lyft have come together to address...
The Workplace Podcast

CalChamber Podcast Focuses on Meals and Breaks at the Office

Although California’s meal and rest break rules are intended to give hourly employees time to take breaks during their shifts, problems can arise if...