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 166

Succession Planning Helps Businesses Prepare for Long-Term Survival

(December 19, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts is joined by best-selling author and recruiting expert Rikka Brandon to discuss the importance of succession planning and steps to get the process underway.

Episode 165

Best Practices for Fostering Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

(November 28, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts, and diversity and inclusion consultant Jonathan Mayes discuss best practices for fostering diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace.

Episode 164

Recruiting Best Practices for a Post-COVID-19 Job Landscape

(November 14, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts, and best-selling author and recruiting expert Rikka Brandon discuss hiring best practices in a post-COVID-19 pandemic job landscape.

Episode 163

Understanding California Political Speech and Election Laws at Work

(October 26, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Labor and Employment Vice President Bianca Saad and CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts discuss the rules regarding political speech in the workplace and explain California’s voting leave law.

Episode 162

Trending Topics on the Labor Law Helpline: Halloween Parties, Listening to Music in the Workplace and More

(October 24, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber HR Adviser Ellen Savage discuss the issues employers are asking about most often on the CalChamber Labor Law Helpline, including: Halloween parties, balancing religious beliefs with holiday parties, employee handbook policies, listening to music in the workplace, accommodating unprotected time off, and employee privacy concerns.

Episode 161

5 New California Labor Laws Employers Should Start Preparing For

(October 5, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss five new labor laws employers should know and prepare for: SB 1162; AB 152; AB 1949; AB 1041; and SB 1044.

Episode 160

California Consumer Privacy Act Will Apply to Employers in 2023

(September 19, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss the current state of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and how it will affect employers starting January 1, 2023.

Episode 159

School’s Back in Session: Recap of Leaves Available to Working Parents

(August 24, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Labor and Employment Vice President Bianca Saad and CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts provide a refresher on school-related leaves of absence and labor laws, including school activities leave, school appearance leave, sick leaves, and accommodating flexible schedules.

Episode 158

Survey Shows Return to Office Trends and Employer Attitudes

(August 17, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and Global Head of Occupier Thought Leadership at CBRE Group, Inc. Julie Whelan discuss current employer attitudes toward in-person work and returning remote workers to the workplace.

Episode 157

The Latest Issues Employers Are Asking About on the CalChamber Labor Law Helpline

(August 10, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber HR Adviser Ellen Savage discuss the issues employers are asking about most often on the CalChamber Labor Law Helpline, including: the new California Department of Public Health definition of “close contact” regarding COVID-19 isolation protocols; webcam usage concerns; remote work-related expenses; retention bonuses; and more.

Episode 156

Update on CalChamber Efforts to Secure Changes to Important Legislation

(August 1, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocates Ashley Hoffman and Robert Moutrie give a legislative update on four important proposals that will affect California businesses: SB 1162 (Limón; D-Goleta), AB 2188 (Quirk; D-Hayward), SB 1044 (Durazo; D-Los Angeles) and SB 1149 (Leyva; D-Chino).

Episode 155

How to Handle Vacation, Sick Leave, Paid Time Off, Holidays

(July 6, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber HR Adviser Ellen Savage answer common questions that employers are asking regarding vacation policies.

Episode 154

What Supreme Court Ruling on Arbitration and PAGA Means for Employers

(June 30, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Labor and Employment Vice President Bianca Saad and CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts discuss how the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Viking River Cruises v. Moriana affects employers and arbitration agreements.

Episode 153

Authors Share Small Business Success Tips from Self-Made Bosses

(June 22, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera and authors Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg discuss entrepreneurship and share tips for starting and managing a successful small business.

Episode 152

Considerations, Best Practices for Returning to In-Person Work Arrangements

(June 10, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber HR Adviser Ellen Savage discuss hybrid and in-person work environments, and use real workplace examples to share best practices for employers.

Episode 151

CalChamber Hiring Checklist Makes Onboarding Easy

(May 6, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Labor and Employment Vice President Bianca Saad and CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts share highlights from the CalChamber Hiring Checklist, and discuss obtaining documentation from remote workers, employee handbook best practices, and what employers should look for in a harassment training program.

Episode 150

Questions Remain on Workplace Emergency Bill

(April 28, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss SB 1044 (Durazo; D-Los Angeles), a proposal that would allow employees to leave work or refuse to show up to work if the employee subjectively feels unsafe.

Episode 149

Two Approaches to Worker Scheduling

(April 22, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss AB 2932 (Low; D-Campbell), a proposal that would impose overtime requirements after 32 hours, and AB 1761 (Voepel; R-Santee), a proposal that would allow for an employee-selected flexible work schedule.

Episode 148

Important HR Bills to Watch This Year

(April 4, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss three job killer bills under consideration in the California Legislature: SB 1044 (Durazo; D-Los Angeles), AB 2182 (Wicks; D-Oakland) and SB 1162 (Limón; D-Goleta).

Episode 147

Secretary Weber: Fostering Women Leaders

(March 31, 2022) In recognition of the conclusion of Women’s History Month, CalChamber today released a special edition of The Workplace podcast. In this episode, CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera speaks with California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., who reflects on the influences that shaped her career, explains why business leaders should invest their time in mentoring future women leaders, and shares advice for company leaders who are working within their organizations to encourage women leaders.

Episode 146

Important Updates on Arbitration Law

(March 28, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Labor and Employment Vice President Bianca Saad, and CalChamber employment law experts Matthew Roberts and James Ward discuss the recent federal law that amends the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) to make pre-dispute arbitration agreements and class action waivers invalid and unenforceable for claims of sexual harassment or sexual assault.

Episode 145

New Bill Proposes Workplace Vaccine Law

(March 11, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss AB 1993 (Wicks; D-Oakland), a bill recently introduced in the California Legislature that would mandate all California employers to establish a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees.

Episode 144

California’s New COVID-19 Mask Rules

(February 18, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber Labor and Employment Vice President Bianca Saad discuss the latest changes to California’s universal indoor mask requirement and its impact on the workplace.

Episode 143

COVID Paid Sick Leave: Old vs. New

(February 9, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law experts Matthew Roberts and Bianca Saad, and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss California’s new supplemental COVID-19 paid sick leave law, including insight on policy negotiations and what differentiates this new law from last year’s version.

Episode 142

Labor Law Proposals to Keep an Eye On

(January 19, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss four current state legislative proposals that affect the workplace: an unpaid bereavement leave mandate; “protected class” expansion in the Fair Employment and Housing Act; expansion of the number of sick days provided under the California paid sick leave law; and a new COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave law.

Episode 141

COVID-19 Workplace Safety Rules Update

(January 5, 2022) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Robert Moutrie give an update on the latest COVID-19 workplace safety rules and discuss what employers should watch for in the coming weeks and months.