On September 27, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 606 (“SB 606”) into law. SB 606, which will go into effect on January 1, 2022, significantly expands the enforcement authority of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal/OSHA”). SB 606 Creates New Categories of Cal/OSHA Violations SB 606 creates two new categories of… Read More
HR & Employment Law Blog
Federal Court Reinstates Ban on Employment Arbitration Agreements in California – For Now
In 2019, AB 51 is Passed As readers of this blog know, in 2019 the California legislature passed AB 51, a new law that added Section 432.6 to the California Labor Code. This new statute made it illegal for an employer to require an applicant or employee, as a condition of employment, to sign an… Read More
Are You Thinking About Reopening Your Workplace? Think First About Your Safety Obligations to Your Employees.
Many employers are eager to return to the office and “get things back to normal.” If you are an employer who is considering requiring or allowing employees to return to an in-person workplace (or if you have already done so), the first thing to understand is that there is no “back to normal,” at least… Read More
Workplace Legal Welcomes New Senior Counsel, Mark Gabel
Workplace Legal is thrilled to announce that Mark Gabel has joined the firm’s San Francisco office as Senior Counsel. Mark helps his clients navigate the complex web of employment law and workplace culture issues they face today. He advises employers about employment law compliance and tough management issues, represents them in settlement negotiations, and defends… Read More
California Superior Court Judge Declares Prop 22 Unconstitutional
In a stunning ruling late on Friday evening, California Superior Court Judge Frank Groesch ruled that Prop 22 – the most expensive ballot proposition in California history, which last year passed with 59% of the vote and allowed Uber and Lyft to classify their drivers as “independent contractors” rather than employees – was unconstitutional. According… Read More
Updates to San Francisco’s “Safer Return Together Order” Effective August 20, 2021
Keeping up with the ever-changing COVID-19 landscape can be difficult, and the Delta variant seems to be escalating the timing for officials to get more guidelines in place. On August 12, 2021, there were some major changes made in San Francisco by the Department of Health, which will quickly go into effect. These updates were… Read More
Meal and Rest Period Violations Just Got More Expensive for Employers
Under existing California law, if an employee who is eligible for a meal period is denied that meal period or gets interrupted during that meal period, then that employee is entitled to one hour of premium pay at the employee’s then-existing “regular rate of pay.” The same is true for rest periods. If an employee… Read More
On Today’s Hottest Topic: The Post-Lockdown Workplace
The wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown is shaping up to be an era of great confusion and uncharted territories. Rightfully so, employers are uncertain about what their workplaces will look like in a post-pandemic world. Many business owners are seeking clarity on their responsibilities and duties to their employees during this time. Some… Read More
Employers with 50+ Employees: It’s Time to Register with CalSavers
As of July 2019, more than half of Californians aged 25-64 had no retirement savings. In an effort to make saving for retirement more accessible, and therefore encourage more people to save, the State of California enacted legislation that requires employers with 5 or more California-based employees (including at least one who is age 18… Read More
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Cal/OSHA and COVID
June has been a turbulent month for Cal/OSHA – and for California employers doing their best to protect the health and safety of their employees as California begins to open up. Back and Forth After implementing detailed and complicated amended Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) on June 3, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board held an emergency meeting… Read More
