Employee Misclassification: It Adds Up Fast

by Jennifer Shaw | | April 20, 2026

A company hires workers and calls them independent contractors. They sign agreements. They get 1099s. Everyone is aligned with what they are. Until they’re not. That’s exactly what happened in Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court—a case that reshaped how...

HR + AI: Smart Tool and Real Risk

by Jennifer Shaw | | April 13, 2026

Artificial intelligence has quietly made its way into HR’s day-to-day work. It shows up in performance reviews, investigation summaries, interview questions, and even discipline memoranda. For busy teams, it can feel like a lifesaver. Tasks that used to take an hour...

Even “Wrong” Complaints Can Create Liability

by Jennifer Shaw | | April 6, 2026

California employers often focus on whether an employee’s complaint has legal merit. That instinct makes sense. If the complaint is wrong, exaggerated, or based on a misunderstanding of the law, it is easy to assume the risk is low. That assumption is where employers...

Bereavement Leave in California: Where Compassion Meets Compliance

by Jennifer Shaw | | March 30, 2026

Bereavement leave feels like one of those areas where employers should be able to rely on instinct. An employee loses someone close to them, and the response seems obvious: be supportive, give them time, and move forward. But in California, that approach, while...

Wrong About the Law…Still Protected?

by Jennifer Shaw | | March 23, 2026

California employers often assume that if an employee’s complaint is legally incorrect, it falls outside the scope of protected activity. That assumption is not only flawed—it is increasingly risky. A recent decision from the California Court of Appeal, Contreras v....
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