The Workplace is a podcast by CalChamber that provides expert and entertaining commentary on issues critical to California employers and employees. Episodes include discussions about California employment laws, legislative proposals, and national and state politics.

Commentary on the podcast should not be considered as legal advice.

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Episode 222

Tiny Religious Figurines, Disciplining Rude Supervisors and More Recent Labor Law Helpline Questions

(April 17, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts, Senior Employment Law Counsel Erika Barbara and Employment Law Subject Matter Expert Vanessa Greene discuss real employer questions from our Labor Law Helpline — including frequently asked questions and a few unusual ones.

Episode 221

Common Mistakes to Avoid With California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave

(April 11, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts and Senior Employment Law Counsel Erika Barbara cover common mistakes employers encounter when working with pregnant employees who request leave due to their pregnancy.

Episode 220

What Supervisors Need to Know, Part II: The ‘Soft’ Skills

(March 26, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts, Senior Employment Law Counsel Erika Barbara and Employment Law Subject Matter Expert Vanessa Greene cover the often-overlooked soft skills supervisors need to lead their teams successfully.

Episode 219

What Supervisors Need to Know, Part I: ‘Hard’ Compliance Skills

(March 18, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts, Senior Employment Law Counsel Erika Barbara and Employment Law Subject Matter Expert Vanessa Greene tackle what is often referred to as “hard” compliance skills necessary for supervisors to help maintain a liability-free workplace in California.

Episode 218

Executive Orders and Their Impact on DEI

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber General Counsel of Labor and Employment Bianca Saad and Associate General Counsel of Labor and Employment Matthew Roberts are joined by Jonathan Mayes, CEO of Jonathan Mayes Consulting, to discuss some of the changes happening in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) space following recent executive action from the White House.

Episode 217

It’s All in the Handbook: Creating and Maintaining an Effective Company Resource

(March 7, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts and CalChamber Employment Law Subject Matter Expert Vanessa Greene discuss the importance of a well-built and up-to-date employee handbook.

Episode 216

Workplace Violence Prevention Standards

(February 25, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts and CalChamber Senior Policy Advocate Robert Moutrie discuss potential changes coming to the Workplace Violence Prevention Standards for General Industry.

Episode 215

Navigating California’s Paid Sick Leave Law

(February 10, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts and Senior Employment Law Counsel Erika Barbara discuss California’s paid sick leave law, sharing best practices to ensure compliance and avoid legal pitfalls.

Episode 214

Workplace Raids and I-9 Audits: What Employers Need to Know

(January 31, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts and immigration law experts Greg Berk and Andrew Desposito discuss employer obligations during federal  immigration raids and audits.

Episode 213

2025 Compliance Checklist: Key HR Practices for Employers

(January 24, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Labor and Employment General Counsel Bianca Saad and CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts discuss key compliance practices and reminders for California employers.

Episode 212

California Wildfires: Key Employer Responsibilities for Worker Health and Pay

(January 16, 2025) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Labor and Employment General Counsel Bianca Saad and CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts discuss the wildfire-related regulations and best practices employers should know.