California's annual expansion of employer obligations can overwhelm even the most seasoned of HR practitioners. New regulations, statutes, and case law combine to tax every HR Department. Keeping up takes time and resources – and both can be falling ...
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End of the Year Reminders
The end of the year poses unique challenges for employers seeking to reward employees and at the same time stay compliant with hyper-technical legal mandates. No aspect of employment relationships is simple or intuitive in California and that is ...
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PAGA Reform Creates Opportunities and Challenges for California Employers
As has been widely publicized, emergency legislation has been passed to reform the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”).
As most California employers know, PAGA allows an individual employee to collect civil penalties on behalf of the ...
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PAGA Claims Must Be Artfully Addressed in Arbitration Agreements
Many California employers have adopted arbitration agreements to resolve their workplace disputes. Such agreements are enforceable in California so long as their terms are substantively fair. To ensure enforceability, the agreement must include ...
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Supreme Court Expands Liability Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act to Third-Party Vendors
In an unprecedented decision issued last month, the Supreme Court ruled in Kristina Raines v. U.S. Healthworks Medical Group, et al. that third-party vendors, who handle labor and employment issues for an employer, can be independently sued as ...
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Annual Handbook Review Should Address New NLRB Decision Limiting Codes of Conduct
Most employers utilize handbooks to familiarize employees with basic workplace rules and procedures. Because of the ongoing changes in California’s labor and employment laws, annual handbook reviews are typically required to prevent a handbook from ...
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California Supreme Court Rules that Employees Who Prevail on Individual PAGA Penalty Claims in Arbitration Can Also Pursue Civil Actions for Co-worker Penalty Claims
In a ruling with critical implications for California employers, on July 17, 2023, the California Supreme Court held that employees can file a civil action under the Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) even if they are bound by contract to submit ...
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New Rules Govern Hiring and Training of Apprentices on Public Works
Contractors should take note of regulatory changes governing employer obligations on public works construction. The state agency which regulates apprenticeship training in California, the California Apprenticeship Council or “CAC,” adopted rules ...
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