Federal workplace protections for LGBTQ+ employees have expanded significantly since the United State Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. Unlike federal law, California has long considered sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender...

Since our last annual United States Supreme Court roundup article, the Court issued four decisions that may affect California employers. We summarize these rulings below. Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru The First Amendment generally prohibits...

In early 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began, many California employers quickly mobilized their workforces to perform their jobs remotely. Now, as California moves toward regular business operations, many employers are ready to reopen their workplaces.  However, the...

Because of “COVID fatigue,” and the increasing number of vaccinated individuals in the workforce, many employers are becoming lax in their COVID-19 prevention efforts, such as social distancing and requiring facial masks. To avoid potential OSHA and Cal/OSHA citations...

California law imposes various requirements on employers who hire minors.  In addition to rules regarding the use of certain equipment (such as knives and balers) and requiring school-approved work permits, as of January 1, 2021, public and private sector employers...

Pursuant to a new law effective January 1, 2021, California employers must submit pay data reports to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) by March 31, 2021.  In February, the DFEH issued guidance regarding the new requirement, including a...

Most employees take steps to separate their work lives and their personal political activities. Social media and the prevalence of telework during the COVID-pandemic make this boundary more difficult to maintain, however. Recent events at the U.S. Capitol brought...

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in California in mid-December. Although vaccines will not widely be available to most employees for many months, it is not too early for employers to start planning. It will be tempting for employers to require their...

Here is the second half of our two-part article on new employment law legislation affecting California employers. California Family Rights Act With certain exceptions, the existing Moore-Brown-Roberti California Family Rights Act tracks the federal Family and Medical...

The California Legislature recently concluded this session’s work. There are many new mandates for California employers. Some “urgency” laws took effect immediately upon passage. Others take effect on January 1. Employers must make changes now to prevent lawsuits and...

Effective immediately, most California businesses with more than 500 workers nationwide must comply with AB 1867. This “urgency statute” mandates up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for reasons related to COVID-19 illnesses. The law’s intent is to cover California...

The California Supreme Court issued several employment law decisions during the past year.  We summarize below the most important of these rulings