Jennifer Shaw spoke with Laura Ernde for a SHRM article regarding the California Labor Commissioner's Office undergoing training aimed at resolving workplace disputes before a formal hearing takes place. You can read the article here.

As we discussed in our previous article, “New California Workplace Law, Part One,” employers must be aware of a number of new California employment laws. Below is a brief summary of Part Two. Of course, employers should seek advice from experienced employment counsel...

2021 brought employers an avalanche of new laws and ever-changing COVID-19 obligations. The good news is that the California Legislature gave employers a bit of a break this session, and the changes for 2022 are not too overwhelming. Below is a brief summary of some...

The California Supreme Court issued several employment law decisions during the past year.  We summarize below the most important of these rulings. Donohue v. AMN Services To simplify timekeeping calculations, many employers have adopted “rounding practices” in which...

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...