State Supreme Court Ruling Protects Employers, Preserves Workers’ Comp Exclusivity
The California State Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of employers finding that an employee’s tort claims against a doctor who reviewed workers’ compensation...
CalChamber: State Legislature Needs to Set Standard on Independent Contractor Test
During an interview with KPCC radio yesterday Jennifer Barrera, senior vice president of policy for the California Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the urgent need...
California Wildfires: What Employers Need to Know
More than a dozen wildfires are raging up and down California, forcing evacuations and bringing tragedy and loss. The monstrous Carr fire in Shasta County...
California Supreme Court Hits Employers in Starbucks Off-the-Clock Work Case
In recent years, employers have faced lawsuits over small, or “de minimis,” amounts of unpaid time spent either before or after the employee clocks...
CalChamber Seeking Changes to Make Panic Button Legislation More Workable
A California Chamber of Commerce-led coalition continues to seek changes to make more workable a bill that, among other provisions, requires hotels to provide...
Manners Make an Employee
You spend up to 40 hours a week (and maybe more) with your co-workers so workplace etiquette, an unofficial code of conduct, can affect...
Tank Tops and Flip Flops — Summer Dress Codes
Summer is here! The weather is getting hotter, and while some employees fight over the office temperature, others may angle for a more casual dress...
Court Puts Parts of California’s New Workplace Immigration Law on “ICE”
California’s Immigrant Worker Protection Act (AB 450) provides California workers with certain protections from immigration enforcement while on the job. This law went into effect...
Cal/OSHA Reminder: Protect Outdoor Workers from Heat Illness
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is reminding employers to protect their outdoor workers from heat illness as temperatures reach triple...
Indoor Heat Illness Rule: CalChamber-Led Coalition Proposes Additional Clarity
A California Chamber of Commerce-led coalition has submitted a fourth set of comments on a fourth draft of the Cal/OSHA proposed draft indoor heat...
High Court Decisions Leave Employers with Uncertainty
Labor Law Standards Subject to Interpretation
California employers are once again left with uncertainty regarding the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) Enforcement Policies and Interpretations...
Indoor Heat Illness Rules: Keeping Up the Pressure
Latest Draft Still Too Complex, Burdensome
While the latest version of the Cal/OSHA proposed draft indoor heat illness rule is improved over prior versions, a...
California Supreme Court Issues Worker Friendly Overtime Ruling
Overtime pay in California is based on the employee’s “regular rate of pay,” which is not always an employee’s normal hourly wage and must...
DACA Decision: California Employer Update
The Supreme Court’s recent denial of a Trump administration bid to expedite a legal challenge to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program...
Is Worker an Employee or Independent Contractor?
Two Court Cases Review Complex Issue
Properly classifying an individual as an employee versus an independent contractor has always been a daunting task for any...
It Happened Again: Retaliation is the No. 1 EEOC Charge
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released detailed breakdowns of the 84,524 charges of workplace discrimination that the agency received in fiscal year 2017.
And once again,...
New Law Restricts Immigration Enforcement at Worksites
As of January 1, California employers must comply with strict rules passed under the new Immigrant Worker Protection Act (AB 450), which protects workers...
Assembly Appropriations Committee to Hear Job Killer Bill
The Assembly Appropriations Committee today will consider a California Chamber of Commerce-opposed job killer bill that subjects employers to costly fines and multiple avenues...
Californians Can Legally Buy Weed But Employers Can Still Keep a Drug-Free Workplace
Last week, California businesses began to legally sell recreational marijuana in California. More than 400 state licenses have been issued so far, but the rollout...
Capitol Coffee Break: Outrageous Office Parties
The office party has long been a potential powder keg. Add a relaxed and celebratory atmosphere to an open bar, music and dancing at...