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 188

What Employers Should Know About California’s New Workplace Violence Regulation

(November 29, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts sits down with Bianca Saad, CalChamber general counsel, labor and employment, to discuss the requirements of California’s new workplace violence standard, SB 553 (Cortese; D-San Jose).

Episode 187

New Laws California Employers Will Need to Follow in 2024

(October 25, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts and CalChamber Policy Advocate Ashley Hoffman review several new laws that will affect California employers in 2024: SB 616 (Gonzalez; D-Long Beach), expansion of paid sick leave; SB 848 (Rubio; D-Baldwin Park), reproductive-related bereavement leave; and two bills dealing with cannabis use, AB 2188 (Quirk; D-Hayward) and SB 700 (Bradford; D-Gardena).

Episode 186

Podcast Examines AI’s Workplace Opportunities, Challenges

(October 6, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts, and Peter Bittner, award-winning multimedia journalist and artificial intelligence (AI) consultant, discuss the growing presence of AI in the workplace, exploring the various ways it is transforming business operations.

Episode 185

Key Employment Law Bills Awaiting Gubernatorial Action, Part 2

(September 20, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, employment law expert Matthew Roberts and Chris Micheli, partner with Aprea & Micheli, Inc., join up again to give a second update on remaining key labor and employment-related bills that await the Governor’s pen.

Episode 184

California Legislature Passes Bills on Discrimination in Employment, Paid Sick Leave Expansion, Reproductive-Related Bereavement Leave

(September 19, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, employment law expert Matthew Roberts and Chris Micheli, adjunct professor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and a partner with Aprea & Micheli, Inc., give an update on important labor and employment-related bills that passed the California Legislature last week, including bills on discrimination in the workplace (SB 403 (Wahab; D-Hayward), CalChamber job killer bill AB 524 (Wicks; D-Oakland), CalChamber-opposed bill AB 2188 (Quirk; D-Hayward), and SB 700 (Bradford; D-Gardena)); expansion of paid sick leave (CalChamber job killer bill SB 616 (Gonzalez; D-Long Beach)); and reproductive-related bereavement leave (CalChamber “Oppose Unless Amended” bill SB 848 (Rubio; D-Baldwin Park)).

Episode 183

How a Recent National Labor Relations Board Ruling Affects Workplace Rules, Employee Handbooks

(August 29, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law experts Matthew Roberts and James Ward discuss the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling in Stericycle, Inc. and Teamsters Local 628, and how it affects California employers’ workplace rules and handbooks.

Episode 182

Remote Workers Moving Out of State, School-Related Leaves a Top Concern for Employers Calling the CalChamber Labor Law Helpline

(August 22, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law experts Matthew Roberts and Ellen Savage discuss some of the latest labor and employment issues of concern to California employers, including: remote workers moving out of state; termination and layoff best practices; working minors; and school-related leaves of absence.

Episode 181

Trending Topics on the Labor Law Helpline: Remote Work Expense Reimbursements, Pet Bereavement Leave and More

(July 27, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law experts Matthew Roberts and Ellen Savage discuss some of the latest labor and employment issues concerning California employers, including: remote work expense reimbursements; religious accommodation requests; lactation accommodations; and pet bereavement leave.

Episode 180

Unlimited Paid Time Off Policies Are Attractive, But Have Risks

(July 20, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts sits down with Bianca Saad, CalChamber vice president of labor and employment for content, training and advice, to discuss unlimited paid time off (PTO) policies.

Episode 179

Update on Harmful Proposals as Legislature Heads for Summer Break

(June 28, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Helpline manager and employment law counsel Matthew Roberts and Chris Micheli, of Aprea & Micheli, give an update on important labor and employment-related bills in the California Legislature that employers should keep an eye on, such as SB 616, which expands California’s paid sick leave law; AB 524, which adds a new protected class under the Fair Employment and Housing Act; SB 399, which bans employers’ speech; SB 365, which undermines arbitration; and SB 809, which prohibits consideration of conviction history in employment.

Episode 178

Cal/OSHA Heat Regulations and Where Things Stand with SB 553

(June 14, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts sits down with CalChamber Policy Advocate Robert Moutrie to discuss the newest developments in California’s indoor heat regulations and proposed legislation, SB 553, dealing with workplace violence rules.

Episode 177

Employer Best Practices to Ensure Compliance with California Equal Pay Act

(June 6, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts sits down with Bianca Saad, CalChamber vice president of labor and employment for content, training and advice, to discuss the legal requirements of the California Fair Pay Act and provide best practices for improving compliance.

Episode 176

Mental Health Awareness Month: Identifying Indicators of Distress and Ways Employers Can Help

(May 26, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts speaks with clinical social worker Amanda Gibson about mental health in the workplace, including how employers can detect mental distress in workers and what to do to help.

Episode 175

Nurturing a Culture of Wellness in the Workplace Helps Employees, Business Thrive

(May 10, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CREtelligent Chief Experience Officer Tobi Lutz discuss how employers can create a better work environment for mental health.

Episode 174

Five 2023 Legislative Proposals Negatively Impacting California Employers

(May 4, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber Policy Advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss five troubling employment law bills being discussed in the California Legislature this year: SB 809, SB 616, SB 723, SB 627, and AB 1356.

Episode 173

How the Performance Review Serves as a Valuable Business Tool

(April 11, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts sits down with Bianca Saad, CalChamber vice president of labor and employment for content, training and advice, to discuss how the employee performance review serves as a valuable business tool.

Episode 172

Properly Classifying Employees as Exempt, Nonexempt

(April 3, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law experts Matthew Roberts and Ellen Savage discuss how to properly classify employees as either exempt or nonexempt for wage and hour purposes — a top source of litigation between employees and employers.

Episode 171

Four 2023 Bills That Would Negatively Affect California Employers

(March 22, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber Policy Advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss four bills that, if passed, would significantly affect California employers — and not in a good way: SB 809, AB 747, SB 399 and SB 525

Episode 170

Arbitration Agreements: A Recap of Favorable Court Decision and What’s to Come

(February 21, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber Policy Advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss a recent court victory for employers involving the use of arbitration agreements.

Episode 169

Untangling Confusion, Misconceptions on California’s Pay Scale Disclosure Requirements

(January 27, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts sits down with CalChamber Policy Advocate Ashley Hoffman to discuss the pay scale disclosure component of SB 1162, a law passed in 2022 that also amended California’s existing pay data reporting laws. SB 1162’s pay scale disclosure component affects employers with any number of employees in California.

Episode 168

Compliance During Emergency Conditions

(January 17, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts sits down with CalChamber Labor Law Helpline expert Ellen Savage to discuss what has affected every Californian over the last few weeks – natural disasters and their specific impacts on workers and workplaces.

Episode 167

Compliance Tips for 2023

(January 4, 2023) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber’s vice president of employment law, Bianca Saad, discuss the new California employment laws that took effect on January 1.